ACG Detroit | From Shutdown to Strategic Sale: The Emagine Playbook

Paul Glantz is the Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Michigan-based Emagine Entertainment, Inc. which operates 27 theatres in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. Emagine grew from one screen with 265 seats in 1989 to become the 10th largest theatre operator in North America and, throughout that time, Paul has remained dedicated to ensuring that his guests enjoy an exemplary entertainment experience. Most recently, Emagine was voted #1 in the industry for the second year running in a nationwide Market Force survey on customer loyalty, value, and trust.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with high distinction from Wayne State University and a Master of Science degree in taxation from Walsh College. Paul also holds an honorary associate’s degree from Schoolcraft College and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Walsh College.  He has been recognized by both his alma maters, Walsh College and Wayne State, with their Distinguished Alumni Awards, and by Wayne State’s Irvin D. Reid Honors College with the first ever “Pillar Award.”  Paul has also been recognized by Ernst & Young as a Michigan and Northwest Ohio Entrepreneur of the Year.  

Paul is an active and engaged member of the community.  In addition to his role at Emagine, he currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors for MICPA, Board of Directors for Cinema United, Finance Committee of Cleaners Community Food Bank of SE Michigan, and is now an emeritus member of the Board of Visitors of Wayne State University’s Mike Ilitch School of Business. 

Mr. Brizard is an entrepreneur with experience as a founder, owner, operator, and investor. His professional career has included working with innovative and successful companies in financial and consumer services, technology, and real estate.

He founded Pioneer Mortgage in 1992. As President and CEO, he built the company from a small mortgage broker to a mortgage lender with more than $1 Billion in annual volume. Pioneer Mortgage was named a member of the Inc 500 in 1999 and again in 2002, in recognition of its exceptional rate of growth. He led the sale of Pioneer to Sallie Mae (SLM Corp., a Fortune 150 company) in 2003.

He started 3AB Funding Co (an investment holding company) to invest in growth companies. In 2001 he was an original investor and remains active as a Board member of Emagine Entertainment, a Midwest based operator of luxury movie theaters. He also served as CFO and on the Board of OnlineTech, a regional provider of managed services and data centers from 2003 to 2012, where he helped lead the sale of the business to NPG Company.

In 2015 Mr. Brizard co-founded Homepoint and served in multiple executive roles. The company grew from four employees to over 4000 in 6 years. As Chief Production Officer, he built a sales organization that originated over $100bil. As Chief Strategy Officer, he helped to develop Homepoint’s path to an initial public offering (IPO) in January of 2021.

Since 2021 he has served as an investor and executive at Branch Insurance (a venture-backed insurance carrier) and as an investor and executive at Verge.io (a provider of virtualization software). In 2024 he founded Advisors Capital, (a property/casualty insurance agency based in Michigan). Currently he serves as a Partner at NSP Capital, an investment company that is a platform and equity provider to independent sponsors. Mr. Brizard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University at Sacramento and an MBA with Finance Concentration from Wayne State University in Detroit.

Amy Whipple is a dynamic, results-driven executive who serves as BDO’s Growth & Strategy Leader for the Midwest Market. A creative solution architect and problem solver, Amy is known for uniting the right people around the right opportunities—helping clients turn complex challenges into actionable strategies and measurable outcomes. She partners closely with BDO’s leadership team and colleagues across the firm, as well as Growth & Strategy teams in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and West Michigan, to drive growth initiatives, strategic planning, and cross-functional account planning. As a natural connector, she aligns client needs with BDO specialists across Tax, Assurance, BDO Digital, and 400+ areas of consulting to deliver tailored solutions for organizations across industries and ownership structures (privately held, family-owned, PE-backed, and publicly traded). Amy also elevates BDO’s market presence through innovative events and high-impact engagement with professional organizations.

Amy’s leadership extends beyond the workplace through a longstanding commitment to philanthropy and community building. She is the co-founder of 100 Women Who Care Greater Rochester Area, which has raised and gifted $1,041,000 to 45 local nonprofits, and co-founder of 100 Businesses Who Care, which has directed $650,000 to 17 nonprofits across Southeast Michigan—both powered by 100% volunteer leadership and designed to inspire collective giving. Following her aunt’s ALS diagnosis, Amy’s family became early founding supporters of ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI). Amy later served on the ALS TDI Board and, as a volunteer leader, helped raise $1.7M+ to fuel research and expand awareness.

Amy serves on the ACG Board and leads the ACG Women’s Forum, bringing women together to elevate one another, expand relationships, and increase influence within Detroit’s M&A community. She is widely respected for her integrity, reliability, and collaborative leadership style—and she lives by the Go-Giver approach, leading with generosity, trust, and a commitment to creating value for others.

Professional & Community Affiliations: ACG (Women’s Forum & Programs Committees), Financial Executives International–Detroit (Program Committee), 100 Women Who Care (Co-Founder), 100 Businesses Who Care (Co-Founder). Education: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN.

Robert Bick serves as the co-chair of Williams, Williams, Rattner & Plunkett, P.C.’s Corporate Practice Group and focuses his legal practice on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, and business transactions.

He has closed more than $3 billion in M&A transactions, including more than 150 transactions for private equity firms, and has served as legal counsel in major transactions across various industries.

Historical transaction highlights include serving as M&A counsel to Compuware in numerous domestic and international M&A transactions and as legal counsel to Compuware’s C-Suite executives during its sale to BMC Software. He also served as co-counsel to the owners of the Detroit Pistons in connection with the team’s sale to Platinum Equity.

He is frequently recognized for outstanding accomplishments in corporate law, including being named a “Corporate Law Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America; an “M&A Attorney of the Year” by the Association for Corporate Growth; a “Deal Maker of the Year” by the M&A Advisor; a “Go To Lawyer for Business Transactions” and a ”Leader in the Law” by Michigan Lawyers Weekly; and a “Notable Leader in Mergers & Acquisitions” by Crain’s Detroit Business.

He is a member of the Detroit chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), where he has served on the programs committee, as a judge for the ACG Cup Competition, and as co-chair for ACG’s M&A All Stars Awards. He has also served as a judge for the Transactional Law Competition at the University of Michigan Law School. His civic activities have included serving on the Board of Directors for the Detroit Regional Offices of the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League. He has also provided service as a mentor to at-risk children at Haven of Oakland County and is the General Counsel and Secretary for the McDonald Agape Foundation.

He is a graduate of The University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross Business School and The University of Michigan Law School.