Why Deals Fail and How to Minimize the Impact: Pitfalls to avoid when making acquisitions in a post-COVID-19 world
Presented By: Dickinson Wright, PLLC and Huntington Bank
Buying a company isn’t as simple as one thinks — especially during these uncertain times. But there’s an art to identifying acquisition prospects, conducting due diligence, negotiating price, and closing the deal. Hear from a group of veteran C-Suite executives and M&A advisors as they offer best practices from the frontlines of dealmaking for pre-transaction planning and the close… and why some deals just can’t get done.
Moderator:
Attorney
Dickinson Wright, PLLC
Bill is a Member of Dickinson Wright PLLC and has been representing buyers and sellers of businesses for over 25 years. As a trusted advisor and experienced negotiator, Bill has successfully closed an extensive list of M&A transactions across a broad spectrum of industries including automotive, snack food, manufactured homes, healthcare and consulting, among others. Typical deal values range in size from a few million dollars to several hundred million dollars.
Panelists:
CEO
V-to-X, LLC
Doug Grimm is Owner and CEO of V-to-X, LLC which is focused on advising and investing in the mobility sector. Most recently, Grimm was President & COO of Metaldyne Performance Group (NYSE: MPG), a $3 billion automotive metals supplier with 60 manufacturing plants in 13 countries and 12,000 employees.
Grimm started with Chrysler Corporation then transitioned to the automotive supply industry culminating in global CEO experience with 20+ M&A transactions in 35 years. He has led turnarounds, private equity relationships, integration, raising capital and driving profitable revenue growth through organic and inorganic means.
Since 2008, Grimm founded and transformed Grede Holdings LLC ($1 billion in sales) where he was Chairman & CEO. Subsequently, he led Grede through a private exit then a three-way merger followed by an IPO in 2014 and eventual sale to American Axle (NYSE: AXL) in 2017. Grimm has been recognized as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, by Crain's Detroit for best large deal of the year and has also been Chairman of the OESA and MEMA (automotive parts trade associations comprised of peer group companies and customers).
Grimm is currently Chairman of the Board for Electrical Components International (ECI), a member of the Board for Blue Bird Corporation (Nasdaq:BLBD) the nation's leading independent school bus manufacturer, a Board member for an independent metals manufacturer that supplies the trailer industry and an advisor for Mojio (a Silicon Valley based connected car software firm).
CEO
Belle Tire
Jack Lawless has been CEO of Belle Tire since 2015. He started his career with a 3-yr stint in Commercial lending. As President/CEO over the past 25+ years, his teams have consistently increased market share with an intense focus on the customer. During his CEO career, he has bought/sold/managed $1.3 Billion of transactions across family owned, private equity and public platforms.
Managing Director
Huntington Bank
Ron Majka is head of Middle Market/Asset-Based Loan Syndications at The Huntington National Bank. He has 23 years of experience in loan syndications and commercial banking, and extensive experience in financing mergers and acquisitions for his middle-market clients. His experience includes the structuring and syndication of over $10 billion in multi bank financing for Midwestern-based middle-market companies.
Managing Director
Alvarez & Marsal
Chuck Moore is a Managing Director within Alvarez & Marsal’s North American restructuring division and has twenty-five years of experience providing turnaround consulting and advisory services to organizations in a variety of industries. With its nearly 4000 professionals globally, Alvarez & Marsal provides leadership, problem solving and value creation for companies across industries and around the world.