Wrapping up ACG’s Spring 2025 Live Events

Highlights of the event included a well-attended opening reception and a brand-new exhibition component. The conference also featured many great speakers, including leaders and innovators at the forefront of the AgTech industry, who shared insights that inspired and informed attendees. Building on this year’s success, St. Louis is excited to host the AgTech Conference back at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center on October 6-7.

2024 FLORIDA ACG CAPITAL CONNECTION

Orlando, FL

Hosted jointly by four Florida ACG chapters on November 13-15, the 2024 Florida ACG Capital Connection drew over 1,000 registrants who participated in more than 5,000 meetings. Program highlights included a keynote address from Kevin O’Leary of “Shark Tank” and a presentation by Shari Bowers of the Federal Reserve about monetary policy and its business impact. Breakout sessions at the conference included a look at the M&A market, and a discussion of how artificial intelligence is impacting due diligence.

Attendees also enjoyed golf, pickleball, the Margarita Mingle early-arrivals reception, an evening event with bourbon and cigars, the Viva La Fiesta Capital Connection, late-night poker and more. The 2025 Florida ACG Capital Connection will be held November 4-6 at the JW Grande Lakes in Orlando.

ACG DENVER AND ACG UTAH’S ADVENTURE SUMMIT

Moab, UT

ACG Denver and ACG Utah teamed up to host the inaugural Adventure Summit on October 10-12 in Moab, Utah, which offered dealmakers a unique opportunity for experiential networking while participating in outdoor activities, such as mountain biking and river rafting. The intimacy of the event helped foster authentic relationships for the 70 participants.

The Adventure Summit grew out of ACG Denver and ACG Utah’s shared goal of adding additional DealSource events to their calendars, and the proximity of Moab to Colorado made it a natural place to collaborate. The two chapters plan to host the next Adventure Summit on October 16-17.

WOMEN OF ACG REGIONAL FALL 2024 CONFERENCE

Palos Verdes, CA

Last fall, ACG Los Angeles, ACG 101 and ACG Orange County teamed up to host a women’s conference at Terranea Resort. More than 150 women in M&A participated in the full-day conference on October 23, which was packed with inspiring panels, breakout sessions and opportunities for networking with like-minded women in business.

ACG CHARLOTTE DEAL CRAWL

Charlotte, NC

ACG Charlotte hosted its 11th annual Deal Crawl on November 20-21 at Bank of America Stadium and the JW Marriott. Each year, the event offers impactful opportunities for middle-market professionals to connect, build relationships and generate deal flow. This year, 320 attendees participated and, for the first time, all one-on-one meetings took place in the same location, a well-received change. The keynote address by football sportscaster and former Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen was another highlight. The 12th annual Deal Crawl will be held in Charlotte on November 19-20.

DEALMAKING ON THE MOUNTAIN

Stowe, VT

Six ACG chapters joined forces on January 26-28 to host Dealmaking on the Mountain, an annual event held at Stowe Mountain Resort. A collaboration among ACG Boston, ACG Connecticut, ACG New Jersey, ACG New York, ACG Philadelphia and ACG Toronto, this iconic event brings together middle-market M&A professionals from across the Northeast for two days of close-knit networking. The event had plenty for non-skiers too, including activities like ice skating, guided snowshoe tours and indoor rock climbing, along with spa services.

ACG ST. LOUIS DEALSOURCE AND CRAFT BEER & SPIRITS TASTING

St. Louis, MO

ACG St. Louis hosted another successful DealSource event at the Ritz-Carlton on January 22. Dealmakers from across the ACG network participated in over 1,000 pre-scheduled meetings. Following the event, attendees enjoyed the annual Craft Beer & Spirits Tasting, featuring 13 local vendors showcasing their exceptional craft beer and spirits. The next morning, ACG St. Louis held the Private Equity Perspectives Breakfast, which included a dynamic panel discussion on the state of private equity. Bob Dunn of GF Data expertly moderated the panel, which featured Jenna Schlageter of Bow River Capital, Patrick Nolan of Nolan & Associates, Greg Siwak of CareVet and Simon Crocker of BDT & MSD.

ACG CHICAGO MARKET TRENDS BREAKFAST 2025

Chicago, IL

ACG Chicago packed the house for its 2025 Market Trends Breakfast on January 28, featuring a panel discussion about the trends shaping middle- market M&A in 2025. The panel included Jeffrey Korzenik, chief economist at Fifth Third Bank; Nicholas Antoine, co-founder and managing partner at Red Arts Capital; James Chiarelli, COO, managing director– head of debt capital markets for Piper Sandler; and Seema Ackerman, head of distribution and marketing for Bridgeway Capital Management.

ACG SOUTHEAST REGION WOMEN’S FORUM

Raleigh Durham, NC

The inaugural ACG Southeast Region Women’s event was held in Raleigh Durham, North Carolina, on October 23-24. More than 150 women attended the event, which included a keynote presentation by Stephanie Stuckey, CEO of the iconic retailer Stuckey’s. A big hit at the event was the “Mystery Date” dinners. Event organizers paired groups of eight women—some of whom had not met before—and sent them to different restaurants across downtown Raleigh.

The Women’s Forum was a joint effort among all 16 ACG chapters and networks in the region—the first time a full region with this many chapters worked together to hold a true region-wide event. The group will host the event for a second year on October 22-23.

ACG NEW YORK MIDDLE MARKET WEEK

New York, NY

ACG New York hosted a weeklong extravaganza of dealmaking and networking last fall that kicked off on November 4 with its opening night reception. The week’s activities included the family office and limited partner election dinner and launch party, the Operators’ Forum for private equity operating partners, and a luncheon honoring military veterans—part of ACG New York’s Veterans in the Middle Market Initiative. On November 7, Middle Market Week’s 20th Annual Wine Gala returned to Gotham Hall for the first time post-COVID. More than 600 attendees sipped wine poured by private equity firms at their exhibitor tables. Join ACG New York for Middle Market Week later this year on November 17-19.

Upcoming chapter events

• • May 13: Deal Forum 2025 – ACG Maryland
  • May 22-23: Mid-South Capital Connection – ACG Tennessee
  • May 28-30: M&A West – ACG San Francisco
  • May 29: SaaS & Tech-Enabled DealSource – ACG Philadelphia
  • June 5: Annual Corporate Growth Awards and Gala – ACG National Capital
  • June 9-10: Upper Midwest Capital Connection – ACG Minnesota
  • June 10-11: DealFest Northeast – ACG Boston
  • June 12: Georgia Fast 40 Awards & Celebration – ACG Atlanta
  • June 24: DealSource and Summer Social – ACG Cleveland

For a complete list of upcoming events, visit acg.org/events.

Middle Market Growth is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To learn more about the organization and how to become a member, visit www.acg.org.