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Partner
Park Avenue
Client Advisory
Brett Dearing is a Partner and Exit Planning Specialist in the New York office with almost thirty years of experience working with privately-held businesses and business owners. Brett assists business owners in working through the complexities of transitioning a family business and structuring comprehensive succession plans and growth planning. His specialization is preparing a business and business owner for transactions while maximizing enterprise value. He also assists his clients with mergers & acquisitions, recapitalizations, private equity purchases, strategic acquisitions, spin-out acquisitions, tuck-in strategies, ESOP’s and company valuation & analysis.
Before joining Cerity Partners, Brett worked as an outsourced Chief Operating Officer. He also served as Senior Director at BNY Mellon, a Senior Vice President at Goldman Sachs, and Managing Director at AllianceBernstein. He was responsible for actively consulting with over 1,000 financial advisors across the United States on investment strategy and client engagement for privately-held businesses. Brett has worked closely with family offices, various hedge funds, REITs, and private equity firms to set up investment and operational infrastructures.
Brett Dearing
Business Owner Advisory
As we head into the second half of 2022, it is clear that the M&A market is transitioning to a buyer’s market. So what should you do if you plan on selling your business?
As economic indicators continue to reinforce signs of recession, business owners should start thinking vertically about operational processes and procedures. This article outlines how business owners can improve operation efficiency and effectiveness to protect profit margins and revenue growth.
Many owners run their businesses without an exit plan in mind. Then when the time comes to sell, they find out that the way they’ve been running their company isn’t attractive to prospective buyers or that they will only buy the business at a meaningful discount.
David Aaron
Partner & Market Leader
Louis P. Abel, CFA, CAIA
Rozeta Abovian, CTFA
Lloyd Abramowitz
Partner & Practice Leader
Larry Adams, CPFA, AIF®
Aimee M. Adler, CFP®
Associate
Samuel Afari-Aikins, CFP®, CKA
Maria Aguirre
Karim Ahamed, CFA
Chris Akamine, CFP®
Mark Andersen
Helen Anderson, JD
Principal
Rebecca D. Anderson
Senior Associate
Sean Angelis, CFP®
Karen Angrisano
Jessie Angulo
Lynne Anicete
Gary Arakawa, CFA, CFP®
Bill Armistead, CPA
Christopher Arotin, AIF®, CFP®
Cheryl Athas
Barbara Attardo, AEP®, CFP®
Richard Azarloza, CFA, CFP®
Shelby Babcock
Chris Bagileo
Ian Bai, CFP®
Samuel Bain, Jr.
Laurie Beth Baird, CFP®, CPA, JD
Jordan Bales
Leslie Ballantine, AIF®, CPFA, QKA®
Mary Grace Balrup
Julie Banda
Chelle Barberena
