STL Emerging 20-M&A Basics – The Cross-Functional M&A Team

Joe Mantovani’s practice focuses on a broad range of corporate and transactional matters with widespread experience in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, cross-border transactions, joint ventures, and private equity.  His clients consist of companies in all stages of existence, from startups to privately held businesses and large publicly traded companies. 

Joe spent years as an in-house attorney for a privately held manufacturing company where he expanded the breadth of his skill set and developed a deep rooted understanding of the “business side” of key commercial transactions.  He is passionate about being a dedicated strategic business advisor for his clients. 

Bethany Michel joined Harbour Group in 2014 as Director of Corporate Development.  In 2019, Ms. Michel was promoted to Managing Director.  Ms. Michel has responsibility for the Control Solutions and SpotSee groups.

Immediately prior to joining Harbour Group, Ms. Michel led the U.S. Buyout fund investments for Northern Trust’s private equity fund of funds program.  She was previously with Freeport Financial where she underwrote senior debt transactions for leveraged buyouts and GE Capital where she was a collateral examiner.

Ms. Michel earned her MBA from The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and her BS in finance from the University of Illinois.

Jeff Sackman is a Partner and the Vice Chair of RubinBrown’s national Private Equity Services Group and provides transaction due diligence services to private equity and strategic clients in a variety of industries, including manufacturing and distribution, business services, construction, technology and healthcare. Jeff has been involved in transactions with an aggregate deal value in excess of $3.0 billion. He also specializes in accounting for net working capital adjustments, purchase price allocations and general post-closing consulting.

Mandy Fritz is a relationship manager and business development officer in PNC’s corporate banking group.  She works with middle market and large corporate clients, generally companies whose revenue is between $50 million up to $2 billion.  She helps those clients determine optimal capital structures, whether the capital use is for working capital, acquisition, equipment or owner occupied real estate to name a few.  Further, she advises her clients on other non credit related bank products such as treasury management, capital markets, asset management, business succession and organizational financial wellness.  PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the US, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and a local delivery model of services.  PNC has been a stable source of financial solutions for businesses through economic ups and downs for more than 160 years. 

Mandy is on the board of ACG St. Louis serving as the membership chair.  She also volunteers on the grant committee for the Women’s Foundation of St. Louis.

Carter Smith is a Vice President with ButcherJoseph & Co.’s investment banking team. He has been involved in a variety of transactions including mergers and acquisitions, valuation advisory, and leveraged recapitalizations. His investment banking experience includes engagements for a broad range of industries including healthcare, insurance, and homebuilding.

Before joining the firm, Carter helped launch and raise capital for Arch Grants, a 501(c)(3) initiative that awards capital grants to successful start-up businesses located in the St. Louis area.

After completing secondary education at Eton College in Berkshire, England, Carter earned a Bachelor of Arts in biology from Princeton University. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree in entrepreneurship and marketing from Washington University’s Olin School of Business.

Kelsey McGonigle’s practice encompasses all aspects of mergers and acquisitions, drawing on her diverse experience in transactions ranging from asset purchases to equity transactions and debt financing. She frequently drafts transaction documents and performs due diligence on behalf of buyers and sellers. In addition to her M&A practice, Kelsey regularly advises closely held businesses on business succession planning, working with families to ensure a smooth transition of ownership to the next generation. She also drafts commercial contracts and advises on other general business matters including corporate governance matters and entity formation and dissolution. Kelsey assists in non-profit formations and
mergers as well.