(To listen to Michael Strogoff's recent podcast about Ownership and Leadership Transition, click here or visit www.aia.org/podcasts.)

As a former managing principal of an architectural firm, a frequent speaker and author on mergers and acquisitions and ownership transitions, an Advisory Group member to AIA's Practice Management Knowledge Community, and an advisor to design professionals nationwide, Michael Strogoff brings an in-depth understanding of the architecture, engineering, interior design and construction industries and a mastery of the ownership transition and M&A process.

Michael has led dozens of firms through successful internal and external ownership transitions, attracted outside buyers, developed valuations, identified criteria for future owners, served as an objective advisor to prospective owners and facilitated buyer-seller discussions. With Michael's guidance, principals have increased the value of their firms and ensured the continuity of their practices and the careers of their key staff.

Strogoff Consulting leads firms through the following areas:

• Internal Ownership Transitions
- Developing a transition plan that supports a firm's overall strategic business plan
- Developing ownership transition guidelines (timelines and phasing plans, purchase and payment options, buy-back mechanisms, governance and decision making structure)
- Establishing criteria for future owners
- Developing preliminary valuations
- Testing transition plans for long-term sustainability and flexibility
- Determining governance and decision making structures
- Determining buy-in and compensation mechanisms
- Advising staff who are considering potential ownership
- Providing input to firms' accountants and attorneys
- Training new owners and assisting in implementing a firm's strategic plan

• Selling a Firm to an Outside Entity
- Determining profiles of and criteria for selecting prospective buyers
- Identifying prospective acquirers
- Developing and implementing strategies for approaching prospective buyers
- Packaging firms for discussions with prospective acquirers
- Developing preliminary valuations
- Leading discussions and negotiating acquisition terms with prospective buyers
- Developing integration plans and guiding implementation strategies

• Acquiring an Outside Entity
- Developing acquisition criteria and profiles of target firms
- Locating and screening prospective sellers
- Determining the best methods for approaching prospective sellers
- Evaluating prospective sellers' strengths and weaknesses
- Developing preliminary valuations of selling entities
- Negotiating with prospective sellers
- Guiding implementation strategies
- Developing integration plans
- Integration and post-acquisition consulting


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