Justin Barley, CFP®
Carrie Barlow
Tony Basalla
John Basford
David Beatty, CFP®
Gavin Beauregard
Steven Beck, CFP®, JD
Frederic Behrens, CFP®
Laurie Belew, CFP®
Abigail Bell
Joshua Berdet, CFP®
Jonathan Berrios
Yasmin Bichara-Jakovljevic
John F. Blair, CFP®
Jeffrey Blanchard, CFA
Vanessa Blue
Andrew Blumenthal, CFP®
Kevin Boddy
Tim Bodmer
Doug Bonaquist
Kristie Bonifer
Jason “J.B.” Brangers, EA
Hugues Le Bras
Florence Bray
Stephanie Broughton, ARPS, CPFA
Alec Broughton, CFP®, CCFS®, FBS®
Mark Brown, CPA
Cameron Brown, CFP®, CTFA
Amanda Brummel, JD
Michael Bryan, CPA
Katie Buchanan
Kevin Buckley, CFP®
Brenda Bujanauskaite
Erica Bunnell, CFP®
Ryan Burch, CFA
Craig Burger, CFA
Matthew Burns
Christopher Burrows
Bonnie Burset
Katie Butler, CPA
Cheri Butts
Azaian Cagalingan
Megan Caldarelli
Erica Cameron, CFP®
Matthew Canner
Jeffrey L. Caples, CFA
Jessica Carbajal
Tara Carley
Dawn M. Carpenter
Tessa Carr
Vonny Carrington
Josh Carroll, AIF®
Chris Carter, CPA
Andrea Casas
Brian Casey
Mark Castell, CPA
Ricardo Castro
Onari Tariah, CFP®
Eric Chang, CFA
Becky Whetstone Cheetham
Cecilia Chen, CFA
Charlene Chessler, CPA
Dr. Indu Chhachhi
Paul Chmielewski
Hannah Reimer Christopher, CFP®
Andrew T. Chudy
Carol Clark
Jake Clemens, CFA, CFP®
Jacob Clemons, CPA
Dena Clifford
Felicia Cole
Justin Coletto
Marie Conner
Tim Cooper, CPA
David P. Corcoran
Kevin Costello
JD Costello
Maddie Costlow
Meghan Cottrell
Ralph Coutant, CFA, CMT
Trevin Cox
Christine M. Craig, CPA
Jodi Credit
Jenna Crockett
Kimberly Crowley
Brendan Cunningham
Dan Cupkovic, CFP®
William T. Curran, CIMA®
Russ Curry
Paul D’Elia, CFP®
Darlene Dahl, AEP®, CDFA®, CPA, PFS
Jacey Dakin, CEPA®
Jeremy Davis, CFP®, CEPA®, CExP™, CHBC
Christina Davis
Robert Davis, CAIA, CFA
Elizabeth Dawson, CFA, CFP®
Fiona Dean
Breanna Decker
Thomas Decker, CFP®
Amanda Dekki, JD
Elizabeth Delude, CFA
Joel DeMaria, CFP®
Lauren Desforge, AEP®, CDFA®, CFP®, CPA/PFS
Michael Disharoon, CFA
Blake Ditto, CPA
Cheryl Donaldson
Neal Donhoff, CFP®
Kevin Dorwin
Katrin Doyle
Mimi Drake
Julio V. Driggs, JD, CFP®
Sarah Dudack
Ethan Duffy
Justin DuMouchelle, CFA, CFP®
Angie Duncan, CPA
Pierre duPont
Trina Durbin
Sarah Durham
Rebecca Dutka, CFA
Clint Eakles, CFP®
Anne Elliott
Jennifer Ellison, CFA
Kelly Emerine
Megan Endersby
April Essex, CPA
Ryan Eversole, CFP®
Alex L. Faber, CFA, CFP®
Adrian R. Fadrhonc
Cecilia Fajardo
Jessica Farrell, CFA
Stephenie Farrow
Eldar Feyzulov, CFP®
Kimberly Fields
Kellye Fields
Patrick Fischbach
Michael B. Fischer, CFP®
Andrew Fisher, CFA, CPA
Stacy L. Fisher
Steve Florance, CFA
Victoria Flores-Manrique, CTFA
Jessica Foley
Mariella Foley, CFP®, ADPA®, CDFA®
Justine Fonseca, CFP®
Kent Forkner
Candice Frank
Kathy Freed, CFP®
Tina Freeman
Richard B. Freeman, CFP®
Shadrack Frempong
Phillip French
Virginia Frisch
Brad Fry, CFA
Alison J. Gamble
