Our People
Viking Culture
Partners
Jay’s father, Brad, was a serial entrepreneur growing and selling 3 of his own businesses. Brad saw an opportunity to take his real-world knowledge to assist other closely held business owners with their exit strategy. After graduating from Appalachian State with a Finance degree, Jay started Viking M&A with his father in June 1996. In 2015, Jay bought out his father and continued to grow the business opening up additional offices. Today, Viking has 13 offices and is the largest of its kind in the Southeast. Jay continues to be recognized as a trusted top producing business intermediary in the Carolinas, while helping lead and guide the Viking team with record growth. Jay’s dedication and experience, combined with his passion for serving business owners, are found in hundreds of successfully closed transactions and satisfied client testimonials.
Jay has served on the board of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) – Charlotte Chapter, including Vice President and then President. He also has served as chairman of the Department of Finance Board at Appalachian State for over 10 years, helping give back to students at his alma mater.
Jay lives in South Charlotte, and is happily married to Deanna, and have a blended family with 5 children.
Throughout the Southeast, Larry closed over 350+ transactions. Additionally, he sourced and raised funding for the buyers in excess of 900 million. Due to his efforts, Larry received national accolades for acquisition and divestiture successes. He attributes his 20 years of consistent transaction acumen to stringent attention to detail, to utilizing proven practices, and to working within a specialized team of individuals.
Larry began his career in manufacturing and distribution. His responsibilities included negotiating and facilitating supply contracts with worldwide retailers and original equipment manufacturers. This opportunity allowed Larry to gain the knowledge he uses today.
After successfully bringing the company to the public on the New York Stock Exchange, he spent the following six years buying, building, and divesting companies. During this period as a business owner buying and selling companies, Larry realized a strong need for professional intermediaries that understand an owner’s prospective while buying, operating, growing, and divesting a business.
Trevor comes to Viking Mergers & Acquisitions with over 19 years of operational leadership experience in Corporate America, where he was a management executive for the Lash Group, one of the nation’s largest reimbursement services firm under a parent Fortune 24 Company.
While working for Lash Group, Trevor developed and executed business strategies for a large profile of patient management programs. These programs are designed to address reimbursement and patient access issues for pharmaceutical companies, medial device manufacturers and biotechnology firms. Trevor’s extensive experience in negotiation, project management, problem solving and communication enables him to have terrific insight on the process of selling your business.
Mike comes to the Viking team with over 30 years of leadership and entrepreneurial experience in accounting and finance, operations, and sales. He has a broad background across a variety of businesses, in nature and in scale, as well as extensive merger and acquisition experience. He has been successful in industry consolidation, turnaround, and start-up situations.
Soon after beginning his career as a CPA for a major accounting firm, Mike was recruited into a client’s corporate accounting group, where he quickly determined that his interest – and value – was with the company’s operations. That led to a series of divisional CFO roles for a number of different businesses, culminating in Mike becoming the corporate CFO. In that role Mike played a key part in developing and executing the growth strategy for the business, focusing on industry consolidation. Over the ensuing 8 years, the company completed more than 40 deals and was itself later sold at a substantial market premium. Mike then went on to run an industry-leading, multi-site manufacturer, where he led a dramatic turnaround in profitability. Following Mike’s exit from the corporate world, he chose to focus on more local and entrepreneurial ventures, first in consulting and later starting his own distribution business in Charleston, SC. Through that experience, he came to appreciate the unique challenges and opportunities of business ownership. Those insights along with his extensive management and deal experience are ideally suited to assist Viking’s clients.
Throughout his career Mike has come to be known for his objectivity in making important business decisions, his innate analytical skills, and his ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Mike aligns well with all of Viking’s core values, in particular integrity, innovation and collaboration.
Mike is the youngest of seven and the only family member to earn a college degree, a BS in Accounting from the University of Scranton. He and his wife Niki have five children. Away from work they enjoy boating, playing tennis, and cooking.
Mark has spent most of his 30-year career working with large and small private equity owned companies preparing businesses for sale and working as an executive on the management team to develop and execute a plan to maximize market value for an eventual sale. He comes to Viking with a strong skill set honed over decades of corporate experience necessary to close deals. These skills include financial analysis, business valuation, due diligence, marketing, negotiating and arranging both equity and debt financing.
In 2015, Mark purchased a regional publishing company, owned it for three years, and successfully sold it. He learned over those three years that his heart and passion were rooted in helping business owners with the important and personal decision to sell their business while guiding buyers through the acquisition process.
Mark is a graduate of Walsh University in Canton, Ohio. He began his career with Peat Marwick in Cleveland, Ohio and is a former CPA. He resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife Angie and their six children.
Robert joins Viking Mergers & Acquisitions with 30+ years of business experience and a successful entrepreneurial career. At the age of 29, driven to build his own business, he left a prosperous career in hardware and software sales to start a distribution business in his garage supplying engineered parts to the OEM and MRO market. His vision was to bring high-quality engineered parts and technical services into niche markets and to raise the bar on the customer experience. After nearly 22 years of developing the people, the processes, and the strategies to grow, the business was acquired by a $4 billion global Swedish company on February 1, 2017.
Since that time, Robert has invested in multiple start-up companies and is an Advisory Council member and Board Observer with CoPeace, a Public Benefit Corporation / holding company focusing on Impact Investing / growth companies. Robert brings his entrepreneurial mindset to each discussion and is committed to putting his passion, energy, and experience to work for our clients.
Robert and his wife Susan have been married 31 years and live in South Charlotte. He has a B.A. in Business Management from NC State and is the youngest of five children from his family. They have two grown boys, one an NC State graduate and the other a University of South Carolina graduate. Robert enjoys playing golf, and tennis, traveling, and spending time with his family.
Merrell leads Viking Mergers and Acquisitions efforts in the Greenville / Spartanburg, Upstate South Carolina, Atlanta and North Georgia markets. Merrell comes to Viking with previous experience as a senior operating executive, entrepreneur, and private equity investor. He has broad operating experience ranging from his leadership of a $70 million HVAC distribution business for Carrier Corporation (a division of United Technologies Corporation) to his successful role as CEO of a $15 million private regional waste hauling business. As a private equity investor, Merrell led majority investments several companies including an $85 million environmental services business and a $40 million apparel manufacturer.
