The Waterfront Group (TWG) is a San Francisco-based, full-service business brokerage and lower middle-market M&A Advisory firm, with multiple locations serving business owners throughout Northern and Southern California, and the Pacific Northwest. Our West Coast client companies typically generate annual revenues between $1M - $50M, with annual profitability up to $10M.
At
TWG, our professionals have a solid combination of operating
background, deal-making experience and brokerage industry credentials.
Our team possesses more than 100 years of combined marketing background
and buy/sell experience in the following industry segments: Business
Services, Distribution, CleanTech, and Manufacturing. Our collective
experience and expertise extends beyond business transfers to include
exit strategy planning and professional buyer (acquisition) search.
Because
each business owner—and their companies—are unique, we work
individually with clients to structure the right solution to meet each
owner's unique needs and desired outcome. This may involve implementing
recommended value enhancements, removing impediments prior to the sale,
resolving partnership issues, implementing an inter-generational
transfer and most importantly minimizing the client's tax impact.
|
Steven B. Smith, M&AMI, CBI, MBA
Steve Smith is Managing Director and the founding principal of The Waterfront Group. Steve brings over 25 years of professional sales, marketing and general business management experience to his client engagements. During his career, Steve has successfully negotiated buy-sell agreements for clients in a variety of industries, including firms in aerospace, cleantech, construction, distribution, manufacturing, business services, specialty retail and telecommunications. Steve's M&A brokerage experience includes west coast Managing Director for a national M&A Advisory firm.
Prior to founding The Waterfront Group, Steve held a variety of executive positions in sales and marketing management at several Fortune 500 telecommunications companies. Steve holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Steve has earned the M&A Master Intermediary (M&AMI) and Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) certifications from the International Business Brokers' Association (IBBA). Steve is a California DRE licensed real estate broker. He and his family have been residents of the San Francisco Bay Area for more than 25 years.
|
William N. Kobayashi, CBI, CMEA, CSBA, CBC, BCB
William ("Bill") Kobayashi is Managing Director for Southern California. During his many years brokering transactions, Bill has enjoyed great success with his creative deal structures. Further, he is an expert in developing winning proposals that make his clients’ businesses very attractive to a large pool of potential buyers. By utilizing a "no asking price" policy, for example, he ensures that his clients receive the maximum value for their businesses.
Having established and owned four businesses of his own, Bill Kobayashi has provided COO level consulting services in the areas of sales and marketing, manufacturing and distribution as well as operational and financial management to over 50 companies in the USA and Canada. He has attended and is degreed from San Jose State University and UCLA, is a licensed California Real Estate Broker, member of the California Association of Business Brokers (CABB), the M&A Source, the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and has earned the designation of CBI (Certified Business Intermediary) by demonstrating a high level of competence in the business intermediary profession. In addition to his brokerage certifications, he is also a certified Machinery and Equipment Appraiser (CMEA). Bill is a Deacon and member of Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles and is also a 25-year volunteer member, Committee Chairman and Board of Director member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association – producers of the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game.
|
Raymond G. Hanson, MCBC, CMEA, BVAL.
Ray Hanson is Managing Director for the Pacific Northwest. He is an Oregon and Washington licensed Real Estate Broker, Master Certified Business Counselor, Certified Machinery and Equipment Appraiser, and a Business Valuator Accredited in Litigation. His experience includes over twenty one years of business valuation, consulting and brokerage experience, having marketed and transferred nearly two-hundred small-to-middle market businesses. In his career, Mr. Hanson has consulted, evaluated and transferred retail, service, distribution and small manufacturing businesses ranging from food products to high tech. He has testified as an expert witness in business valuation and business brokerage. Prior to his business brokerage and consulting activities, Mr. Hanson founded and operated Garland Distributors, an Oregon soft drink distribution firm for thirteen years. In his entrepreneurial career, he has owned five businesses of which four were start-ups.
|
Keith A. Campbell, AVA, BCB
Keith Campbell, Senior Intermediary, is responsible for client engagements in The Waterfront Group’s Southern California region. Keith has expert knowledge in privately held business assignments, including sales and purchases of businesses, debt financing, troubled company restructurings, and business valuations. His areas of expertise include distributorships, industrial manufacturing, engineering, and contracting companies. Keith is an Accredited Valuation Analyst (AVA) and a member of the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA).
Prior to entering the M&A field, Keith founded, owned and operated a contract and installation company located in San Diego, which he sold in 1997. Mr. Campbell received an Honorable Discharge from United States Marine Corps in 1989 and earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Business Administration with a dual degree in Business Management (BM). Keith and his family reside in San Diego.
|
|
