Former GE Chairman Jeff Immelt Headlines InterGrowth 2018

CHICAGO, May 10, 2018 – Jeff Immelt, former CEO and chairman of GE, spoke about the crises that made him a stronger leader at InterGrowth 2018, ACG’s premier dealmaking conference, which drew more than 2,000 middle-market professionals from 16 countries to San Diego last week. 

Immelt shared many of the challenges he faced as a corporate leader. He told attendees the most important thing leaders can do for themselves is to shake off mistakes and learn their lessons to move forward. 

"Exchanging best practices is at the heart of InterGrowth," said Chris Hebble, InterGrowth 2018 chairman and managing director in Houlihan Lokey’s Capital Markets Group. "Jeff's experience with global companies and midmarket businesses is the unique type of knowledge gleaned here."

InterGrowth attendees deployed $62 billion in 470 deals during the first quarter of 2018, according to data provider PitchBook. This dealmaking cohort has $688 billion in assets under management and approximately $225 billion in investable capital. 

"Middle-market companies are an integral part of our economic ecosystem," said J.B. Dollison, chairman of the ACG Global board of directors. “The art of making a deal–the kind that both saves and creates jobs–is the essence of InterGrowth and EuroGrowth. That's the power of ACG."

Following his keynote address, Immelt dove deeper into his tenure at GE during an interview with Kathryn Mulligan, editor of Middle Market Growth, ACG’s official publication. He offered advice to President Trump on the trade dispute with China. He also called on every corporate leader to adopt a digital strategy and be ready to pivot in the face of new technologies. The podcast of the interview can be found at www.MiddleMarketGrowth.org. 

“As technology continues to develop economies throughout the world, building meaningful relationships remains the single most critical element of business,” said Pat Morris, ACG Global president and CEO. “InterGrowth offers an exclusive venue for investors, capital providers and intermediaries to network and strategize continued growth in the middle-market economy.” 

The Association for Corporate Growth hosted its 47th annual InterGrowth conference at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina. The three-day event offered exclusive access to capital opportunities. Topics covered in this year's program also included: 

•    Investing in women-owned companies 
•    Looking inside the fundraising mind of limited partners
•    Landing on the right side of innovation disruption

ACG will host its EuroGrowth conference for cross-border deal-makers next month on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Next year’s InterGrowth will be held in Orlando. 

About the Association for Corporate Growth
Founded in 1954, ACG has 59 chapters across the globe. ACG’s worldwide network comprises 90,000 professionals within the middle market, including 14,500 members who serve as the investors, lenders, owners, executives, and advisers to growing middle-market companies. ACG’s mission is to drive middle-market growth. 

Media Contact 
Larry Guthrie, Director of Communications and Marketing
lguthrie@acg.org
312-957-4283

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