ABOUT THE MAX AWARDS

The MAX Awards were introduced this year to recognize firms and individuals who are making an impact on both ACG and the broader dealmaking ecosystem.

Middle Market Growth editors compiled a list of 15 finalists for the three firm-level categories— Private Equity Firm of the Year, Investment Bank of the Year and Lender of the Year—based on their 2022 dealmaking activity, according to PitchBook data; and their engagement with ACG, through events and membership. ACG chapter board members voted in January on those finalists to determine the winner for each category.

A fourth category, ACG Legend, recognizes an ACG member who demonstrates excellence in their field, a longstanding commitment to ACG and meaningful contributions to the broader dealmaking community. ACG chapter board members were encouraged to submit write-ins for the ACG Legend Award, and the ACG headquarters’ board of directors selected the ultimate winner.

All winners were recognized onstage at ACG’s annual conference, DealMAX, and in the written profiles that follow in this magazine edition.

VICE PRESIDENT, ACG MEDIA

Jackie D’Antonio jdantonio@acg.org

CONTENT DIRECTOR

Kathryn Mulligan kmulligan@acg.org

SENIOR EDITOR

Anastasia Donde adonde@acg.org

DIGITAL EDITOR

Carolyn Vallejo cvallejo@acg.org

ART DIRECTOR, ACG MEDIA

Michelle Bruno mbruno@acg.org

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

Harry Nikpour hnikpour@acg.org

SENIOR DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

Kaitlyn Gregorio kgregorio@acg.org

Association for Corporate Growth membership@acg.org www.acg.org

Copyright 2023 Middle Market Growth® and Association for Corporate Growth, Inc.®

All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.

ISSN 2475-921X (print) ISSN 2475-9228 (online)

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09 Max Awards

Middle Market Growth’s first-ever MAX Awards recognize the firms of the year across private equity, investment banking and lending. See the 15 finalists in each category as well as an in-depth profile of each winning firm. A fourth award category, ACG Legend, honors a standout dealmaker who has made a mark on both the M&A industry and on ACG.

10 MAX AWARDS: PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Grata

The Riverside Company received this year’s MAX Award in the private equity category for its high 2022 transaction volume and longstanding involvement in ACG across the country.

20 MAX AWARDS: LENDER OF THE YEAR

PNC Bank took home top honors in the MAX Awards’ lending category for its strong lending activity in 2022 and its representation through sponsorship and board involvement in ACG St. Louis, Charlotte and other markets.

26 INSIDE THE DEAL: G-P

As the work-from-anywhere business model continues to take hold, the leaders of several businesses share how G-P has helped them hire across the globe.

28 MAX AWARDS: INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR

Houlihan Lokey has bet on expansion and diversification in recent years while maintaining an active presence in ACG, earning the firm the Investment Bank of the Year Award.

36 ON THE HORIZON: GF DATA

Analysis from GF Data shows continued high valuations for private mid-market companies compared with their public peers, a phenomenon that’s making add-on deals more attractive for middle-market investors.

40 MAX AWARDS: ACG LEGEND

Over his career, The Riverside Company’s Robert Landis has helped shape the private equity business development role, mentored a new generation of origination professionals and made a lasting mark on ACG.

48 Acg Member Spotlights

ACG is only as strong as its members and volunteers. We asked 14 of them from across North America about how they’ve contributed to the association and the role ACG has played in their careers.