Chartwell is pleased to announce Blackstone has successfully completed a minority equity investment in Salas O’Brien, a leading employee-owned engineering and technical services firm.

Position: 1-Managing Directors

Dan Kaczmarek

Dan is an investment banker in Chartwell’s corporate finance practice. He provides leadership in the execution of debt/equity capital raising transactions and sales of privately-held businesses to strategic acquirers, private equity firms, and employee stock ownership plans. Dan has worked on a myriad of successful M&A, capital markets, and ESOP transactions within the industries of consumer products, food products, business services, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation/logistics, and technology.

Professional Involvement & Certification

Dan is an active member of The ESOP Association and the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO), where he is frequent speaker at national conference held by both organizations.

Dan is a registered representative with Chartwell affiliate CCS Transactions, LLC and holds FINRA Series 63 and 79 licenses.

Professional Experience

Prior to Chartwell, Dan was an investment banker with BMO Capital Markets’ Mergers & Acquisitions group, where he focused on executing sell-side, buy-side, and recapitalization transactions for middle-market clients between $200 million and $2 billion in enterprise value.

Prior to BMO, Dan was a member of Stout Risius Ross’s Valuation and Financial Opinions group, where he focused on ESOP equity valuations. Additionally, Dan advised ESOP trustees in sell-side, buy-side, and recapitalization transactions.

Check the background of this investment professional on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Matt Keene

Matt leads Chartwell’s executive compensation practice. He works with privately-held companies to obtain relevant pay data and achieve key goals for compensation programs, with a special focus on ESOP companies and equity-based incentives. His passion is helping companies implement successful ownership transition strategies while aligning shareholders, executives, and employees in the achievement of mutually beneficial outcomes. For over 30 years, Matt has worked with companies on all aspects of qualified and non-qualified plan origination, operation, and termination.

Professional Involvement

Matt currently serves on the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) Board of Directors and on the Advisory Committee for Employee-Owned S Corporations of America (ESCA). In addition, Matt is a member of The ESOP Association, where he has previously held leadership positions within the organization. Matt also participates in the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC).

Matt is a frequent speaker and writer at the national level on topics relating to executive compensation, ownership transition alternatives, and qualified and non-qualified plan operational issues.

Professional Experience

Prior to Chartwell, Matt spent 10 years with a leading ESOP consulting firm and 12 years with a Big Four accounting firm where he worked in the National Tax Department advising field employees on rulings and developments affecting employers’ compensation and benefits programs.

Tim Lang

Tim has provided financial advisory and valuation services to privately held companies since 2007. A substantial portion of his work relates to employee stock ownership plans and providing independent financial advisory services to ESOP trustees and other corporate fiduciaries. He also has experience with corporate ESOP advisory engagements, providing services for transaction-related purposes. Throughout his career, Tim has worked with a diverse demographic of companies. In particular, he has significant experience valuing construction companies.

Professional Involvement & Certification

Tim is an active member of The ESOP Association and National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO). He has been a featured speaker for both organizations at national, regional, and local events on employee ownership and valuation issues. Tim also regularly presents to management teams, boards of directors, ESOP trustees, and employee groups.

Tim is a registered representative with Chartwell affiliate CCS Transactions, LLC and holds FINRA Series 63 and 79 licenses.

Check the background of this investment professional on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Tina Langlois

For over 15 years, Tina has worked with boards of directors, trustees, and management teams of ESOP-owned companies to develop custom solutions for achieving long-term sustainability. With a deep expertise in ESOP repurchase obligation and plan design consulting, she leads the execution of comprehensive studies which provide analyses of the financial impact of funding all future capital claims, considering a company’s strategic objectives in relation to its ownership structure, and exploring issues related to compensation programs and optimal capital structure. Throughout her career, Tina has worked with hundreds of companies of all sizes in diverse industries across the country.

Professional Involvement

Tina is an active member of The ESOP Association, where she currently serves on the Fiduciary Advisory Committee and is also an officer for the Pennsylvania/Delaware chapter. In addition, Tina is a member of the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO), the Ohio Employee Ownership Center (OEOC), and Employee-Owned S Corporations of America (ESCA).

Tina has presented at conferences and events across the country on the topics of ESOP repurchase obligation and sustainability.

Professional Experience

Prior to Chartwell, Tina was a Director and Repurchase Obligation Study and Consulting Practice Manager for ESOP Economics.

Dennis Locke

Dennis has been active in business valuation for over 30 years. He has served as financial advisor to over 150 ESOP-owned companies across a broad range of industries for numerous purposes including transaction opinions, annual plan administration, corporate planning, and litigation support. Dennis is a well-known presenter to business owners, accountants, attorneys, and bankers on topics such as financial management, business valuation, and estate planning.

Professional Certification

Dennis is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and is designated as an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in Business Valuation by the American Society of Appraisers. He is a member of the CFA Society of Seattle, the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts, and the American Society of Appraisers. Dennis has testified as an expert witness in business valuation cases and has been published in recognized industry publications.

Professional Experience

Prior to Chartwell, Dennis was founder and Managing Director at Legacy Equity Valuations. Before starting Legacy from 2019 to 2023, he spent 25 years as a Partner at Moss Adams LLP where he led the ESOP valuation practice.