Sam Garcia, CFP®
John Garris
Doug Garrison, CFP®
James P. Gauthier, CFA
Jonah Gelhaus
Courtney Gentry
Stephanie Gervacio
Justin M. Giacona, CPA
Steven J. Giacona, CPA
Bethany Gibson
Thomas Giddings
David Gifford
Garrett Gillett
Jeffrey Glassman
Tamara Golde, CFP®
Richard Golinski, CFA
Caroline Good
Bridget Goodbody, CFP®
Lauren G. Gooding, CTFA
Kathy Goodman
John Goott, AIF®, CFP®
Daniel Goott, CFP®, CIMA®
Judith Gordon
Jeff Graf, CPFA
Dajion Grant
Kim Graven
Colin Gray, CFP®
Shelia Gray
Carrie A. Grey, CPA, CVA®
Cameron Grimm
Alexander Gross, CFP®, AEP®, CPA/PFS
Todd Gruenig, CFP®
Ashley J. Guerra
JG Guidera
Theresa Guinto
Jake Gurock, CFP®
Colby Hackerman, CFA, CPA
Hunter Haley, CFP®, CPA
Shane Hall, CFP®, CAIA, CPWA®
Jill Hardesty
Ben Hardin, CFP®
Adam C. Hardy, CFP®
Amanda Harris
Kayleigh Harris
Rick Harris
Lissa Harris
Susan Hartley-Moss, CTFA, TEP
Erica Hartog, CPA
Matt Hay
Gregory G. Heard
Matthew Heath, CFP®
Andrew Helfont, CFA
Ashley P. Hembree, CFP®
Josh Herman
Delia Hernandez
Emily L. Herring, CPA
Elizabeth Hicks
Rebecca Hilchey
Jason Hill, CEPA®, CPA
Ann Marie Hindley
Caroline Hirt
Andrew Hoercher
Caren Holzhauer
Katelynn Hopper
Adam Hornek, CFP®
Ben Hout
Lyman Howard, CFA, CFP®
George Hubbard
Partner & Director of Private Direct Investments
Jenny Huelsman, CFP®, CSA®
Connor Hufer
Karen D. Hunley
Bruce A. Hyde, CPA
John Hyman, CIMA®
Partner & Director of Investment Management
Ally Hyrcza
James Izard II, CFP®
Jack H. Scaff III
Frederick A. Allner, III
Henry “Sandy” Harris III, CFA
Rhonda Inskeep
Nick Jackson, CFP®, AIF®, JD, QPFC®
Darcy James
Chris Jameson, CRPC®
Shannon Jenkins, CEPA®, CFP®, CPA
Tyler Jenkins, CPA
Alex Jimenez
Kathryn Jodon
Peter A. Johnson
Blake Johnson, CFP®
Joshua Johnson
Brenda M. Johnson, CPA
Anne Johnston, CFP®
Nicole Joko
Thomas (TJ) F. Jones
Thomas S. Jones
Austin Jones, CFP®
André De Jong, FPQP
Wesley Jorette
Wickliffe Lyne, Jr.
David Jumper, CFA
Evan Kaplan, CFP®, CFA
Tom Karsten
Alexey Kassabov, CPA
Carl Kaufman
Mickey Keating, CFP®
Mikel S. Keifer, CFA
Raymond Keith, CPFA
Kathryn Kennedy, CFP®, CPA, JD
Hannah Kim
Dustin Kindervater
Rashad King
Becky Kingery, ARPS
Scott Kisselbaugh, CPA
Kate Kittinger, AEP®
Ekaterina Klimentova, CPA, CDFA®
Stephen Klingler, CFP®
Jeffrey Knight
Jessica Kobaly
Gavin W. Koenig, CEPA®, AIFA®, CRPC®
Caroline Koenig
Allen Kozel, CFP®
Steven L. Kramer, CFP®
Kati Krause
Geoffrey Kuli, CFA
Steve Kurosko, CSRIC®
Kyle Kursim, CFP®
Eunmi Kwon, CPA, CFP®
Patrick Labriola
Jeffrey Lancaster, CFP®
Adam B. Landau, CAIA
Amy Lange, CFA, CFP®
Gerry Larr
Greg Larson, CSRIC®
Kristen LaSasso
Dawn M. Lasek
James Lebenthal, CFA
Partner & Chief Equity Strategist
Christine Lee, CFP®
Rita Lee, CPA, CDFA®, CGMA®, PFS
Caleb Lee
Cameron Lehrmann, CPA
Yola Lerch
Boone Lewis
Edward Liberman
Andy Lin
Austin Little, CFP®
Robin Littlejohn
