Attracting, developing and retaining young talent is a key to business success. And in the often-hypercompetitive M&A space, it’s critical. The October issue of Smart Business Northeast Ohio featured the debut of the Smart Business Dealmakers Rising Stars program. It recognizes up-and-coming dealmaking professionals engaged in a wide range of M&A activities.

As part of that, the article features leaders of some of the region’s top M&A firms and companies deeply engaged in M&A discussing how they think about talent acquisition and development to stay competitive in this crucial function.

Take a peek behind the curtain to learn just how they execute.