The M&A Advisor has named Dani Machata of Godfrey & Kahn and Robert Jansen of Bridgewood Advisors among its 40 Under 40 winners.
Machata and Jansen were named for the Central region, which included hundreds of competitors from 25 states. The awards program is in its third year.
Machata is a partner on the corporate team focused on M&A at Godfrey & Kahn. She has been with the firm for seven years and was nominated for the award by her colleague, Mark Witt.
He highlighted her high level of experience despite her young age. Machata has been working with Witt to provide acquisition services for Johnson Controls.
“I was very surprised just given the kind of region that it covers,” she said. “I was a little taken aback, I act had no expectation of winning.”
Jansen co- founded Bridgewood Advisors in Milwaukee last year after leaving Mertz Associates. He also previously served as a senior associate in Deloitte’s assurance and business advisory practice.
It’s unusual for two M&A advisors from the same city to make it on the list, Jansen said.
“I was naturally very proud and excited to be one of the recipients,” he said. “I knew that I was nominated for the award—I wasn’t really expecting to receive it.”
Doug Marconnet, also a managing director at Bridgewood, said Jansen has been in M&A only 10 years and has accomplished a lot in that space.
“It’s particularly exciting that Rob achieved this at such a young age,” he said.
A gala will be held for the winners in Chicago in June.