Earlier in his career, Merrell held corporate development roles in two technology startups – both of which successfully grew from venture funded startups to large public companies.
Merrell has a BA in Economics from Hampden-Sydney College and an MBA Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY.
Tripp Lawson grew up in a family of entrepreneurs spanning five generations of business owners. He began his career as a Financial Analyst working with the business valuation team while attending Florida State University. Tripp also spent time working with various Viking M&A offices throughout his time at Florida State University. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance and a Florida Real Estate License, Tripp decided to start his professional career in Florida working with his father in Viking’s Florida Division in 2017.
As a Partner, Tripp works closely with business owners, entrepreneurs, and their advisors to educate and develop a short- or long-term plan to either divest their business or purchase an existing business. Tripp’s dedication and experience in finance and real estate, combined with his business acumen allows him to understand the priorities of Viking clients and deliver exceptional results for them.
While attending Florida State University, Tripp was a student athlete and a member of the football team. Additionally, he held multiple leadership roles within Florida State University organizations. Tripp stays involved at Florida State University by mentoring students holding governing positions within the campus. Tripp has a passion to guide peers on life and business decisions to help those be successful.
Outside of the office, Tripp is an active boater and enjoys adventurous outdoor activities.
Kyle leads Viking’s efforts in the Nashville, Tennessee market. He joins the team with over 20 years of business development, finance, and operations experience from some of the most respected names in American business. Most recently, Kyle led the successful turnaround of GNC’s Canadian business unit. Prior to that, he held significant roles in operations and finance at Carrier Corporation and FedEx. This level of experience makes Kyle uniquely qualified to guide entrepreneurs across Tennessee with the most important financial transaction of their lives – selling their business.
Kyle Graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a BBA in Finance. After a short stint in the US Army, Kyle earned is International MBA from the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. Kyle lives in Nashville with his wife and 4 children.
Dan Wilson comes to Viking with an extensive background in entrepreneurship and IT service and support as the previous owner and founder of Waypoint Solutions Group (rebranded and merged as Complete Network in 2017), a managed IT services provider located in North Carolina. Dan’s company held multiple awards as a five-time INC 5000 winner, an eight-time MSP501 winner (top MSP’s globally), as well as a three-time Charlotte Business Journal Fast 50 winner as one of the fastest growing companies in the Charlotte, NC area. Throughout his 16 years of entrepreneurship, Dan has experienced the facilitation and process of multiple merger and acquisition deals. His knowledge as a previous business owner gives him hands-on, firsthand experience in assisting other entrepreneurs in planning their exit strategies. Dan has seen the struggles and pitfalls surrounding the sale of a business, and he plans to make it his mission to guide and protect entrepreneurs in completing the single largest transaction of their lives.
Married for 17 years, Dan and his wife, Lynne, are the parents of three daughters. His hobbies outside of the office include sailing and cycling. From 1987-1998, Dan was a United States Air Force Active Duty, and is on the Board of Trustees for the Patriot Military Family Foundation, as well as a Board Member of the Adaptive Sports and Adventure Program (ASAP). He has also been a member of the Entrepreneurs Organization for 10 years, serving four years on the US East Regional Board, Local Chapter Board for eight years, and as President for two years. Dan hopes to bring professional and confidential representation to a segment of the Raleigh, NC market where it is hard to come by.
Jeff McKeehan, before joining Viking, enjoyed success as the President and Co-Owner of EHD Technologies, a nationally recognized and award-winning provider of technical and professional services. EHD Technologies was acquired in 2017 by Groupe CRIT SA (CEN.PA).
Prior to owning and operating EHD, Jeff served as a Vice-President of Business Operations with Aerotek Inc. Before Aerotek, Jeff had a successful career at TE Connectivity (formerly Tyco Electronics) as a Director of Manufacturing Operations where he led and managed several fully integrated advanced manufacturing facilities.
His expertise includes sales and operations planning, business strategy development, training, leadership, organizational development, operations management, talent acquisition, human resources, process improvement and quality systems management.
Jeff earned a BA in Business Administration from Belmont Abbey College and an MS in Organizational Management from Pfeiffer University. His post-graduate work includes Merger and Acquisition studies through Columbia Business School.
Jeff’s interests include teaching, mentoring, and the development of aspiring leaders. As a practitioner of organizational development, his passion is helping individuals and organizations transform, improve, and grow.
A lifelong resident of Western North Carolina, Jeff resides in Tryon, NC with his wife Tracy. He serves on UNC Asheville’s Department of Management and Accountancy board and is engaged in supporting entrepreneurs and business owners in the community.
Christian is a dual degree graduate from Florida State University in which he majored in Finance and Real Estate. Christian has also obtained his commercial real estate license.
Christians career includes working for a privately held company that was acquired by a publicly traded fortune 100 company while he was working with the finance team. Here he was exposed to the rigors of a large multinational corporations Corporate and SOCS Compliance regulations. He also worked closely with international contract negotiations, pricing, and worked heavily within purchasing.
Christian then advanced to a management position with the largest privately held and industry leading accounting & finance recruiting firm. He managed a team dedicated to meeting the needs of businesses across central Florida. Working closely with Executive Leadership teams of small to large businesses on mitigating risk, negotiating agreements, contracting billing and rates, handling payroll, workers compensations, labor costs, risk management, and employee welfare has provided Christian with the skill set that he utilizes to this day.
Christian realized that by providing his clients operational cost controls and clarity to make solid decisions resulted in positive impacts for each businesses earnings and ultimately their businesses enterprise value. This insight originally launched Christian into a Senior Advisor position within the Viking Mergers & Acquisitions team. Christian’s advancement within the firm has led him to his current role as Partner. His experience here at Viking includes facilitating transactions from inception to post closing and has facilitated transactions across various industries and enterprise values. Christian has found his true interest and has become dedicated to working with middle market businesses owners to further enhance their full cycle business operations and their development of financial progress which increases enterprise value providing for a more lucrative exit strategy.
