As president, Stephen leverages several highly successful years as a Senior Managing Director, helping business owners confidentially exit their companies on their own terms. During his tenure, Stephen personally closed more than $300 million in transactions and played a key role in the firm’s rise to being ranked the #1 Investment Bank in the Lower-Middle Market by Axial Networks.
As a hands-on deal leader, Stephen has served as the primary advisor to business owners preparing for market. He works closely with clients to understand their objectives and priorities, provides strategic and operational guidance to enhance value, and manages all aspects of the transaction process. His responsibilities have included preparing pitch books, identifying and qualifying prospective buyers, negotiating offers, managing due diligence, and overseeing meetings and deal execution—always with a focus on protecting client interests and achieving optimal outcomes.
Stephen brings more than 30 years of experience across Strategic Planning, Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Licensing, Digital Marketing, Business Development, Sales, and Entrepreneurship. He has held senior roles working closely with C-level executives and Boards of Directors on business development initiatives and due diligence activities across the Financial Services, Retail, and Medical Device industries.
He began his career in finance, working on a joint engagement with Accenture Consulting to restructure a company in bankruptcy and create a viable go-forward enterprise. He later led the strategic planning and M&A analysis for a diversified $2 billion company with eight subsidiaries, and subsequently headed the restructuring of the investment banking division of Thomson Reuters in New York City. While working with Stryker and other medical device and biologics companies, Stephen led teams that launched more than $150 million in new product sales and successfully turned around two underperforming businesses, returning them to positive revenue growth.
Stephen has represented both buyers and sellers in multiple transactions, giving him a well-rounded understanding of deal dynamics from all perspectives. He has also advised and consulted with several start-up companies, helping refine business models, develop strategic and marketing plans, and attract investment capital.
He holds an MBA in Finance from Arizona State University and a Master of International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. Stephen has been married for more than thirty years, has three children, coached multiple youth baseball teams, and served as an Assistant Scoutmaster in the Boy Scouts of America, where he helped raise two Eagle Scouts.