Steve Nelson

Steve leads Chartwell’s transaction opinion practice. He has provided financial advisory services to privately-held companies for more than 30 years and is an expert on valuation issues related to employee stock ownership plans. He also advises clients on a wide variety of corporate finance, valuation, financial fairness, mergers & acquisitions, divestitures, and general corporate matters. Steve has performed valuations as a court-appointed appraiser and provided expert witness testimony. His financial opinions have consistently withstood scrutiny by the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor.

Professional Involvement & Certification

Steve is an active member of The ESOP Association, where he previously served on the Valuation Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) and the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). Steve has written articles and made various presentations on valuation and ownership transition for a variety of professional groups and boards of directors.

Steve is designated as an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in Business Valuation by the American Society of Appraisers.  He is a registered representative with Chartwell affiliate CCS Transactions, LLC and holds FINRA Series 63 and 79 licenses.

Check the background of this investment professional on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Ashleigh Newlin

Ashleigh is a leader in Chartwell’s consulting practice, where she advises privately held companies with a special focus on ESOP-owned businesses. Ashleigh brings significant experience in executive incentive design, ESOP repurchase obligation planning, and financial modeling and analysis. She enjoys helping a diverse range of clients develop successful compensation and ownership strategies tailored to their unique philosophies and objectives.

In addition to financial advisory, Ashleigh is passionate about fostering an inclusive culture and promoting equity in our surrounding communities. She serves as chair of Chartwell’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion committee.

Professional Involvement

Ashleigh is an active member of The ESOP Association, where she currently serves on the Administration Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) and the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA).

Ashleigh speaks regularly at national and regional conferences on topics related to executive compensation and ESOP planning.

Professional Experience

Prior to Chartwell, Ashleigh was a Director and Software Practice Manager for ESOP Economics.

Ben Phillips

Ben leads Chartwell’s business development activities in the Southwest region. He has spent over 12 years engaging with privately-owned companies and their owners, specializing in the financial services area. Ben is responsible for the execution of business development for all practices of the firm, including brand development, professional partner relationship management, and prospect pipeline maintenance.

Professional Experience

Prior to Chartwell, Ben was Director of Business Development at Juniper Capital Management, where he established the business development function. In addition, he held roles at Transwestern, where he was a recipient of the Rising Star Award, and Texas Exchange Bank. Ben began his career at Jones Lang LaSalle in the industrial services group.

Education

Ben holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in real estate finance from the University of Mississippi. He has also completed the Executive Education Mergers & Acquisitions course at Southern Methodist University (SMU) Cox School of Business.

Ryan Rassin

Ryan is an investment banker in Chartwell’s corporate finance practice. He focuses on capital markets transactions including the placement of asset-based revolvers, senior secured cash flow loans, split lien term loans, unitranche structures, second lien, mezzanine, and equity investments for both sponsored and non-sponsored clients. Over his career, Ryan has worked on transactions in support of both growth and value-oriented investment strategies in a wide array of industries with deals closed in the business services, industrial, distribution, healthcare, and technology sectors.

Professional Involvement & Certification

Ryan is a member of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), where he currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the Chicago chapter and is co-chair of the Programming & Content vertical for the entire chapter. He is also a member of the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO).

Ryan is designated as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He is a registered representative with Chartwell affiliate CCS Transactions, LLC and holds FINRA Series 63 and 79 licenses.

Professional Experience

Prior to joining Chartwell, Ryan was a Managing Director at LBC Credit Partners. He was responsible for sourcing, structuring, negotiating, documenting, and closing senior and junior debt investments for both sponsored and non-sponsored financings in support of LBOs, recapitalizations, refinances, and add-on acquisitions. Ryan also served as a rotational member of the firm’s Investment Committee.

Prior to LBC, Ryan was a Director at OFS Capital where he originated and executed new business opportunities with both sponsor and non-sponsored clients. At OFS, Ryan was also a portfolio manager responsible for overseeing a team of account officers and directly managing investments. 

Check the background of this investment professional on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Matt Schubring

Matt leads Chartwell’s valuation practice. He has provided financial advisory services to privately-held companies for over 20 years for a wide variety of purposes. In addition to providing valuation services for corporate planning, financial reporting, gift and estate planning, and tax planning, Matt is an expert on valuation issues related to employee stock ownership plans and ESOP sustainability. He advises clients on a wide variety of corporate finance, valuation, tax, and fairness issues for ESOPs, mergers & acquisitions, divestitures, and general corporate related purposes. His valuation opinions have withstood scrutiny by the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor.

Professional Involvement & Certification

Matt is an active member of The ESOP Association, where he currently serves as a member of the Valuation Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO). Matt has been a featured speaker at national conferences held by these organizations on employee ownership and valuation issues. He also frequently speaks to employee and professional groups, boards of directors, and ESOP trustees.

Matt is designated as an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in Business Valuation by the American Society of Appraisers. Matt is a registered representative with Chartwell affiliate CCS Transactions, LLC and holds FINRA Series 63 and 79 licenses.

Check the background of this investment professional on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.


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