Jackson spent the first 28 years of his life chasing his basketball dreams. After playing at The George Washington University and Christian Brothers University, he was a coach at the college level for six years. The competitiveness, leadership, and work ethic he learned in athletics have been differentiators for him in the business world as well.
After getting married, Jackson got into business with his father and brother at Rio Bravo Oilfield Services, where he quickly became CFO. This birthed a love for small business, as he developed the financial department from the ground up, sat on the Board of Directors, and touched every facet of the company. He went back to business school, receiving an Executive MBA from Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina in 2015.
After an exit event at Rio Bravo, he worked for a few years at a boutique investment bank, mainly focusing on due diligence of small businesses that were M&A targets. In 2018, Jackson moved his wife, a native Carolinian, back home and founded Wolcott Consulting, a fractional CFO and Exit planning firm.
With over 15 years of experience as a small business CFO as well as business owner, Jackson’s passion is serving entrepreneurs. He understands intimately what it’s like to sit in their seat, both from a professional and personal standpoint. And his goal is to help use this experience to help them achieve their goals.
Alan Misale has been working with entrepreneurs to facilitate successful exit strategies and business transactions for over 30 years. As a former owner of multiple businesses, Alan brings a host of comprehensive experience, clarity and understanding to the transaction process, from start to finish.
Alan has worked closely with business owners and executives to implement best practices that engage entire organizations to achieve the desired results. Alan’s career history as a business owner and corporate CFO has yielded a rare combination of operational and financial knowledge, specializing on service and distribution organizations. In addition to his notable business acumen, Alan served in the United States Army.
Coleman is the co-leader of Viking’s Houston office, along with his brother, Jackson. Over the course of his 17+ year career, Coleman has led over $100 billion in M&A transactions, most recently with Deloitte Consulting’s M&A practice. His extensive experience across the industry—serving as a sell-side advisor, buy-side advisor, buyer and seller—gives him a unique perspective that helps drive successful outcomes for his clients.
Coleman brings the expertise and sophistication of big-firm M&A transactions to the world of small business owners. Recognizing the distinct challenges faced by these entrepreneurs, Coleman leverages his breadth and depth of experience to tailor his approach to each client’s specific needs, providing personalized guidance and employing creative strategies to maximize value and achieve their objectives.
Prior to Deloitte, Coleman and Jackson helped build and sell their family business, Rio Bravo Oilfield Services. Coleman holds an undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Oklahoma and an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina. He and his wife, April, live in The Woodlands, TX, with their two kids and two dogs.
A native of Richmond, VA, Knight graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Hampden-Sydney College. He spent a year as an assistant football coach at Emory & Henry College before entering the corporate world.
Mr. Knight spent 20 years in the consumer products industry, working for a Fortune 100 company in sales and marketing. He started in an entry level position, and advanced through the organization to become Vice President of Sales where he was responsible for $750 million in annual revenue.
Next, Knight became Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing for a small rigid packaging company in Los Angeles, where he led a once struggling company to grow from $27 million to $100 million in annual revenue in less than four years. However, the desire to own his own company caused Mr. Knight to research small companies for sale, particularly those located in the Southeast so he and his family could get back closer to their roots.
In 2007, working with Viking Mergers & Acquisitions, he acquired FASTSIGNS South Tryon located in Charlotte, NC. Next he acquired two additional locations for this franchise; Rock Hill, SC in 2009, and Matthews/Ballantyne in Charlotte in 2012. Through Knight’s leadership, he grew these locations to become one of the highest revenue generating groups of centers world-wide in the FASTSIGNS International franchise system.
Successfully selling these three centers in 2017, Knight decided to join with Viking Mergers & Acquisitions by opening a new location for them in Charleston, SC. As Managing Partner, he will help business owners and/or investors sell or buy a business in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties.
Eric McKeehan comes to Viking M&A as a seasoned veteran of small business administration, financial management, sales, marketing and strategic planning. He holds an MBA from Wingate University, along with a BA in Political Science from the University of South Carolina. During his undergraduate years, he served in the United States Marine Corps and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
After returning home and finishing his bachelor’s degree, Eric began his career in business-to-business sales and marketing with a rapidly growing wholesale distribution business in Asheville, NC. It is here that Eric developed a passion for working with small businesses and entrepreneurs. As a Business Development Manager, he came to appreciate the challenges that small businesses face by interfacing with thousands of brick and mortar retailers nationwide.
Upon earning his MBA, Eric jumped right back into the fight, turning down lucrative opportunities with public corporations in favor of the excitement and challenge of small business growth by joining a manufacturing start-up in Hendersonville, NC. Here he took on a variety of roles, serving as both the Controller and Business Development Manager. During his tenure, the company saw an exponential growth in revenue and penetration into new market segments. Eric later moved on to a small cut-and-sew operation, Diamond Brand Gear in Asheville, and eventually made his way into the retail segment with Diamond Brand Outdoors as Controller.
Eric lives by the philosophy and values learned through a decade of working with small to mid-size businesses. His hands-on experience and education have allowed him to develop a well-rounded skill-set and fundamental understanding of the “big picture” that owners and executive management contend with.
His primary mission with Viking is to help business owners navigate one of the most important decisions in their lives: selling their business. Eric works with integrity, professionalism, and compassion throughout the process, ensuring that each client has an opportunity to achieve their desired outcome.
Support Team
As Viking’s Director of Operations, Mary Lou provides strategic leadership across a vast operational landscape. She oversees a diverse array of functions – training, communications, deal support, special projects, marketing, IT, and more. With a continuous improvement mindset, Mary Lou optimizes workflows by implementing integrated systems to promote seamless coordination company-wide.
Mary Lou had a successful career in sales, marketing & advertising where she created strategic and creative print & online marketing packages, while building long term relationships with new and established clients.
Mary Lou is a native of New York State and graduated Cume Laude from Montreat College in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Away from work, she is an active member of Mosiac Church in Charlotte, where she helps facilitate a weekly GriefShare program to help people find hope again. She loves volunteering, traveling, hiking, exercising, trying new restaurants, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Zayna is the Marketing & Operations Manager for Viking Mergers & Acquisitions, Florida Division. She plays a key role in providing day to day marketing, operations, and business transaction support to Viking M&A advisors, as well as clients. She prepares the team with documentation, reporting, and presentations, as well as conducts research for business development and initiates marketing campaigns. In addition, she interfaces regularly with clients to assist in their transactions.
