Doug Marconnet, managing director, Mertz Associates Inc.
Name: Doug Marconnet
Title: Managing Director
Company: Mertz Associates Inc.
City of Residence: Dousman
Family: my wonderful wife Tracy and our amazing pets
How does the market look to you? "The market for middle-market M&A is still strong. Buyers and their lenders are doing deeper diligence, but deals are still getting done. We have had record closings so far this year, and a decent pipeline for new clients."
What are you working on now? "I am closing three deals in the next few weeks, plus we are doing earlier stage work on three acquisition searches and several company sale or divestiture projects. Many of these projects tap into our international capabilities."
What was the best deal you’ve been involved in? "The most challenging and rewarding deal was a divestiture for a multi-billion-dollar client. They wanted to sell a division that no longer fit with their core strategy. It was a very low asset base, exceptional profits and extreme customer concentration. By delivering creative buyer options, anticipating obstacles and working like crazy, we were able to get the deal done at a great price."
What was the funniest or most interesting moment of your career? "I was on my way to Michigan to pitch for divestiture work with Steelcase. I decided it would be fun to take the car ferry over. Well, it turned out to be a very windy day, and not only was everyone getting sick around me on the way there, but movement on the ferry caused a big dent in my otherwise spotless car. To top things off, on the way back I tore my suit beyond repair as I was squeezing between vehicles to get to my car. The only good news that day was that I signed up the client!"
