May 11, 2023Blue River Financial Group announced today that Bryan Berent, Blue River Co-founder and Managing Partner, has been recognized by ACG Detroit as 2022 All Star Investment Banker of the Year. The 8th Annual M&A All Star Awards Ceremony took place on May 2nd, 2023, at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, MI.

Founded in 1954, ACG is a global organization with 59 chapters. ACG’s 14,500 members include professionals from private equity firms, corporations and lenders that invest in middle-market companies, as well as from law, accounting, investment banking and other firms that provide advisory services. The Detroit chapter was established in 1984 and currently has over 400 members.

The selection process involved in-depth evaluation of each nomination. Interviewers were assigned to vet and collect information about each nominee, and a panel of industry peer judges met to review candidates and select winners.

“The past 12 months have been a whirlwind for the M&A community. Economic challenges, including soaring inflation and rising interest rates, may have caused a slowdown in activity in the second half of the year, but dealmakers in Detroit and across the state remained resilient,” said Tom Vaughn, chairman of the ACG Detroit M&A All Star Awards. “As always, we were beyond impressed with the high caliber of nominations we received this year. We look forward to recognizing and celebrating their achievements and the impact they have had on business development in the metro Detroit area at our cornerstone event.”

Bryan Berent brings over 20 years of expertise in helping middle-market businesses. He has deep experience in analyzing businesses’ financial, operational and investment components. Bryan holds an MBA with honors in Corporate Finance and Corporate Strategy from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in Accounting and Statistics from the University of Michigan. He has also earned the prestigious Certified Merger and Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA) designation from the Alliance of Mergers and Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA). Mr. Berent is an active member of AM&AA, ACG and numerous other professional organizations.

Blue River had a record-breaking year in 2022 dealmaking activity, and nearly doubled the number of closed transactions from the previous year. Bryan, along with co-founder Bill Loftis, led the growth of the firm from 5 transactions in 2020, to 14 in 2021, to 26 in 2022. The expansion required changing the organization’s structure, hiring nine new people, and heavily investing in technology. In addition, Bryan was lead partner on seven deals, 3 of which closed in 2022 and 2 of which closed in the first quarter of 2023, including the largest transaction in the history of the firm.

“While this may seem like an individual award, it is truly a team award. We have a group of approximately 40 outstanding professionals at Blue River. This award would never have been possible without their contributions and collaboration,” said Bryan.

 

About Blue River

Blue River Financial Group is a middle market merger and acquisition advisory firm headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. It assists corporations, private equity groups and individuals in the sale and acquisition of businesses, and has completed assignments in multiple business segments. With over 20 years of experience spanning across 50 global industries, Blue River provides a suite of services to middle market clients including corporate development, private equity support, valuations, and transaction consulting, placing a premium on relationship-centered transaction counsel and client focus.

Contact Us

Detroit
1668 S. Telegraph Rd., Suite 250
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
248 – 309 – 3730

Pittsburgh
1525 Park Manor Blvd., Suite 250
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
412 – 916 – 5016

Colorado
11483 Canterberry Lane
Parker, CO 80138
248 – 309 – 3730

www.goblueriver.com