Meet The Professionals

STEVE FITZGERALD

Mr. FitzGerald’s corporate career was in financial services where he managed insurance operations in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. After returning to the United States, he purchased, grew and ultimately sold an electronics-related business that resulted in a transaction approximately five times his original acquisition cost, thus becoming very familiar with purchasing, operating, growing and then very profitably selling a privately owned business. Mr. FitzGerald has a Bachelor of Arts from Washington State University.

GENE LESNIAK

Mr. Lesniak has more than 30 years of business experience that includes manufacturing, distribution, retail, service, real estate construction, development and management. He has been involved in numerous merger and acquisition transactions ranging from $500,000 to $1 Billion. As an entrepreneur, Mr. Lesniak has owned ten different companies, most notably Fitness Products International, which Gene and his Partners guided out of bankruptcy and grew to more than $20 million. In addition to entrepreneurial pursuits, he has held positions as CFO, Controller and Accounting Manager in both privately held and publicly traded companies. Mr. Lesniak holds degrees in both Accounting and Business and is a licensed Business Sales Agent.

BARRY G. EVANS

Mr. Evans has extensive consulting and merger & acquisition experience with an emphasis on the sale of manufacturing, service and distribution firms. His earlier ten-year Wall Street career included Account Executive responsibilities for Dean Witter, followed by regional partnership management responsibilities for Reynolds Securities, Inc., prior to the merger of the two firms. Mr. Evans currently has ownership interests in a number of privately owned companies and sits on the Boards of a number of West Coast companies. He holds a BA in Finance and Marketing, from the University of Washington, a Graduate degree from the New York Institute of Finance, and specialized American Banking Association studies at Wharton School of Finance.

MOHAMMAD ARSHAD

Mohammad Arshad has extensive experience in leveraging senior executive level networks in the wholesale and retail industries globally. He successfully grew his own company focused on the home textile industry to over $40 million in revenue with customers like Macy’s, Target, Sears, and Mervyns. Mohammad has MBA’s in International Business from Florida International University, and MIS and Finance (With Distinction) from Quaid-I-Azam University in Pakistan.

Testimonials

“ASG conducted all phases of their assignment quite professionally”
“We had previously listed with another broker, with dismal results, and were delighted to replace them with ASG. Our sales process was longer and took a more twisted path than we had envisioned, but Arshad learned the intricacies of a new industry and guided us up through our final staff meeting where we introduced the new owners to our long-term employees. It was obvious to us then and now that we would not have been able to run our operation profitably and to manage “the business of selling our business” simultaneously without ASG working in the background. From their valuation and Confidential Business Review (a complete analysis of our business in book form) through screening buyers and finally a successful negotiation, ASG conducted all phases of their assignment quite professionally. Since our sale, we have referred ASG and their valuable seminar to at least six of our friends who are readying their businesses for sale.”

Donna, Specialty Retail

“The final selling price was settled at $4 million, approximately twice our original competitor’s offer”
“A competitor on the East Coast spontaneously offered to buy our company and although we had not considered selling the thought became more and more appealing and finally we decided it was a great idea. The board of directors and owner of our company were about to go through with the deal when a letter arrived in the mail from ASG advertising one of its seminars. We thought the seminar would be a great idea since we were about to sell our business and wanted to do it the right way. After the seminar we decided to go with ASG to represent our company and ultimately more potential buyers were found and the final selling price was settled at $4 million, approximately twice our original competitor’s offer. As a result, we were very pleased with ASG’s services and the results.”

John, Consulting and Services Provider to the US Navy

“ASG never lost sight of MY goals, never pressured me in any way, and only presented possible buyers who were in-line with my desired results”
“ASG helped me sell my business in record time and for top dollar. From the very first phone contact I was impressed with their professionalism and sincerity. They walked me through every stage of the process, from valuation all the way through the deal closing, without asking for any payment until the deal was finally closed. ASG never lost sight of MY goals, never pressured me in any way, and only presented possible buyers who were in-line with my desired results. Now that my business has been sold, I look back with gratitude and appreciation for what ASG was able to do for me. I cannot imagine having gone through this process without ASG’s professional guidance and support. Because of ASG, I found a synergistic buyer for my business and have the opportunity to finally realize my dream.”

Michelle, Private School