Zayna obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a Major in Marketing and Minor in Family, Youth and Community Sciences from the University of Florida. During this time, she completed an internship with SPARK Branding House, a full-service marketing agency where she assisted on social media marketing projects for clients.
After graduating, she worked as a Marketing Coordinator and Operations Assistant with Hess Spinal & Medical Centers for two years where she assisted the Chief of Operations in overseeing 17 locations and over 100 employees, as well as designed marketing materials to attract new clientele. Most recently she was the Client Services Coordinator for CBRE. When she came on board CBRE she was integral in pulling the team together and providing continuity in day-to-day operations. In this role, she prepared marketing brochures, proposals, presentations, and communication materials.
While at the University of Florida, Zayna volunteered at Camp Kesem working with kids whose parents have cancer assisting with fundraising, event planning and operations. Today she works with nonprofits such as Voices for Children and The Heart Gallery providing services for foster children.
Jenifer is originally from Louisville, Kentucky and has been a Florida native for the past 29 years. Jenifer is married and has two daughters and five grandchildren and spends most of her time outside of work volunteering at her church and helping with community events and fundraisers.
Jenifer has held various roles in her professional career which has brought her ample experience that has excelled her professional background. Jenifer has worked with Larry Lawson, President of the Florida Division for Viking Mergers & Acquisitions, for over 20 years.
Early in Jenifer’s career she advanced as the Director of Customer Service for Fast Signs locations from Tampa to Fort Myers, Florida. Through great dedication she became a managing partner in the Fast Signs organization. Jenifer then made her next career move where she was Office Manager for a M&A firm in the Tampa Bay area. She assisted Advisors in the transaction and engagement process and packaging businesses to market to enhance operations.
Jenifer’s career path has taken her to her current position here at Viking Mergers & Acquisitions as an Office Manager for the Florida division. Jenifer is a vital part in day to day operations and is responsible for working closely with the Advisors and staff on various transactions throughout each office.
Bernadette Mohamed joined the Viking Mergers & Acquisitions Team in January 2022, as the Client Services Manager. She brings over 25 years of administrative experience in office management, human resources and accounting. She approaches all aspects of any job with a positive, hard-working mindset, and is passionate about helping find solutions to any challenges.
Bernadette is well-versed in all the administrative and operational duties of running an office. Not only handling the day-to-day office administrative duties, but Bernadette also ensures the smooth operation of the firm with her robust knowledge in office management. Bernadette plays a key role in offering overall support to the Viking team and to our clients.
Prior to joining Viking Mergers & Acquisition in her previous role she was and Office Manager with Greater Temple Baptist Church for over 15 years. She was responsible for the overall administrative duties and assisting the staff and being a great support for the office staff. Before joining Greater Temple Baptist Church, she was the owner of Family Christian Day Care for over 14 years. Bernadette understands how to turn information into insights-and act upon them. She sold her first business at the of 28.
Bernadette was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. She is active member of Greater Temple Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C. She’s also active in the community and volunteers her time as a Community Outreach Worker with several outreach ministries.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality time with her family, traveling and cooking.
Ryan joined the Viking team in May 2022, as the Financial Analyst. He supports each Viking office and all advisors with business valuations, financial modeling, industry analysis and more.
Ryan has obtained the Business Certified Appraiser designation through the International Society of Business Appraisers. He is certified to do business valuations for a variety of reasons, including acquisitions, estate planning, divorce, shareholder buyouts, etc.
Ryan attended Appalachian State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and banking. He also earned his MBA degree at Appalachian State with a concentration in interdisciplinary business.
Advisors
David joins to launch and help lead Vikings M + A efforts in the Southeastern Virginia market. He joins the team with 35+ years in the technology field (23 years as a business owner).
David’s experience owning, operating and selling his own business and commercial real estate property gives him a unique and first-hand perspective in assisting other business owners as they consider and plan their exit strategy. David’s experience through the years, during both strong and weak markets, makes David uniquely qualified to guide entrepreneurs across Virginia with the most important financial transaction of their lives – selling their business.
David’s reputation aligns especially well with our core value of Integrity: We strive to uphold the highest level of professional behavior and ethical standards so that our clients are treated respectfully and fairly each and every time.
A native of the region, David is very familiar with the business climate, geography and regional economic market engines that drive business growth. David and his family call Chesapeake, Virginia home. He can be reached at 757-403-5377 or at [email protected].
Kevin joined Viking in 2015 after they successfully sold his company. His varied career includes 25+ years in corporate sales and product management at Corning and Rubbermaid before moving to Charlotte to work in various executive-level positions at Springs Global in Fort Mill. More recently, he was the 10-year owner/operator of a marketing services business offering graphic design, printing, direct mail, and website design services. He is also a licensed Realtor® in North and South Carolina. A graduate of Lafayette College with a BA degree in Economics & Business, Kevin went on to obtain his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.
At Viking, Kevin looks for opportunities to apply his experience and knowledge of large and small business for the benefit of his clients. Analytical by nature, he approaches every opportunity or challenge with personal integrity, hard work, a strategic perspective, and is guided by the Golden Rule. Combining Kevin’s “next step” mentality with Viking’s disciplined selling process help him achieve maximum value for his clients’ businesses.
While not at work, Kevin enjoys spending time with his wife of 45 years and visiting their grown children in Jacksonville, Winston-Salem, and Seattle. He’s an avid investor and loves travel, tennis, and anything outdoors. He’s also a licensed real estate broker in NC and SC and is Board President of his Uptown Charlotte condominium association.
Jeff joined the Cornelius office of Viking Mergers & Acquisitions in 2017 after a successful career in the economic development profession in North and South Carolina, advising and assisting companies on new locations and expansions. He spent twenty-eight years in Charlotte where he led those efforts. Jeff worked with a very diverse client base of small, medium, and large companies as well as both domestic and international firms.
