One of the sharpest, most experienced dealmakers in the world of mid-sized American manufacturing will share their candid views about the road ahead—and offer some hard-earned tips about how to make the most of what’s happening. Who’s buying what? How aggressive are PE acquirers, foreign and strategic buyers now and how is that likely to change over the next few years? What are the current pricing multiples and terms by sector—and where are they likely headed? It’s all on the table helping you become more cleareyed—and savvy—about this market moment.
Managing Director, Chairman of Baird Global Industrial Investment Banking
Everyone wants to get to a “Yes”—but how you do it is everything. More value is created or given up in this part of the process than perhaps any other, and this freight-train environment makes it even more essential to get things right. Our experts will make you a smarter strategist, reviewing the essential levers of transaction success, where deals really fall apart and how you can ensure that you’re in the driver’s seat throughout the process—and not being taken for a ride.
SVP, Corporate Strategy and Development, Rockwell Automation
Founder and Managing Partner, CORE Industrial Partners
20-min meetings, Limited spots available. Purposefully network in 1:1 confidential conversations among business owners and sell side deal-makers and acquirers to discuss specifics about your business situation, value-enhancing ideas and potential deal options.
Set of 3, 25-min roundtables. Participants join peer-to-peer discussions, rotating on a variety of relevant topics related to the deal process, while developing valuable relationships with buyers, sellers and deal advisers.
Participants will have the opportunity to dive deeper into relevant topics led by subject matter experts.
Statistics from the Exit Planning Institute show that 80% of businesses that go to market do not sell. Of the 20% that do sell, 50% have a reduction in the selling price after due diligence. Owner dependence is one of the core reasons for this failure. It is also the reason why so many businesses are unable to transfer to successive generations within families. Solving the issue of owner dependence is absolutely essential in any transaction—and will help you as long as you own your business, regardless of whether you have a transition in sight. In fact, solving this issue provides additional optionality to not sell, as the business can run independent of owner involvement. During this breakout discussion, we will cover the work and approach you can use to have a transferable business. Participants will not only increase the probability of exiting successfully, but also monetize more of the value that you deserve and have worked for.
Facilitated by Vincent Mastrovito, Founder and President, Prometis Partners, and Tony Fagella, Managing Director, Raymond James
If you’re thinking about your exit any time in the next few years, be sure to join this roundtable to hear about how a strategic sales process will maximize your value and get you the other outcomes you require/desire. This breakout will explore critical issues, including: What’s the M&A market like now?; Best practices and most common mistakes; Prepping for a sale (minority or majority) of your business; The differences between financial and strategic buyers; and How to get the outcomes you want and maximum valuation.
Facilitated by Andy Harris, President, North America Strategies, STS Capital Partners
While M&A practitioners have adopted the widespread stance that integration is absolutely necessary for the long-term success of a merger or acquisition, the process is nonetheless fraught with difficulties. Signing the dotted line on a transaction is, in many cases, the easy part. Extracting value from integration is a far more complex question. From maintaining momentum, employee engagement and culture shifts to technology integration, synergy implementation and customer engagement, join your peers to discuss effective tactics ensure your deals don’t fail because of overlooked elements of the integration process.
We will have reservations at a few different local restaurants for attendees to take advantage of further networking.
We will review the key elements of due diligence that are often overlooked, as well as best practices for conducting an integrated and efficient due diligence process to identify and quantify material risks as well as to maintain momentum, relationships and confidentiality – whether on the buy side or the sell side.
Partner, Linklaters LLP
Attendees will put their valuation, strategy and dealmaking skills to the test in this exclusive interactive M&A simulation. Using the famous case study of closely-held skiwear maker Spyder’s sale, we’ll break into teams, evaluate the prospects, come up with an exit strategy and see how the market responds, with lessons for everyone—both buyers and sellers—looking to make smarter deal decisions and reap more value from their M&A.
Principal, Periculum Capital
20-min meetings, Limited spots available. Purposefully network in 1:1 confidential conversations among business owners and sell side deal-makers and acquirers to discuss specifics about your business situation, value-enhancing ideas and potential deal options.
Participants will have the opportunity to participate in three 25-minute facilitated discussions with options for buyers and sellers. Expert advisors will be on hand to answer your questions.
20-min meetings, Limited spots available. Purposefully network in 1:1 confidential conversations among business owners and sell side deal-makers and acquirers to discuss specifics about your business situation, value-enhancing ideas and potential deal options.
Set of 2, 25-min roundtables. Participants join peer-to-peer discussions, rotating on a variety of relevant topics related to the deal process, while developing valuable relationships with buyers, sellers and deal advisers.
We’ll wrap up with a moderated ‘fireside’ panel discussion with a 3x CEO who completed 20 acquisitions and 6 exits, including 2 divestitures and 4 sales, and a CEO who sold his manufacturing business last year for 80% above market to a strategic buyer. For prospective sellers, learn best practices for preparing for and executing a sale as well as characteristics that achieve a premium price. For would-be buyers, gain better insights on the seller’s mindset, the deal process, areas of value creation, and key transaction risks.
President North America Strategies, STS Capital Partners
Former President and CEO, Accella Performance Materials
Former President, Quicken Steel
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
