Eric and Robin Gagnon/We Sell Restaurants
Eric Gagnon is well known in the industry as an expert in restaurant sales and valuation where he is a frequent speaker and writer for the restaurant industry He has been designated a Business Industry Expert by Business Brokerage Press. Eric was the 2011 President of the Georgia Association of Business Brokers and has been named to the Lifetime Million Dollar Club. He also belongs to the International Business Brokers Association and the Business Brokers of Florida.
Robin Gagnon is Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for We Sell Restaurants. Her experience spans Brand Development, Strategic Marketing and Business Development for Fortune 100 companies. Prior to joining We Sell Restaurants in 2005, Robin served as Vice President of Strategic Marketing for a $4 billion dollar division of Macy’s. She was Director of Advertising for another Fortune 100 retailer with more than 2000 locations in the U.S. Since joining the firm in 2005 she has also represented buyers and sellers, transacting hundreds of restaurants. A prolific writer, Robin is known in the industry for her financial expertise and many articles on restaurant sales and valuation.
Check out their book, Appetite for Acquisition.Â
Mark Koppelmann/ Financial Planning Association of GA
Mark is a Financial Advisor with Financial Planning Association of Ga. The Financial Planning Association of Georgia is a local community of financial professionals who utilize the financial planning process in assisting individuals plan for the future. By providing a defined framework, members help answer questions in the areas of investment management, insurance, educational planning, and estate planning.
As a LPL Financial Advisor, Mark brings with him over -10- years of experience advising high net worth private clients in the areas of retirement, investment, and risk management. Prior to becoming a LPL Registered Principal in 2009, he spent the majority of his career working in the same capacity for both Citigroup and Merrill Lynch. Mark’s client centric philosophy, drives his day to day activity servicing and advising clients.
In his role, Mark focuses on developing financial plans and investment strategies based on client needs and objectives. As a planner, his primary objectives are to educate clients on their financial affairs and to provide customized service based on specific client needs.
Mark earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Kennesaw State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia. In addition to his formal education, Mark obtained the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ designation in 2001.
Mark Towery/Geo Strategy Partners
Mark Towery is the Managing Director of Geo Strategy Partners, a management consulting firm that helps leading manufacturers and b2b service firms with Market Research and Competitive Analysis, Strategic Positioning and Planning, and Mergers & Acquisitions. Geo Strategy Partners’ clients include global leaders such as Alcoa, Siemens, Dow Chemical, Tyco, Visa, Assurant, Danaher, Ansell, and many others. With offices and affiliates worldwide, over half of Geo Strategy Partners’ projects are multi-country or global in scope. Mark has been a strategy consultant for 20 years and has almost 30 years of total international business experience. Prior to consulting he headed up several international aerospace co-production projects for General Dynamics, including being sent as the first employee to Indonesia when he was 25, armed with a cashier’s check for $300,000 and an accounting manual with instructions to set up an office.