Jeff brings a professional, client-focused approach he learned in the economic development profession to Viking and understands the importance of confidentiality throughout the process. His skills for project management and problem-solving help keep deals moving forward. He understands the need for attention to details and the emotional aspects of selling a business. His goal is to make the process seamless and an enjoyable experience for his clients.
During his time at Viking, Jeff has worked with a wide variety of businesses including metal fabricators, plastics manufacturing, cabinet manufacturing, B2B services, automotive services, personal services, construction and motorsports businesses.
Jeff and Angela, his wife of 21 years, live in the Lake Norman area with their daughter, whom they adopted in Ukraine. They attend Grace Covenant Church in Cornelius and enjoy traveling, kayaking, motorsports, and supporting animal rescue groups. Jeff is a graduate of Furman University where he played soccer and was a member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. He is also a graduate of the Institute for Organization Management at the University of Georgia and the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma. He serves on the board of the 600 Festival Association and is a board member and immediate past chairman of the Polymers Center of Excellence in Charlotte. He serves on the Fifth Third Bank Motorsports Advisory Board and is also an active member of the Lake Norman Economic Development Corporation, NC Motorsports Association, and the Sports Car Club of America. Jeff is also a licensed real estate broker.
Matt joins the Houston Viking office with eight years of experience across early stage and mature organizations in the Automotive and Commercial Vehicle industries. He has held a range of sales, engineering, and operations roles with an emphasis on technical selling and key account management.
Most recently, Matt dedicated five years to Hyliion, an Austin-based electric powertrain manufacturer seeking to disrupt the heavy-duty trucking industry. Matt assumed various Sales and Operations leadership roles, contributing to the organization’s journey from an early-stage start-up through a successful $560M SPAC merger in 2020. A member of the transaction core team, Matt led all Sales and Customer diligence as investors weighed the pre-revenue nature of the business.
Matt has a track record of championing the customer voice, building meaningful client relationships, navigating complex sales cycles, and managing dynamic environments, a unique perspective that will offer value to Viking clients transitioning to new chapters in their professional and personal lives.
Prior to his industry experience, Matt spent four years playing professional soccer in the US and Canada, including Toronto FC of Major League Soccer. Matt studied Mechanical Engineering as a student-athlete at Ohio State University and later completed his MBA at Ohio University with a Finance concentration. Matt and his wife Lauren reside in Austin, Texas where they enjoy Lake Austin, Mexican food, sports and the outdoors.
Phil has over 30 years of experience as a real estate broker, entrepreneur and intermediary. Phil started a real estate company, building it into a successful business with three offices and over 60 agents. He has proven success in commercial and residential real estate as well as in running a business.
Since joining Viking Mergers & Acquisitions in 1999, Phil has helped clients find unique combinations of value that truly maximize the benefits to all parties involved. He brings his enthusiastic, creative, and professional approach to every business sale opportunity, large or small, and has consistently been a top producing broker.
Andrew was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in Tampa, Florida. He attended Florida State University’s College of Business and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. Andrew was a member of the Seminole Student Boosters and various other school organizations and continues to remain involved in alumni activities. During his time at FSU, Andrew discovered his passion for finance, accounting, and business development. Andrew also obtained his Florida Real Estate Sales Associate License.
Upon graduation, Andrew began working in corporate sales and credit management for a Fortune 500 company. Through his experiences working with the company’s upper management, Andrew further enhanced his analytical and problem-solving skills. Andrew had the opportunity to work with many small business owners and through these experiences, he developed a deeper understanding of the challenges that small business owners face and grew his admiration for their dedication and passion for what they do.
Andrew has dedicated himself to expanding his knowledge and capabilities in the M&A industry. By working with lower middle-market companies in various industries, Andrew has enhanced his skills in financial analysis, exit strategy development, business valuations, financial and legal due diligence, and overall business operations. Andrew’s determination and experience has allowed him to understand the importance of his responsibilities and drive his desire to provide the highest level of value to his clients and the Viking M&A team.
Reed grew up in Dyersburg TN and graduated from The University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Upon graduation he began his career as a Financial Advisor and enjoyed a 30-year career in the Wealth Management business with roles including Divisional management with responsibilities for over 200 direct reports and over 100mm in annual revenue. Reed had stints in Nashville, Knoxville, Charlotte, and Richmond.
After leaving the Wealth Management business, he started managed, grew, and sold a commercial kitchen ventilation systems and fire suppression systems company.
Reed and his wife, Polly, have 4 grown children that they are extremely proud of. Two boys serving in the US Marine Corps and two girls, each employed by Fortune 500 companies.
Reed brings many great qualities and a wealth of knowledge to our dedicated team as he is also a Certified Finance Planner (CFP) and enjoys everything about his role, but most especially consulting with business owners on all the aspects of transitioning their business.
Born and raised in Florida, Robert grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. His family owned an educational business serving Tampa Bay for 23 years. After obtaining two Bachelor of Science Degrees in Finance and Accounting, he went on to accomplish his Master of Science Degree in Entrepreneurship from the University of South Florida.
Robert utilized his Masters and Entrepreneurship to excel in finance and accounting roles in the healthcare and energy industries before joining the University of South Florida and becoming their Director of Business & Administration for the College of Nursing. Throughout his career, Robert has been deeply involved in all aspects of a business from operations to finance, HR and business development providing senior level operational leadership that culminated in improved profits and ensured overall company future growth and success. Robert later worked as a Controller with an oncology healthcare company and a CFO with a law firm before joining Viking this year.
On a personal note, Robert enjoys hunting, outdoor activities, and spending time with family.
Robert is an integral part of the Viking Mergers & Acquisitions team as a Senior Advisor. He has over 20 years of financial and operational experience within a broad range of public and private sector companies with a proven record of leading organizations to unprecedented growth. His highly diverse career and broad spectrum of senior leadership experience has tied him into nearly every facet of business operations. This has given him a highly unique perspective and allows him to recognize corporate operational impacts, as well as financial barriers to seamlessly assist his clients in facilitating the sale or purchase of their business.
