Kansas City Team

Doug Hubler, CBI

dhubler@kcapex.com

Doug Hubler is President of Apex Business Advisors and is a Certified Business Intermediary. He has a B.S. in Finance from Kansas State University. New business units were developed, under his direction at GE Capital and Ford Motor Credit. Doug led the operations, marketing, strategic planning, and business alliance departments within both companies. He was successful in identifying several multimillion dollar acquisition targets for both companies and lead teams responsible for due diligence, negotiation, and closing. He also is experienced with completing joint venture agreements and understands complex transactions that require creativity, flexibility, and risk management.

After leaving the corporate world, Doug started his own service company and understands the needs of entrepreneurs in dealing with daily operations, employees, marketing, and cash flow. These insights are critical when devising an exit strategy and assessing value for Apex clients.

Doug's focus is on the proper planning and strategy of business transition. Whether a business owner wants to pass to family, existing management, or to sell to an outside party, Doug can assist in creating a clear succession and/or exit plan to realize the full value of their business.

Doug also holds Kansas and Missouri Real Estate Licenses

Jeff Crooks

jcrooks@kcapex.com

Jeff Crooks, one of our Senior Brokers who joined the Team in 1998, comes to us with more than 18 years of sales experience. He works primarily with small, privately held business owners with sales from 1-100MM gross revenue in a broad range of industries. Service companies, manufacturing, distribution, aerospace and medical are areas of special interest.

Jeff also specializes in mediating buy side acquisitions for high net worth professionals, as well as companies looking to grow through acquisition. He fully understands the role taxes can play in selling a business and is well versed in facilitating a solution through outside professionals which may be beneficial to his clients.

Prior to joining our firm, Jeff owned a staffing company in the psychiatric/medical field. His background and experience allow him to understand many of the unique issues, challenges, and opportunities facing his clients. His understanding of his clients expectations has gained him long-term client relationships including succeeding generations of some business owners.

Jeff holds undergraduate degrees in Molecular Cell Biology and Chemistry, as well as graduate degrees in Gerontology and Business. He has been recognized as a member of the Million Dollar Roundtable for the last 10 years.

Active in Church and his community, Jeff is a member of the Masonic Lodge, and Kansas Special Olympic Games Management Team. He also brings 24 years of military experience (and counting) to the table as a Major in the US Army Reserves, performing service to our country as an Engineer Operations Officer and is a recent graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College.

In his spare time, Jeff loves long range rifle shooting, competitive pistol, enjoys music, reading, and entertaining family and friends.

Reach Jeff at 913 383-2671 or 816 510-0255.

Joe Warner, CBI

jwarner@kcapex.com

Joe Warner focuses his practice on preparing both businesses and their owners to maximize value in the lower mid-market range ($3 Million to $30 Million). Joe has successfully represented clients on both sides of transactions, and in every case, strives for the best match to achieve a win-win deal.

Joe earned the Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) designation in 2004 from the International Business Brokers Association (www.IBBA.org) the primary professional organization for intermediaries. He now serves as an instructor for other intermediaries worldwide in both Main Street and M & A practice. His penchant for education extends to buyers and sellers alike, helping them understand how to navigate the inefficient market for privately owned businesses.

With 25 years as a business owner, buyer, and seller, Joe understands the practical as well as theoretical perspective. His clients have appreciated his approach:

Buyers wrote:

"Joe was extremely professional and paramount to the success of my search."
"He was willing to invest time educating me about the process...!"
"Joe's willingness to go the extra mile and his polished diplomacy resulted in me landing my dream."

From sellers:

"You brought a qualified candidate to the table and closed the sale in a timely manner."
"You did an excellent job of working closely with our attorney and our accountant..."
"...you followed through and matched us up with an excellent candidate resulting in a win for everyone involved."

Joe serves on the KC Chambers small business council, and is active in the community. He has degrees from Washburn in Topeka and Northwestern. He and Susan have been married 36 years, and have two grown sons. In his spare time, Joe enjoys cooking and a new touring motorcycle.

If you would like to understand why this is a sellers market, and what that means to you as either buyer or seller, call Joe for a confidential exploratory meeting: 913.383.2671.

Debbie Small

dsmall@kcapex.com

LinkedIn

SELLER REPRESENTATION

Debbie specializes in manufacturing, distribution, and service operations and has closed millions of dollars in small business sales during her career as a Senior Broker with Apex Business Advisors. Debbie has extensive experience pre-qualifying buyers and generating 90-100% cash at closing for most sellers. She will help you determine how much your business is worth with no upfront fees.

With her vast 20 years experience as a business consultant, Debbie Small helps business owners understand the complexities of selling their company and guides them every step of the way during the negotiation process with a prospective buyer. Once a qualified buyer has been identified, Debbie works with both parties to help them through the sales process by facilitating training, transition, and closing details. She also prepares and packages your business to SBA lenders and orchestrates the entire loan approval process to advocate for the sale.

Debbie is committed to finding you the most suitable, financially-qualified buyer for your business. She understands that confidentiality is of the utmost importance in selling your business and will maintain your privacy while bringing you buyers who will yield you the maximum sales price in the least amount of time. In addition, she understands the economic impact of selling your business and consequently, will connect you with tax specialists in order to minimize your corporate, personal and real estate tax burden.

Debbie can be reached at (913) 433-2304 to set up a FREE consultation with you on the sale of your business.

BUYER REPRESENTATION

Debbie has found that buyers often have difficulty finding the right acquisition opportunity. Typically, buyers spend hours shopping website to website looking for the right opportunity to find that A) the business is already under contract B) its overpriced or C) they are competing with 5 other buyers on the same business.