Ray Llewellyn, CFA, CFP®
Philip Logsdon
Marsha K. Logsdon
Richard Long, CFA
Christina Lum
Phong Luu, CFA
Anne Lyons
Lyle Maasdorp, CFP®
Andy Machenheimer
Jory Makin
Steve Malbasa
Julia Malin, CFP®
Jacqualyn Malloy
Kelly Mangum
Lindsay Marcus
Jessica Marshall, FPQP
Samuel Martin, AIF®, CRPS®
Peter Martin, CPA
Susan Matlow, JD, CFP®
Tricia Mattingly
Brian Mattingly, CFA
Joseph Matus, CFA
Demi Maya
Vince Mazzone, JD, EA
Ray McCarthy, CPA
Michael McCarville, JD
Alex McClure
Doug McCrea
Chuck McCurdy, CFA
Morgan McDowell
Paul McGloin
Matt McGrew, JD
Patrick McGuire, CPA
Timothy McNally, CPA, CIMA®
Kelly McNerney, CFP®
Charles McRae, CFP®, CEPA®
Sarah Meiser
Ruby Mendoza
Patricia Mercer
Donna Metrou
Abby Miles
Karl O. Mills, CFA
Eric Minnick
Kristen Mitchel
Olive W. Mitchell, CFP®
Greg Mitseas
Christine Monyak
Sean Moore
Paul Moretti, CEPA®
Darin A. Morgan, CFA, CFP®
Jonathan Morris
Owen Morrow
Constantine Mulligan, CFA
Melanie Murphy, CPA
Patrick Murray, CFP®, CFA
Elizabeth Musarra, CPA, PFS
Lindsey Nadel
Craig Nance, CPA
Douglas Nardi, CFA
Matt Nardi
Tabitha Negron
Brad Nenni
Alan Ness, CFP®, AIF®
Seth Newby, CFP®
Lesa Newell
Steve Nielander, CFA
Eda Niño
Chase Norcini, CFA
Joshua Norman, JD
Reed Nothwang, CFP®
Savanna Nunn
Jenna O’Brien
JoAnne O’Connell
Emily O’Connor
Resmena O’Meally, CPA
Rebecca Occhiline
Melissa Oduaran
Brooklyn Ogburn
Stephen Oliver, CFP®, CFA
Matt Olver, CFP®, AEP®
Sarah Gregg Orum
Jeffrey Paladini, CFP®
Carlie Palmer
Kellie Panter
Crystal Papachristou
Daniel Park, CFP®
Ty Parrish, CIMA®
Luke Parrish
Nicholas Pasichuke
Cristina Paul, CFP®
Jackson Pawley, CPA
Zack Payne
Yelena Pelimskaya, CFA
Maria Pereyra
Natalie Perez
Blake Perkins
Lizzie Perkins
Linda Pesa
Jeffrey J. Peters
Nicholas N. Petrelli, CFP®
Katie Pfeifer, CFP®
Richie Phares, CAIA
Carman Phillips
Walker Phillips, CFP®, CIMA®
Scott R. Phillips
Bettie Pickett
Kinga Pietrzycki
Nina Pilgrim
Erin Piscitelli, CFP®
Chris Pleshek, CPA
Brady Polk, CFP®, CTFA
Quinn Portfolio, CFP®
Matthew Powell
Jacqueline Price
Mark Priebe, CPFA
Hugh Quinn
Luke Ramey, CFP®
Steven L. Ramirez, CFP®, CFA
Gerianne Raymundo
Elyse Redwine
Ally Reeves, CFP®
Jill Reiter
Thomas Richardson, CPA
Will Richardson
Timothy Ringelstein, CFA
Jeremy Robbins, CFP®, CPA
Kelly Robertson
Rhonda Robinett
Marianne S. Rodriguez, CFP®
Eduardo Noa Rodriguez
Derek Rogers
Tristan Romo
Keisha Rose
Anthony Rosetti, CFA, CFP®
Melanie Ross, CFP®
Spencer Roule
Meg Rowley
Steve Roy
Veronica Rubio, CFP®
Alexandera (Alex) Rudish
Jeff Rup
Salvatore Russo
Devon Ruttenberg
Sherrell Sabree
Alex Saikali
Sherman S. Salangad
Jorge Salazar, CFP®
Jonathan Salvato, CFP®
Marc Sanborn
Minnie Yao Sanford, CFP®
Steven P. Saunders, CAIA, CFA
Becky Scaletta
Emma Schall
Isabel Scharmer, CFA
Leonard Schlangel, CPA, JD
Theodore D. Schneider, CFA
John Schnur