Robert brings a broad background, high energy, and a fresh perspective to each of his endeavors. He is collaborative, innovative and creative with an entrepreneurial mindset that is at the cornerstone of his immense success. Robert has deep business acumen and exceptional business instincts. His expertise lies in enhancing business operations, financial positioning, and overall enterprise value providing a favorable and lucrative exit strategy.
Clients enlisting the services of Mr. Lugo know they are getting a leader in the industry to personally address their needs. Robert focuses completely on his clients, and their situation or need. After carefully analyzing their specific requirements, he works collaboratively with them to form a succinct strategic plan which helps them to effectively facilitate the most favorable business divesture. Robert values the importance of communication with clients to provide the best customer care as they transition to new opportunities.
Matt joins the Nashville office after moving from Maine where he owned and operated a small business on The Mid-Coast for over six years. He has over 20 years of experience in business management and operations.
After 9 years in the Army, Matt worked at GE, in several start-up businesses as well as a family-owned business. In that time, he gained an appreciation for all that entrepreneurs do to make, build and grow a business. These experiences led Matt to purchase the small business in Maine business and ultimately sell the business to a new owner/operator. He is excited to facilitate the process of ownership transfer by serving sellers and buyers.
Matt and his wife Lisa are the proud parents of four children. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in Systems (Industrial) Engineering.
Raised in an Army family, Tim went on after college to serve as an Army Aviation officer; serving most of his time in Germany. Upon exiting the service, he moved to Minnesota with the intention of getting an MBA in Finance. Tim took a position with a small start-up that sold refurbished IBM enterprise servers where he was tasked with developing and growing their tech center. For the first two years, he was responsible for all back-end operations of the company. The owners then offered him a position as a computer broker, which he accepted. What started as a job to pay the bills while in grad school led to a 20+ career with the company. Tim was the IBM Power Systems product manager when he left the company, responsible for all IBM sales and inventory management. Tim moved with his wife and two children to Charlotte in early 2021 and took a position with a M&A brokerage headquartered in NY. It was while working with this group that he came into contact with Viking. He recognized immediately that Viking is a great organization and joined the team in mid-2022.
Keenan brings over 30 years of successful business experience to Viking with over 20 years in Senior Management positions including CEO, President and COO.
Keenan has extensive experience and expertise in both the buying and selling of businesses. Having spent over 25 years in the Franchise Industry, he’s also very adept at working closely with entrepreneurs. His experience and skill-set enables him to develop productive working relationships with both sellers and buyers.
Keenan is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana with a B.S in Psychology and a minor in Business Administration. He’s married and he and his wonderful wife have four great children and four fantastic grandchildren.
Mr. Span has been assisting business owners with the sale of their businesses since 2010 and joined Viking Mergers & Acquisitions in 2022. His current and former clients traverse various industries including technology, manufacturing, transportation, construction, light industrial, professional services, automotive, and specialty retail.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Span accumulated a broad business background of over 25 years in both the technology and manufacturing sectors. His experience includes working with large publicly traded engineering/technology companies, small privately owned businesses, as well as several government entities. During his tenure at Michael Baker International, an ENR Top 50 Design Firm, Span served as a General Manager in the geospatial services and software division overseeing some of the largest projects in the industry.
Mr. Span’s experience in the manufacturing sector includes various positions including General Manager of Operations and Dealer Sales, with responsibilities involving streamlining manufacturing workflows through automation as well as dramatically increasing sales volume through aggressive channel development. Beyond his managerial strengths, Span worked closely with his clients in the areas of Strategic Planning, Change Management and Workflow Optimization to ensure successful implementations of a variety of business initiatives to increase revenue while reducing operating costs.
Jimmy earned his MBA from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Pittsburgh. Jimmy was a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) through the Project Management Institute and a certified Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP) from the GIS Certification Institute.
Kyle leads Viking’s efforts in the East Tennessee market. He joins the team with 10 years of business development and recruiting experience. Kyle has partnered with some of the most respected companies in American business to provide talent across all departments. This level of insight gives Kyle a unique perspective to guide entrepreneurs across East Tennessee with the most important financial decision of their lives – selling their business.
Kyle graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Master’s in Athletic Administration. Kyle and his wife call Knoxville home.
Nick joins Viking M&A with over 12 years of real estate experience where, for the past 8 years, he focused on light industrial, multifamily, and investment sales. In 2016 he began selling local businesses, successfully representing sellers in asset sales ranging from family-owned businesses to national franchises. Mr. Childs’ combined expertise in commercial real estate and main-street business sales brings a valuable skill set to Viking M&A and his clients.
Nick is Co-GP and Asset Manager on over 100+ self-storage units for a private equity firm out of Silicon Valley.
He enjoys playing in local chess tournaments and loves spending time outdoors with his family and two children, Kennedy and Remington.
Michael joins the Charlotte office of Viking Mergers & Acquisitions. Prior to joining Viking, Michael was an Investment Lead and Operating Partner for a private equity group focused on acquiring and managing complex, multi-national corporate divestitures. With this group, Michael originated and acquired non-core divisions & geographies from Fortune 500 companies across the US, Europe, and Asia. Additionally, he led operations and go-to-market strategy for a talent assessment software company prior to the company’s exit in 2023 to a private equity group.
Michael started his career at a secondary private equity group focused on purchasing limited partner interests in fund-of-funds & tail-end funds from institutional investors with exposure across all asset classes. In addition to being on the investment team, Michael attended global investor annual meetings for private equity groups, led capital raising efforts, and helped launch a B2C home furnishings company.
Michael grew up in Traverse City, MI and attended the University of Michigan where he was a member of the club hockey team. After many cold Michigan winters, Michael and his wife, Allyson, moved to Charlotte to enjoy golfing, boating, and playing tennis for more than 4 months in the year.
Ian Giovinco was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. He graduated from Jesuit High School in 1984 and Florida State University in 1989 where he attained a double major in Political Science and Economics. Following graduation from law school in Mississippi, Ian returned to Florida where he has been a member of the Florida Bar Association and licensed to practice law in Florida since 1993.