Debbie Small is highly experienced at removing these challenges for buyers through the Apex customized Buyer Acquisition Search. She utilizes key strategies and techniques developed over several years to help buyers purchase the maximum cash flow business for the least amount of capital out of their pockets. Her business search rapidly expedites the acquisition process and identifies potential target companies with verifiable income based on 1) geographic location 2) industry and 3) revenue. In addition, she orchestrates the entire loan approval process to insure financial arrangements for the sale are complete.

To learn more about her customized Buyer Acquisition Searches, call her at 913-433-2304 for a FREE consultation.

Jay Lehenbauer, CBI

JayL@kcapex.com

LinkedIn

Jay is a Certified Business Intermediary with Apex Business Advisors who brings a very successful background to the team. After being a Partner in a Nationally recognized Franchise Chain for over Ten years, he then personally owned and operated 2 National Franchised Steakhouses and one Pizzaria, along with two Catering and Vending Operations for ten years that were successfully sold along with an Insurance Agency.

Jay's Goal and Objective is to represent the Business Owner in a Sincere, Professional and Confidential manner and to assist in bringing about a closing of the business transaction that works for both the seller and the buyer.

Jay has the experience in developing both small and large companies. Through this experience he is sensitive to the needs of the buyer and seller. He attended the University of Missouri, Columbia and has been married for thirty nine years. He has four children and seven grandchildren all living in the Kansas City area.

Jay has successfully completed targeted buyer search campaigns for local, regional, and national buy-side clients. The intensive program has presented his buyers with many opportunities and they have successfully closed transactions from the One-Million Dollar range to the Tens of Millions of Dollars. He has been successful by assisting buyers through the search process, finding the right business ( that typically isn’t for sale ), finding the business that generates a positive income and meets the buyer’s financial needs, being involved in the negotiations and legal process, and ultimately getting the deal to the closing table. Jay can be reached on his direct line at 913-433-2308, or on his cell at 816-304-6858.

Anita Lieser

Anita@kcapex.com

LinkedIn

After graduating from Drury College with a degree in Business Administration and Accounting, Anita spent several years in corporate internal auditing and cost accounting management positions. She then started a sign company, which she owned and operated for ten years prior to selling. Anita became an Apex Business Advisor because she felt that her background would be a great asset for helping people through the process of buying or selling a business. Anita understands the accounting, tax and cash flow aspects of preparing a business to sell.

Anita and her husband, Bryce, currently own and manage several investment properties.

Being of an entrepreneurial spirit herself, Anita enjoys the brokering process because a single transaction allows buyers to recognize the advantages of business ownership, while sellers are able to realize the fruits of their labors.

You may contact Anita at 913-383-2671 ext. 206 or 816-679-2496.

Mike Funk

MFunk@kcapex.com

LinkedIn

Michael came to Apex Business Advisors in early 2006, bringing a long list of credentials. He brings a professional approach backed by a degree in accounting from the University of Missouri. He has a strong background in investments, financials, and insurance sale. He currently holds Series 7 and Series 66 financial planning as well as life and health insurance licenses. This combination of skills enables him to have a disciplined and productive approach to business transactions and transitions.

Michael has direct experience in manufacturing and wholesale/distribution. Prior to joining Apex, he owned and operated a wholesale manufacturing and distribution business for 15 years. This experience enables him to understand what it takes to own and operate a million dollar plus company and what it takes to successfully sell a privately owned business.

Prior to owning the manufacturer he spent 8 years as an investment advisor.

Michael lives in Leawood with his wife Kathy, who is employed as a business operations specialist, and his 3 sons. His free time is spent, networking, golfing, and attending his sons numerous sporting events. You can contact Michael at 913-433-2313.

Jay Allan Kvasnicka

jak@kcapex.com

Jay's combination of accounting/finance and sales experience make him ideally suited for the business brokerage industry. He earned his B.S. degree in accounting from Kansas State University while on a baseball scholarship and received his M.B.A. in finance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He also has a Kansas Real Estate License.

With his accounting background, he is especially strong at recasting financial statements to reflect a company's true value in the marketplace. Jay most recently owned a franchise of a leading promotional marketing company, Adventures in Advertising. Jay held accounting/treasury positions with Health Midwest and Metmor Financial. He also was a recruiter for an executive search firm, Morgan Hunter Corporation.

Jay is ready to sit down and systematically prepare your business for sale. Then, using strategic resources only available through Apex Business Advisors, he will take your business to market to maximize your proceeds in the shortest amount of time.

Jay also has a Kansas Real Estate License.

Jay can be reached at 913-433-2307 or 816-550-5730.

Jeff Wilson

jwilson@kcapex.com

LinkedIn
Jeff has acquired more than twenty years of experience working with small businesses, mid-size companies, and corporations. He understands the unique needs and wonderful opportunities that each provide. He is eager to apply his knowledge of sales, marketing and management experience to every business transaction. No matter how many business transitions he has been a part of, he realizes the sale or purchase of your business is most likely your first, and therefore the most important one of all.

Jeff has been married for 19 years and has two teenage children. He enjoys sports, creating music, riding his motorcycle, and watching his children’s activities. He is involved in church and school activities, and he looks forward to helping you successfully achieve your desire to sell or buy a business.

Call Jeff at 913-433-2316 and put his experience and dedication to work for you.

Tom Donnelly

Marketing Consultant

Tom has many years experience in the M&A industry and is mainly focused on identifying and qualifying potential target acquisitions for our active buyers.

Christi DeVoid

Office Manager

ChristiH@kcapex.com

Christi has been with Apex Business Advisors since January of 2005. She has 13 years of office experience in several different industries and performs all reception, bookkeeping, database, and search mailings duties in addition to providing administrative support for all brokers. She grew up in the Kansas City Area and holds an Associates Degree for an Administrative Assistant.