The Best of M&A: ACG Kentucky 2020 Deal of the Year

David Ferguson serves as President of 3DR Labs, LLC, and is responsible for strategy development, marketing, technology and operations of the company. After an illustrious career as a corporate executive, consultant and entrepreneur, he retired in 2005 only to invest in another startup, 3DR. Under his leadership, 3DR became the nation's largest, independent post-processor of 3D medical images, serving hundreds of hospitals, imaging centers and radiology practices. Ferguson led the transaction in 2019 in which 3DR became a integrated part of Accumen, Inc.'s clinical services organization.  

Kaveh Zamanian left his twenty-year psychology practice in 2012 to create Rabbit Hole Distillery. His goal was to create innovative spirits and inspire more people to discover and enjoy Bourbon and American whiskey. He developed unique whiskey recipes that are made 100% in Kentucky, and built a distillery in the heart of Louisville. In 2019, Paris-based Pernod Ricard purchased a majority stake in the company, adding Rabbit Hole to a portfolio of brands which include Absolut Vodka, Chivas Regal and Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, and Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes. Zamanian continues to manage Rabbit Hole's operations. 

Theodore H. "Ted" Nixon is chairman and CEO of D.D. Williamson, a global manufacturer of natural and caramel colors that global food and beverage industries use to color more than 2 billion servings of foods and beverages annually. He  joined D.D. Williamson in 1974, and in succession became Director of Operations in 1976, added Sales and Marketing responsibilities in 1980, promoted to President and COO in 1982 and CEO 10 years later. In 2019, Nixon led the acquisition of the Natural Colors business from DuPont's Nutrition and Biosciences Division, bringing manufacturing operations in England and in Chile and adding technical and manufacturing capabilities in several new core natural colors.

John Sweeney, an ACG Kentucky director, is Managing Director of Baird Business Owner Solutions and serves on the local ACG Kentucky board and the ACG Global board.  His career has centered around investment banking and M&A. 

He has been with Baird, and previously, Hilliard Lyons, since 2010 after three years as a principal with bCatalyst Advisors. He joined Hilliard Lyons as a vice president in the Investment Banking Group in 1997, focusing on middle-market M&A and public and private capital raising. Previous to that position, John was a partner with Southern Capital Corporation, a Richmond-based LBO firm. He also worked in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group of Morgan Stanley Investment Banking and with the FIG-Insurance Group at CS First Boston.

William G. Strench is a Louisville-based partner with Frost Brown Todd and long-time director of ACG Kentucky.

Bill is chairman of the Frost Brown Todd emerging businesses and venture capital group, focusing on securities and corporate law with an emphasis on venture capital and private equity financing, public offerings and mergers and acquisitions. He has represented numerous businesses from start-ups to public companies.

He has also represented a number of venture capital funds and is a member of the Commonwealth Seed Capital, LLC board. Additionally, Bill served on a committee which drafted the Kentucky Limited Liability Company Act and registered limited liability partnership legislation.