Steve Schoneman, CFA
Matthew Schonsheck
Aram Schotts, CFP®, CRPS®
Austin Schreck, CFP®
Abby Scott
Matthew Serkes, CFP®
Marshall Serwitz
Mary Shahian, CFP®, CDFA®, ChFC®, CKA
Deborah Shaug
LeAnn Shea
Nick Sheeley
Timothy Sheridon
Charmaine Sherlock
Andrew Shestek
Bob Shier, JD
William Shier
Lindsey Shimin, ARPS
Samuel Short
Claudia Showers
Bryan Silveira
Gary Silverman, CFA
AJ Simoncelli
Morgan Simpson
Jason Simpson, CFP®
Christina Simpson
Payton Sims
Emily Sims
Marcella Skenderis
Dee Slavutin, ChFC®
T.C. Smith
Lyric Smith
Marie C. Smith, CFP®
Robert C. Smith
Neal Smith
Meghan Smith
Grant L. Smith
Ellie Snyder, CFP®
Mona Soliman
Javier Solis, CFP®
Robert J. Sollazzo, CFA
Paul Sommerstad, AIF®, QPFC®
Michelle Soto, CDFA®, CFP®
Robert L. Souza, CFA
William Speciale, AEP®, JD
Will Spence, CFA
Judith Spencer
Angel Spillers
Shelby Stahr, CFP®
Marisa Stancroff
John Stanovich, CFP®
Thomas Stasel, CPA
Philip Steele, AIF®
Katie Stenger
Kyler Stephens, CFP®
Elizabeth W. Stone
Jennifer Stott
Alanson Stumler
Marisela Suarez
Robert J. Sullivan, CFP®
Alketa Sundquist
Colleen Supran, CFA
Amy Suri
Joe Surrell
Howard Sussman, CFP®, JD
Bonnie Suveerachaimontian, ChFC®
Scott Swanson, CFA
Brendan P. Sweeney, CFA
Pam Swenson
Dawson Swindler
Gabrielle Swint
Michael Syer, CFP®
Claudia Sykora, CPA
Bryn Taday
Ayisha Tahir, JD
Sue Takano
Emily Taken-Vertz, CFP®
Jacob Talley
Matthew Taylor
Jonathan Taylor, CFA
Natalia Tchetchoulina
Shaadi Tehran
Andres Terronez
Logan Thomas
Eric Thompson, CFP®
Kendra Thornburg
Christian Thwaites
Joe Tichenor, CFP®
Dan Timotic, CFA
Rob Tittle, CFP®, CPWA®
Megan Tivitt, CPA
Philip Tivitt
Patrick Tobin, CFP®
Jonatán Toledo
Scott Toomasson, FPQP
Justin Topping, CFA
Eric Towell, CFP®
William Tricarico
Jim Trujillo, CFP®
Brian Tu
Leslie Tudor
Christopher Turso, CFP®
Brandon Tutak
Tinetta Tutt
Mirza Ugarak, CFP®
Amanda Ulczynski
Andrew Utley, CFA
Tara D. Vagnone, CFP®
Karina Valles
Myles VanderWeele, CFP®
Christine Vandrey
Juan Vasquez
Tania Vasquez
Cynthia Venturelli, FPQP
Andrew Verdeyen, CFP®
Peter L. Viehl, CFA
Daniel Vignola
Carol Vowels
Linda Wagner
Mike Waldridge, ChFC®
Steve Walker
Thayer Walker
Todd Walklett, CFA, CFP®
Angella Wallace
Dawn Walters
Eric Warbrick, CPA
Jacob Ward, CFP®, CPA
Jason Waters, CFP®
Matt Watkins, CPWA®
Jennifer Watson, CPA
Laura Watts
Aaron Waxman, CFP®, CPA
Maria Weis
Gail Weiss
Jamie S. Weissman, AIFA®, CPFA
Larry Weissman, CFA
Craig Wells
Colin Wheeler, CFP®
Emily Wilkins
Kim Wilkinson
EmJay Williams
Katherine Willis, CFA
Matt Wojtowicz, CPA
Susan Wolf
Tracey Wood-Sanford, CPA
Zach Woodward, CFP®, AWMA®
Brian S. Woosley, CPA
Charles Wright
Morgan Wyatt
Jon Yankee, CFP®
Amanda E. Yearns
Peter Yoon, CFA
Brendan Yospa
Dustan Zavatsky
Felix Zavisubin
AJ Zimmerman
Joe Zurschmiede, CFP®, JD
Jeff Zych
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