Mr. Giovinco practices in the areas of estate planning, asset protection, and business continuity planning. The majority of his practice involves drafting trusts, wills, health care documents and performing asset protection audits for his clients. As part of this practice, Ian also drafts buy-sell agreements among business partners to ensure the smooth transfer of business assets upon death, disability, retirement or sale of the business. Giovinco is also a speaker for the Continuing Education Academy, the largest provider of continuing education classes for contractors and developers in the state of Florida.
As an Estate Planning Attorney with many family owned business clients, Giovinco knows that one of the most frustrating parts in managing and selling a business is determining its value. He knows that Viking’s ability to value their client’s business on an annual basis is priceless. Giovinco wants clients to know that valuations not only help prepare the client’s business for sale but provide information and the time to potentially increase the value of the business operation. He says that there cannot be a successful exit strategy without a thorough valuation of the business and the factors that create that value.
“Maximizing the value of the business takes planning by all parties,” says Giovinco. “The company attorneys, accountants and financial advisors all have a part to play in creating a successful exit strategy and sale of the company. Viking has a long history of working with the professionals to help maximize the value of the business and provide for the most tax advantaged exit plan.”
Mike McCoy comes to Viking as a licensed CPA with a diverse background working with both large and small companies, beginning his career as a Senior Audit & Assurance Associate with EY. During his career, he worked with various Fortune 150 clients as well as emerging growth companies, both owned privately by individuals and private equity groups. He also participated in the audit of significant mergers and acquisitions, ranging from $500MM to $11B.
In 2021, he was proactively recruited for his expertise by an emerging middle market accounting firm, Withum. In this role, he spearheaded buy and sell-side quality of earnings and financial due diligence, inclusive of asset purchases and capital injections. He also prepped domestic and foreign corporations to get listed on the NYSE via IPO and SPAC acquisition. Mike was hand selected and participated in the largest audit in company history, performing the audit of three separate acquisitions while supervising internal and external valuation experts.
In 2022, Mike joined Blue Compass RV under the acquisition division as a Senior Corporate Development Associate. As a member of a lean team, he contributed to the full deal cycle, including origination and identification of potential RV dealership targets, conducting valuations, managing due diligence procedures, integration preparation, and deal closing. During his brief time at Blue Compass, Mike was an integral member of the team to close 9 significant transactions from coast to coast. He now brings this expertise to Viking with a strong skill set to guide buyers through the acquisition process and ensure sellers achieve their objectives.
Mike obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Master of Science Degree in Accounting, graduating Cum Laude from Florida State University, College of Business. While in college, he was President of a significant on campus organization and served as the Director of Recruitment for the university’s largest student run organization.
Mike resides with his fiancé and their dog Nellie in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In his spare time, he enjoys golf, Florida State football, and spending time with friends and family.
Jacob is a solid addition to the Viking team. Jacob works out of the Tampa Office serving in a key role by providing transactional support to Viking M&A transaction teams throughout Florida. A Florida native born and raised in Parkland, FL, Jacob is a graduate of Florida State University and holds two degrees, including a bachelor’s degree in finance, as well as a master’s degree in finance with a specialization in real estate. As an undergraduate, Jacob held leadership positions within the FSU Real Estate Society where he first found his passion for the transaction industry. While completing his undergraduate degree, Jacob was elected President of a National Registered Student Body Organization where he represented over 250 scholars. While completing his master’s degree, Jacob was a Graduate Teaching Assistant working in the finance department under renowned business faculty.
Jacob began his career in the finance and real estate industry for JLL in Florida. There, he assisted in facilitating brokerage activity, conducting market research, targeting prospective clients, and producing marketing content. Through this experience, Jacob fell in love with the rich history, and ever-changing economic and geographic markets. After graduation, Jacob went on to enhance his professional career working with a Fortune 500 building materials and supplies company, where he marketed the company’s services to account executives of national builders throughout the West Florida region.
As a long-time employee within the service industry and son of an entrepreneur and owner operator of a successful metro area optometry practice, Jacob understands the personal sacrifice, operational focus and relational investments that business owners personally make for their staff and clients.
On a personal note, Jacob enjoys fishing, diving, hunting, and spending time with family in the Florida Keys.
Haydn was born in Toronto, Canada before his family immigrated to Massachusetts at an early age. He then moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2006 where he has primarily lived since then. Haydn attended North Carolina State University where he graduated with honors in two degrees, a Bachelor of Science in Economics, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Studies, concentrating in Economy & Environment.
Upon graduation, Haydn developed a passion for entrepreneurship, specifically in the sustainability and real estate sectors. After running his own real estate investment company and becoming licensed in Florida and North Carolina, Haydn joined one of the fastest-growing solar companies in the country where he progressed to Director of Sales and built a team of 65 sales representatives. From there, he started a nationwide solar energy brokerage for residential and commercial properties, specializing in the marketing, sales, and consulting side of the industry. Through his company’s 30+ partnerships, he learned the importance of proper communication and creative problem solving with several parties involved.
Before joining Viking, Haydn worked with a sustainable agriculture technology company helping global businesses, nonprofits, and educational institutes start or scale their sustainability programs. This experience helped Haydn grow his strength in connecting with people from all different backgrounds. Haydn is now married to his college sweetheart, Morgan, and they love to travel every chance they get.
Ben was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and grew up playing soccer. After receiving a scholarship to play at North Carolina State University, he spent two years in Raleigh before transferring to Lipscomb University in Nashville to complete his undergraduate and graduate degrees in business as a student-athlete.
During his MBA program, Ben launched a small business in partnership with his family that specialized in providing coworking space, rentals, and entrepreneurship programs for the fast-growing creative market in Nashville. Within 2.5 years, the company became profitable, scaled quickly, and employed three of his five family members. Shortly after their third year in business, Ben managed and completed a successful sale of the company in July of 2022. Through these experiences, he developed a passion for working alongside other business owners and creating value in both their personal and professional lives.
Ben is now firmly planted in the Nashville community, loves spending time with his family, getting outside, and writing about the world around him. Before joining Viking, he received a publishing deal with Harper Collins and his first book is set to be released in July of 2024.
Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, Tom attended the University Florida where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. He went on to acquire his Master of Science Degree with a Concentration in Audit. Tom is also a CPA, giving him a unique combination of analytical skills, a strategic mindset and strong understanding of financial principles to foster exceptional client outcomes. In his role as an Advisor for Viking Mergers & Acquisitions, Tom leverages his Big 4 accounting acumen to drive strategic financial decisions and deliver value-added solutions for his clients to ensure organizational growth and success.
After completing undergraduate school, Tom completed a finance internship with JBT Corporation in their AeroTech Business Division working directly with the Controller where he was recognized for his high achievement. He went on to complete another internship with KPMG as an Audit Intern and upon graduating with his master’s degree, was offered a full-time position as an Audit Associate. Over the next two years in this role, Tom worked with two Fortune 500 companies supporting year-end audits through the filing of their financial statements and performed at a senior level on private and statutory audits ensuring timely audit completion.
As the son of an entrepreneur, Tom understands the personal sacrifices, operational focus, and relational investments that owner/operators personally make to ensure the success of their business, staff, and clients. His father was an entrepreneur who later sold his business, so he has a clear understanding of business operations and what is involved with transactional sales.
Tom has gained expertise working with the Big 4 in financial analysis, exit strategy development, business valuations, financial and legal due diligence, transaction negotiations, and working with the C-suite. Tom prides himself in assisting buyers and sellers through a sale providing a high level of support, insight, and integrity throughout the entire transaction ensuring a seamless process.
On his personal time, Tom enjoys fishing, the beach, hunting, golf, baseball, soccer, football, and cooking.
While a student-athlete at Yale, Patrick’s prior experience was in the venture capital sector, specifically in deal sourcing. This helped him hone his skills in financial analysis, due diligence, and the strategic evaluation of investment opportunities. His commitment extended beyond academics as he was key figure as an offensive lineman on two of Yale’s Ivy League Championship football teams.
At Viking, Patrick works closely with the Managing Partners to aid in the successful sale or acquisition of businesses located between Wilmington, NC down to Hilton Head, SC. Outside of work, Patrick is an avid sports fan and enjoys various outdoor activities.
Conrad was born in Waxhaw, NC, and has lived there his entire life. Conrad attended Appalachian State University, where he graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors, achieving a double major in Finance & Banking (BSBA) and Risk Management and Insurance (BSBA). During his time at App State, Conrad was heavily involved in his fraternity serving in executive positions as Secretary and Treasurer. Also, he served as the Risk Management Officer for the Interfraternity Council of App State.
Conrad’s passion for entrepreneurship and M&A was first sparked by his father, a seasoned professional who owns and operates his own financial advising firm. Pursuing his passion, Conrad completed a three-month internship with Viking, serving as a Financial Analyst, during his junior year of college. Presently, he serves a full-time position of Associate Advisor, where he collaborates closely with Managing Partners to aid in the successful sale or acquisition of business located in the greater Charlotte, NC area.
Committed to excellence, Conrad utilizes his expertise to offer unwavering support to business owners navigating the complex, stressful, and emotional landscape of sales and acquisitions. Outside of work, Conrad is an avid sports fan and golfer, as well as enjoying cooking and barbecuing.
Ben is a driven and accomplished professional with a dynamic blend of M&A expertise and entrepreneurial spirit. With almost 3 years of management consulting experience and having supported over $25 billion in M&A transactions at Deloitte Consulting’s M&A practice, Ben has honed his skills in managing integrations and separations, serving as a sell-side analyst, and enabling clients to become prepared sellers. His meticulous approach to day 1 planning, value capture modeling, and operational management across multiple industries grants him a unique perspective that he adeptly applies to small business owners.
Before joining Deloitte, Ben’s academic background in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University laid a strong foundation for his analytical and problem-solving abilities. Demonstrating his entrepreneurial drive, Ben founded a Specialty Ammunition Manufacturing R&D company, catering to the needs of local police officers. This venture showcased his capability to innovate and address specialized market demands effectively.
Ben’s extensive experience in big-firm M&A transactions and his entrepreneurial ventures enable him to bring a sophisticated, yet personalized approach to small business owners. His ability to navigate complex transactions and tailor strategies to each client’s specific needs ensures maximum value and successful outcomes.
Devak joins us in the Raleigh, North Carolina office. He onboards with 6 years of business development, finance, and management experience. His background entails working as an operations manager and franchisee for business development for multiple Dairy Queen locations in North America. Following that venture, he worked as an analyst for PNC Bank in the finance and accounting department. Devak brings unique experience and background and is someone who can provide support for entrepreneurs and business professionals.
Devak graduated from North Carolina State University with a BSc in Business Administration and a concentration in finance. Devak lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina and enjoys spending time with his friends and family.
Born and raised in Seminole, Florida, Max attended Florida State University where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. While at Florida State, Max chaired two separate finance committees where he was responsible for allotting annual budgets to better fit the needs of his fellow students and peers on campus.
Having a passion for both service and people and being a natural leader, Max became an entrepreneur at a young age. While growing his vending services business through his high school years, he expanded his knowledge into real estate and the business development sectors. He successfully generated exponential growth from inception by providing outstanding customer service to a wide-ranging list of long-term contract commercial clients. Through his company’s partnerships, he learned the importance of proper communication and creative problem solving with several parties involved. Being a former business owner, Max brings an understanding and empathetic approach to dealing with current and potential clients. His hands-on experience and education have allowed him to develop a well-rounded skill-set and fundamental understanding of the big picture that owners contend with.
Max comes from a family of entrepreneurs and watched them own, operate, and sell small-to-medium sized businesses across the country so he has a clear understanding of business operations and what is involved with transactional sales. As a key member of the Viking team, Max walks both buyers and sellers through the sale providing a high level of support, insight, and integrity throughout the entire transaction ensuring a seamless process. His excellent project management and problem-solving skills help keep deals moving forward. Max works with lower middle market companies in various industries and has strengths in financial analysis, exit strategy development, business valuations, financial and legal due diligence, transaction negotiations, and buyer management. His exceptional people skills are what draw clients to him, as he is a superior advocate of their needs and typically exceeds their expectations.
In his personal time, Max enjoys golf, boating, and hunting.
