Sunbelt of Schaumburg

Fred Atwood, a Senior Business Broker in the Schaumburg, IL Sunbelt Office, has a Business Degree from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. Fred is an entrepreneur with over thirty years of experience as a business owner and has worked in various industries with start-ups as well as established organizations. His range of experience includes graphic arts, wireless telecom, and service industries.

Fred is very comfortable working within a wide variety of business environments and he utilizes his personal experiences to promote smooth transitions for both buyers and sellers.

Bill Augustine, a Senior Business Broker in the Schaumburg, IL Sunbelt Office, brings a myriad of business experience from small to large. With an Economics Degree, he has started and owned a number of businesses and has sat on the board of directors of an international multi-billion company. Bill is a certified business coach that has personally met with and helped on a consulting basis with hundreds of nationally and internationally businesses in a variety of industries.

He understands what it takes to build, cast, and articulate value. His experience as a startup partner in a successful business coaching firm, among other ventures, allows Bill to both speak and understand the language of business owners. If you are at the stage of moving on for whatever reason or you are seeking an endeavor for your entrepreneurial skills, Bill brings a multitude of know how experience.

Elaine Bonney, a Senior Business Broker in the Schaumburg, IL Sunbelt Office, has spent her years in a variety of entrepreneurial endeavors. Early in her career, she launched a very successful home-remodeling business which supported her family well for many years and more recently she has owned and operated two highly profitable food service establishments. She has good knowledge of this industry and understands the hard work and passion that goes into restaurant ownership, and the distinct challenges involved in selling this type of business.

In addition to her business ownership background, she also has over 12 years in sales and marketing in a combination of real estate and business brokerage. During those years, she has learned to be a negotiator and a facilitator in all aspects of a sale. As an intermediary, she has the skills and knowledge necessary to work with all the professionals involved in a sale, from inspectors, to accountants, to attorneys, etc Elaine has sold and closed a variety of businesses from manufacturing firms to service and retail and learning about the intricacies of a sellers particular business is of the utmost importance to her on her first meeting with you.

All in all, when it comes down to marketing, negotiating, and facilitating the closing of the sale of your business, with Elaines years of experience, you can trust that she will get the job done for you. Call her for a no obligation consultation and she can walk you comfortably through the process.

Stew Gilgis, a Senior Business Broker in the Schaumburg, IL Sunbelt Office, has owned and operated three different manufacturing and distribution companies, such as Sales & Service Distributor of Electronic Cash Registers: $1-1/2 Million in sales; Picture Frame Manufacturer: $5 Million in sales; and Gear Manufacturing: $6 Million in sales over twelve years. He was directly involved in sales and plant operations for both manufacturing companies. The cash register distributorship taught him about retail businesses, especially grocery and drug stores, bars and restaurants, and specialty stores.

Stew has the experience to list small and large companies and also conduct searches for them. His broad based experience will accelerate the process for serious Buyers and Sellers.

Ron Gold, a Senior M&A Advisor and Search Specialist in the Schaumburg, IL Sunbelt Office, has a Business Degree from Northeastern Illinois University. He has a solid background in M&A having worked for one of the top M&A firms in Chicago, which gave him enough experience and understandings in the industry.

Bob Hanson, a Senior Business Broker in the Schaumburg, IL Sunbelt Office, attended Wright Jr. College and DePaul University majoring in Marketing & Management and received his Master in Business Administration from the University of Chicago in 1992. He helped establish U.S. Suburban Press Inc. (USSPI) a nationwide firm serving over 1100 newspapers and over 300 publishers in the top 50 U.S. Markets. He became President & CEO in 1978 and led a management leveraged buy out of the firm in 1984 as the majority stockholder, and sold the business in 1989. He has been president of two other firms, executive vice president of another, helped launch two firms and served on several boards.

Throughout his business career and his membership in the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and the World Presidents Organization (WPO), Bob has first hand experience and knowledge of the problems and opportunities facing company owners from the small family owned business to the billion dollar publicly traded companies. With his marketing, sales and management expertise along with his straight forward approach has developed excellent relationships with his clients. Whether you wish to buy or sell a business or do a search for one, call anytime and he will be happy to discuss the process or the opportunities that are currently available.

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George Kochis, a Senior Business Broker in the Schaumburg,IL Sunbelt Office has 30 plus years of experience as a management executive in financial services, asset management, business acquisition and real estate. George has served as both the VP of Enterprise Sales and Director of Mortgage Banking Strategy within a mid size mortgage bank.

His corporate responsibilities ranged from founding and managing the bank’s Small Business Initiative Program, as well as creating a Sales Culture throughout the bank.

Before and after his tenure in the financial services arena George was a principal owner in various retail and real estate companies. When it comes to operating and marketing businesses George knows the joys, trials and tribulations of the business owner. George did both his undergraduate and graduate studies at Purdue University--concentrating his efforts in business economics and marketing. He has been a guest lecturer at the Purdue University Calumet School of Entrepreneurship.

Ken Kurtz, a senior business broker, has a degree in Marketing/Business Administration from University of Illinois in Champaign. He owned his own business for over 35 years, supervising as many as 60 employees. Ken specializes in the confidential sale of privately held businesses. He helps business owners develop, execute and maximize their exit strategies- so they can go on to the next phase of their lives- whether its to retire or try a new project or industry.

Ken feels a good part of his success is how he operates ethically and with integrity. As an active member of Northbrook Rotary, he follows their ideals including service above self. The majority of his business is from referrals of former clients.

Stuart Olson, a Senior Business Broker in the Schaumburg, IL Sunbelt Office, has Business Administration and Accounting Degrees from the University of Denver. He passed the C.P.A. exam in 1975 and has since worked for companies as COO/CFO. Stuart started & managed his own Accounting / Consulting practice and has been a CEO / Owner of two construction companies. He has been in the field of business brokerage since 2004 and is ready and willing to help you with your business sale or acquisition.

Chris Trudeau, a Senior Business Broker in the Schaumburg, IL Sunbelt Office, has been a successful Business Broker for several years. He knows what it takes to get the job done right. He graduated from Eastern Illinois University and subsequently earned a C.P.A. designation. Utilizing his own experience, as well as the extensive resources of the Sunbelt Network for legal, financial, and banking professionals, Chris is a valuable resource throughout the entire transaction process.

Prior to becoming a full time Business Broker, he put his C.P.A. designation to use in the private sector industry. He was a key financial manager for several small to mid-sized companies in the Manufacturing and Distribution sectors. During this time, Chris worked closely with the principals of the companies, developing a keen understanding of what it takes to run a successful business. Perhaps most importantly, he prides himself in his professionalism, integrity and trustworthiness. Chris builds mutually and beneficial relationships with all principals involved in a business transaction process.

Jerry Wentzel, a Senior Business Broker in the Schaumburg, IL Sunbelt Office, graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and has over twenty five years of experience in Public Accounting. His Public Accounting experience includes five years in the Mergers and Acquisition Department which was then called a "Big Eight" Accounting Firm.

Jerry has been both a sole practitioner and partner in his own Accounting / Consulting Firms. Being in business for himself and having been instrumental in helping clients buy and sell businesses, including selling his own practice and buying two other practices, Jerry has the experience and knowledge for getting the job done right.

Having over twenty years of experience in the business community throughout the Chicago area, Jerry has developed strategic relationships with banks and other lending institutions, which can make a difference in getting the deal done. He has a no non-sense approach that will help facilitate the selling or buying of a business.