ACG Detroit | 2026 M&A Outlook

Rajesh “Raj” Kothari, CFA, is the Founder and Managing Director of Cascade Partners, a middle-market investment bank serving business owners from offices in Detroit, Chicago and Grand Rapids. Raj has nearly 30 years of experience as an investor, financial advisor and entrepreneur. He leads divestitures, recapitalizations, acquisitions and other strategic transactions in healthcare services, manufacturing and industrials, infrastructure and construction, and business services.

Before founding Cascade in 2012, Raj co-founded Seneca Partners, an investment banking and private investment firm, and helped form Seneca Health Partners, a healthcare private equity fund. He also co-managed InvestCare Partners, a $70 million healthcare fund at Beringea, and was an investment officer with ProVen Private Equity in London. Along the way he has co-managed several private equity funds and dozens of investments, from early-stage to buyouts.

Raj currently serves on the boards of Priority Health, Micro Machine LLC and Dynamic Computer Corporation, and he chairs the Civil Air Patrol Foundation. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, where he also earned his B.A. and MBA.

Combining technical and legal knowledge with an appreciation of the human element involved in complex business decisions and deals, Jeanne Whalen is uniquely suited to shepherd technology-related and healthcare industry transactions from concept to consummation.

Her ability to bridge gaps, bring order to chaos, and distill complexity into clarity has facilitated the closing of countless transactions and helped companies achieve their business objectives. Jeanne represents clients in general corporate, contracting, and acquisition matters, with an emphasis on technology and healthcare-related transactions. She leverages her computer science engineering background and her legal acumen to craft approaches and prepare documentation tailored to the needs of each client and the nuances of each deal.

A former high school teacher, Jeanne knows how to manage and focus the efforts of diverse personalities with divergent interests such that all parties pull together toward a common goal. Recognizing the imperative of getting deals done efficiently and with minimal disruption, Jeanne focuses on the issues that matter while avoiding petty disputes or inconsequential distractions. She is practical and fiercely protective of her clients' interests, representing middle-market and other companies in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and a host of other transactions.

Jeanne has substantial experience with information technology and business process outsourcing transactions, technology development and licensing agreements, and health care/technology reseller agreements. Businesses also rely on Jeanne's sound and candid counsel for a broad spectrum of general corporate matters, including entity formation and capitalization, shareholder agreements, and customer and supplier relationships.

Mike is Senior Vice President and Commercial Banker at Fifth Third Bank. He joined Comerica Bank in 1990, which became part of Fifth Third Bank in February 2026. He has spent his entire career as a commercial banker, providing financial and business solutions for Middle Market Banking customers.

Mike holds bachelor's degrees in Finance and Accounting from Central Michigan University (1989) and an MBA in Finance from Wayne State University (1995).

Among his business and community affiliations, Mike is a member of MICHAuto’s advisory board, volunteers as a student mentor for Winning Futures, is active as a member of the Association for Corporate Growth. Previously, he served on the Board of Advisors for the Finance Department in the School of Business at Central Michigan University, been a guest lecturer at Central Michigan University, has been a partner for Cornerstone Schools, been an under graduate Mentor for Central’s School of Business, has taught classes for Junior Achievement. He is also a retired travel softball and high school softball coach and is Treasurer of the Oakland Cobras Fastpitch Softball Association.