Detroit M&A Conference 2021 | Smart Business Dealmakers | 25 May 2021 | Virtual

The Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, formerly known as ASPIRE, connects hundreds of Detroit business leaders — from middle-market CEOs to top investors and lenders to leading M&A advisers. With sessions ranging from raising capital to buying and selling companies to planning for liquidity events, our conference covers the breadth of the M&A landscape.

2021 Speakers

Arthur Anton
Retired Chairman & CEO

Gregg Bach
Vice President Fraud Investigations, KeyBank

Greg Barrett
President, EVOQ Therapeutics

Robert Berdanier
Managing Director, Business Restructuring Services, BDO Consulting, LLC

Chetan (Che) Bhatia
Vice President Cyber Resilience & Engagement Management, Global Aon Cyber Solutions

Carolyn Cassin
Co-Founder & General Partner, BELLE Michigan Impact Fund

Harry Cendrowski
Managing Director, Cendrowski Corporate Advisors

Quinn Damon
Vice President, Lockton Companies, LLC

Matt Davis
CFO, Mission Veterinary Partners

Brian Demkowicz
Chairman, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Huron Capital

Robert Diehl, Jr.
Member, Bodman PLC

Eric Dietz
Regional President - Southeast Michigan, Huntington National Bank

David Dunstan
Managing Director, Citizens Bank M&A Advisory

Rick Ehrman
CEO, VNN Sports

Danny Ellis
CEO, SkySpecs

Mike Farley
Senior Vice President, Citizens Bank

Philip Fioravante
Operating Principal - Chairman, Industrial Opportunity Partners

Paul Glantz
Co-Founder/Chairman, Emagine Entertainment, Inc.

Ryan Greenawalt
Chairman & CEO, Alta Equipment Group

Kalyan Handique
Vice President, CDG Advanced Technology, BioRad Laboratories

Daniel Hoops
Senior Wealth Strategist, PNC Wealth Management

Mark Jones
Partner, River Associates

Greg Kadens
CEO, Boston Trade Interior Solutions

Rajesh Kothari
Managing Director, Cascade Partners

Jack Lawless
CEO, Belle Tire

Gary Lewis
Founder & Managing Partner, Aquila Equity Partners

James J. Loughlin, Jr.
National Practice Leader - Business Restructuring & Turnaround Services, BDO Consulting, LLC

Justin Mast
Founder & CEO, Bloomscape

Mark McCammon
Founder & Managing Partner, Strength Capital

Lisa McLaughlin
Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Workit Health

Lynn Mustazza
President & CEO (Retired), Jawood Business Process Solutions

Christopher Naso
Senior Vice President, Enterprise Payments Team Lead, Great Lakes Region, KeyBank

Zan Nicolli
Member, Dickinson Wright PLLC

Janet Pasco
Market President, Horizon Bank

Kevin Prokop
Managing Partner, Rockbridge Growth Equity

Tony Pulice
Partner, Huron Capital

Brian Rassel
Partner, Huron Capital

Steve Robert
CEO, Autobooks

Jim Robinson
Regional President for Southeast Michigan, TCF Bank

Bill Rosin
Partner, Dickinson Wright, PLLC

Carrie Schochet
Founder & CEO, Purple Squirrel Advisors

Jay Schreibman
Area Chairman, Michigan, Gallagher

William Shortt
Director, Cyber Security, M&A Advisory, Aon

Vlad Slapak
Senior Vice President, Special Assets Group Manager, Comerica Bank

Mina Sooch
Co-Founder & CEO, Ocuphire Pharma, Inc.

David Sowerby
Managing Director & Portfolio Manager, Ancora

Dan Sporka
Vice President, UHY Corporate Finance

John Sznewjas
Vice President & CFO, MASCO

Jacob Taylor
Managing Director, PNC Wealth Management - Southeast Michigan, PNC Bank

Michael A. Teplitsky
Partner, Wynnchurch Capital, LP

Kathy Weaver
SVP & Managing Director, Aon

Monica Weaver
President & CEO, TGI Direct

Tom Zucker
President, EdgePoint Capital

2021 Sponsors

SUPPORTING SPONSORS:
• EdgePoint
• Dickinson Wright
• Citizens Commercial Banking
• Huntington
• PNC Bank
• Ancora
• Cendrowski Corporate Advisors
• BDO
• Cascade Partners
• Purple Squirrel Advisors
• Lockton
• AoN
• Gallagher
• KeyBank
• UHY

SPECIALTY SPONSORS:
• PlyMouth Growth
• Horizon Bank
• Vistage Michigan