ACG Detroit | The Detroit M&A Summit: Engaging and Connecting Michigan’s Investors, Innovators and Dealmakers

The Detroit M&A Summit is an immersive day-long event designed to engage and connect Michigan’s business owners, investors, dealmakers and advisors. Bringing together private equity leaders, corporate executives, investment bankers, business owners, family offices, entrepreneurs, advisors, and lenders, the Summit will offer candid insights from recent deals, practical strategies, and real-world perspectives on sourcing, structuring, and closing successful deals.

 

Attendees will hear from regional and national thought leaders and expert panels, as they explore current market dynamics, sector-specific trends, valuation and financing considerations, and post-transaction value creation. Set against the backdrop of Detroit’s resurgence as a hub for innovation and growth, the Summit creates a collaborative environment where relationships are built, ideas are exchanged, and deals begin. Whether you are actively pursuing transactions, shaping long-term growth strategies or expanding your network, you need to be at the center of today’s evolving mergers and acquisitions landscape. You need to register for The Detroit M&A Summit!

 

Early Bird Pricing through 9/11 - Members: $200, Non-Members: $250

Regular Pricing - Members: $250, Non-Members: $300

Sponsorship Opportunities available through 9/23 - View Sponsorship Prospectus

Featured Panels:

Built to Last, Yet When to Sell? Michigan Business Founders Help You Navigate the Complexities

Every founder faces the question: keep building or take the exit? Anthony Ahee is in the building lifecycle in healthcare, co-founding Together Women's Health to create a nationally expanding platform. Naimish Patel co-founded and built Tru Family Dental from scratch to 30+ practices before selling to Heartland, gave back through university teaching and board positions, and has since co-founded Seva Dental. Liz Blondy opened Canine to Five in the Cass Corridor in 2005 with no business experience and not even a dog, grew it into a four-location Metro Detroit pet care company, and recently exited to national platform Pet Resort Hospitality Group. These founders share how they navigated growth, decided on a partner and transaction, and how they are living the "what comes next?" phase.

Speaker Bios - Built to Last, Yet When to Sell? Michigan Business Founders Help You Navigate the Complexities

 

Funding Michigan's Deals: Private Equity, Independent Sponsor, Family Capital, and Private Credit Perspectives

Four distinct sources of capital, one deal table. Steve Carrel has deployed PE capital through TRP Capital Partners since 1998, has closed on 35 platforms, over 200 add-on acquisitions and have exited 26 portfolio companies . Dave Hiemstra co-founded Penstock Equity as a committed fund to back independent sponsors leading their own buyouts under $35M, while also running deals himself through Credo Private Capital.  Lorron James brings the family capital perspective as CEO of James Group, a second-generation Detroit logistics company that crossed $1.3 billion in revenue after acquiring EnovaPremier. And Blake Kenny brings private credit via Great Rock Capital, where he's sourced hundreds of millions in middle market debt financing across the Midwest. Together they unpack how capital partners with Michigan business owners for next levels of growth.

Speaker Bios - Funding Michigan's Deals: Private Equity, Independent Sponsor, Family Capital, and Private Credit Perspectives

 

Buddy’s Pizza & Jax Kar Wash: Iconic Detroit Roots, Bold New Chapters

Detroit has a long history of creating iconic brands, and few are more recognizable than Buddy’s Pizza and Jax Kar Wash. In 1946, Gus Guerra served the first Detroit-style pizza at Buddy’s Pizza, creating a culinary legacy that became synonymous with the city. Just a few years later, in 1953, Jack Milen founded Jax Kar Wash, building a customer-focused business that would become a Detroit institution for generations. Today, both brands are writing exciting new chapters.

This fireside chat explores two compelling stories of transformation and growth. Learn how a group of Detroit-born entrepreneurs acquired Buddy’s Pizza with a mission to restore the quality, culture, and hometown pride that defined the brand under its founding family. Hear from Saber Ammori, one of three local investors leading Buddy’s resurgence and reconnecting the company to its Detroit roots.

At the same time, discover how TRP Capital Partners has built upon the 70-year legacy of Jax Kar Wash. Hear from Jon Zimmerman, who founded Jilly's Car Wash in Milwaukee before joining Jax following its acquisition by TRP Capital. As CEO, Jon has helped expand the combined organization across Michigan and Wisconsin, while strengthening both brands. Through a focus on market density, membership growth, technology, data analytics, and a culture of accountability, he has played a key role in the company's continued expansion and operational excellence.
 
Together, these leaders will share insights on preserving legacy brands, driving growth through strategic investment, and modernizing iconic businesses while remaining true to the values that made them successful in the first place. This engaging conversation will provide unique insights into stewardship, brand revitalization, strategic growth, and what it takes to modernize beloved Detroit businesses while preserving the legacy that made them successful in the first place.

Speaker Bios - Buddy's Pizza & Jax Kar Wash: Iconic Detroit Roots, Bold New Chapters

 

Building a Vertically Integrated Empire

David Trott didn't just build one of the largest specialized law firms in the country, he created a vertically integrated real estate empire. From law, title and document processing to legal publishing, residential home sales, technology, accounting and staffing services, he grew his family business from 15 employees to more than3,000 before serving in the United States Congress. In this fireside chat, David along with his longtime business and tax attorney Bill Sider, will share engaging and entertaining stories about building, buying and exiting and lessons learned during his time in Washington.

Speaker Bios - Building a Vertically Integrated Empire Panel

 

THANK YOU TO OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR:

THANK YOU TO OUR MICHIGAN CENTRAL SPONSORS:

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