M&A Next Symposium
September 28-29, 2026 | Park City, Utah
M&A Symposium
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M&A Next Symposium
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Following a milestone year for the AEC industry’s premier symposium on mergers and acquisitions, M&A Next returns with an even sharper focus on what’s ahead. Designed for firm leaders, buyers, sellers, and advisors navigating an evolving deal landscape, M&A Next 2026 will deliver candid insights, real-world perspective, and high-value connections that shape smarter decisions. From valuation and capital strategy to ownership transition and long-term growth, this is where the industry comes to look forward.
Stay tuned for more!
The 2026 agenda is in development. For now, check out last year's schedule.
Monday, September 8, 2025
Monday, September 8, 2025
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3:00pm
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M&A Next Check-In Opens
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4:30pm
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Welcome Cocktail Reception: A San Antonio Growth Story – A journey through a legacy firm, a partnership, and the strategic M&A decisions that changed the game
with Gene Dawson (Pape-Dawson Engineers), Brian Kirkpatrick (Palm Beach Capital), Tracey Eaves (Zweig Group), Mitch Fortner (KSA, a Pape-Dawson Engineers Company), and Peter Grupp (Lawson & Weitzen) Sponsored by Ames & Gough Read MoreThe welcome reception features a compelling growth story that highlights succession planning, strategic partnerships, and transformative acquisitions while showcasing how thoughtful M&A decisions can drive expansion, create opportunities, and ensure long-term prosperity. |
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
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7:30am
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Breakfast
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8:30am
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Welcome & State of M&A in AEC: Valuation, Multiples, and What's Next
Presented by Zweig Group and Stambaugh Ness Read MoreThe opening presentation delivers current M&A market insights while exploring past trends, present conditions, and future directions. This session features key data on valuations, multiples, and their impact on ownership transitions and exit strategies. |
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9:05am
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Opening Keynote: Energizing Leadership – Inspiring People and the Verdantas Journey
with Jesse Kropelnicki (Verdantas) Read MoreGet ready to be inspired by Jesse's personal journey as a professional IRONMAN coach and how that has supported the Verdantas story. It will emphasize that regardless of ownership structure, the most important aspect is the people and how you create a differentiated and infectious place to work. The session will highlight how Verdantas got started, the key milestones and achievements, showcases how a people-focused approach has driven its success to one of the fastest growing firms in the AEC industry. |
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9:30am
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Break
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9:45am
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Panel Discussion: Beyond the Numbers – Managing the hearts and minds during an M&A transaction - Perspectives from a buyer and seller
with Paul VanDuyne (IMEG) and Brandon Pinkerton (HP Engineering, now IMEG), facilitated by Will Swearingen (Zweig Group) Read MoreGo beyond the spreadsheets in this candid panel on IMEG’s acquisition of HP Engineering, told from both the buyer and seller perspective. Hear first-hand how each side navigated relationships, emotions, and integration throughout the deal, and gain strategies for managing the human side of M&A. |
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10:45am
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Break
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11:00am
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Hot M&A Topic Roundtables
Examples include but are not limited to: :: Valuation Dynamics :: Beyond Due Diligence: Insurance Pitfalls in AEC M&A :: Legal Pitfalls to Avoid in Transactions :: Using Private Equity to Fund Growth :: Building a Resilient Culture While Acquiring :: Business in the Private Equity Model :: M&A Taxes: Structure Matters :: Data Integration in M&A :: Talent Retention through Transitions |
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12:15pm
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Networking Lunch
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12:45pm
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Keynote: The Emerging Role of Innovation and AI in M&A Transactions and Firm Integration
with KP Reddy (KP Reddy Co) Read MoreThe lunch keynote address will focus on how innovative approaches using technology and AI can enhance the M&A process, especially in firm integration. With post-transaction integration being such a big challenge for many firms, this session will provide powerful insights into how buyers and sellers can get a competitive advantage through innovative transaction approaches. |
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1:30pm
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Focus Session One
A: Deep Dive into Valuation Trends Tracey and Brad bring 50+ years of experience to unpack the impact of strategic and private equity buyers in driving A/E firm values. This interactive session explores fair market value vs. strategic value and how deal terms are influencing transaction multiples—challenging what you think you know about valuations in 2025. Successful integration is key to unlocking growth and achieving M&A success. In this interactive session, we’ll discuss how to set the right goals, design a complete strategy, strike the right balance between speed and people, and know when to invest in a dedicated integration team.
This session highlight’s how a firm’s technology ecosystem can influence M&A success by showing how smart tools streamline integration, improve operational transparency, boost buyer appeal, and support post-acquisition transitions. |
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2:45pm
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Focus Session Two
A: Minimizing Risk and Maximizing Clarity: A Crash Course in M&A Legal Terms and Deal Structures
Selling a business is as much an emotional decision as a financial one. This session explores both dimensions of M&A: the “head” of valuation, deal structure, and legal preparation, and the “heart” of legacy, identity, and transition. Attendees will gain strategies for preparing a firm for sale, managing buyer relationships, and aligning outcomes with both financial goals and personal values—ensuring transactions maximize enterprise value while honoring the human side of succession. In today’s fast-moving AEC market, M&A success demands more than the traditional playbook. Learn how Grace Design Studios’ “Rapid Value Release” approach captures synergies in 90 days, preserves culture, and retains top talent while accelerating post-merger integration. |
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4:00pm
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Focus Session Three
A: Strategic Risk: Safeguarding Growth and Success All growth is good growth!? With growth – increased billings and revenues, diversification of services and expansion of geographic footprint – comes increased risks to a firm’s stability and potentially to its future. This presentation will review the M&A insurance due diligence process, design firm-specific insurance benchmarking data and the latest in risk transfer techniques.
Explore how to build and coordinate the ideal mix of internal leaders and external advisors for every stage of a deal—blending technical expertise and cultural insight to achieve both strategic and human success in M&A.
Examine how to retain key talent during acquisitions by fostering cultural alignment, offering growth opportunities, and ensuring competitive compensation while applying strategies to navigate change and prevent competitors from poaching top performers. |
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5:30-7:30pm
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M&A Next Closing Reception
*Off site at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Includes exclusive access to the museum until 6:30pm. |
Attendees can earn up to 7.5 units of continuing education credits (LU/PDH) at the M&A Next Symposium.
Zweig Group is an approved continuing education provider of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
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