SAMUEL J. GERDANO is Executive Director at American Bankruptcy Institute. In more than a quarter century of his leadership, ABI membership grew from less than 3,000 to more than 13,000, while the professional association became the most respected voice in the insolvency space. The largest provider of continuing legal education in the field, ABI annually offers more than 30 live and online programs.
ABI's thought leadership grew during his tenure in areas of empirical and scholarly research, such as the landmark 2014 ABI Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11, cited last year by the U.S. Supreme Court. In the area of publishing, he serves as editor-in-chief of the monthly ABI Journal and semi-annual Law Review, both frequently cited by courts and scholars. He is regularly called on by the local and national media as an expert on bankruptcy-related matters and cited as an authority on commercial and consumer insolvency. He has authored numerous articles on bankruptcy and appears regularly as a presenter or panelist at programs in the U.S. and internationally. Click Here to Read Full Bio
SAMUEL J. GERDANO is Executive Director at American Bankruptcy Institute. In more than a quarter century of his leadership, ABI membership grew from less than 3,000 to more than 13,000, while the professional association became the most respected voice in the insolvency space. The largest provider of continuing legal education in the field, ABI annually offers more than 30 live and online programs.
ABI's thought leadership grew during his tenure in areas of empirical and scholarly research, such as the landmark 2014 ABI Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11, cited last year by the U.S. Supreme Court. In the area of publishing, he serves as editor-in-chief of the monthly ABI Journal and semi-annual Law Review, both frequently cited by courts and scholars. He is regularly called on by the local and national media as an expert on bankruptcy-related matters and cited as an authority on commercial and consumer insolvency. He has authored numerous articles on bankruptcy and appears regularly as a presenter or panelist at programs in the U.S. and internationally.
From 1985 to 1991, Mr. Gerdano was the chief legal counsel to Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and staff director for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Administrative Practice (now known as the Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action and Federal Courts). This subcommittee has jurisdiction over the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Mr. Gerdano has played an integral role in every major bankruptcy policy change since 1985, including as the principal architect of Chapter 12 of the Code, first enacted in 1986. He became Chief Counsel and Staff Director at the age of 33; during his tenure, he also served key roles on six high-profile Supreme Court confirmations. Other legislative achievements include several Public Laws in the area of administrative law and passage of the first application of civil rights and non-discrimination laws to members of Congress.
Immediately prior to his service in the Senate, Mr. Gerdano was Assistant Chief Counsel for Advocacy for the U.S. Small Business Administration, Washington, D.C., where he drafted the Federal Equal Access to Justice Act amendments. He is admitted to practice in the Federal and local courts of the District of Columbia and the U.S. Supreme Court. He was named a Fellow in the selective American College of Bankruptcy in 2001. He is active in the Association of Continuing Legal Education Administrators, the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy and as a Director and Executive Committee member of the Alexandria (Va) Chamber of Commerce. Last week Sam was also named a Board Member of the Year by the Alexandria (VA) Chamber of Commerce.
James H.M. Sprayregen is a Restructuring Partner in the Chicago and New York offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP and serves on Kirkland’s worldwide management committee. Mr. Sprayregen is recognized as one of the outstanding restructuring lawyers in the United States and around the world and has led some of the most complex Chapter 11 filings in recent history. Mr. Sprayregen has extensive experience representing major U.S. and international companies in restructurings out of court and in court around the globe. He has handled matters for clients in industries as varied as manufacturing, technology, transportation, energy, media, and real estate. He has extensive experience advising boards of directors, and generally representing debtors and creditors in complex workout, insolvency, restructuring, and bankruptcy planning matters worldwide.
Chambers & Partners has praised Mr. Sprayregen for his “outstanding reputation for complex Chapter 11 cases” noting he is a “great clients’ lawyer, admired for his unflustered ways.” Chambers said that clients it spoke to noted that he is “probably the best restructuring lawyer in the world.” Most recently, the 2015 edition of Chambers USA described Mr. Sprayregen as “a world-class practice leader,” one of the “deans of the Bar,” and “one of the guys you would go to if you have one of the biggest cases.” In 2014, Mr. Sprayregen was described by Chambers USA as “the godfather of restructuring” and “one of the major stars of the industry.” Prior editions of Chambers recognized Mr. Sprayregen as “a restructuring genius and one of the best strategists in the country” noting that clients look to him as someone who is “providing leadership and strategic guidance on the big issues.” Click Here to Read Full Bio
James H.M. Sprayregen is a Restructuring Partner in the Chicago and New York offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP and serves on Kirkland’s worldwide management committee. Mr. Sprayregen is recognized as one of the outstanding restructuring lawyers in the United States and around the world and has led some of the most complex Chapter 11 filings in recent history. Mr. Sprayregen has extensive experience representing major U.S. and international companies in restructurings out of court and in court around the globe. He has handled matters for clients in industries as varied as manufacturing, technology, transportation, energy, media, and real estate. He has extensive experience advising boards of directors, and generally representing debtors and creditors in complex workout, insolvency, restructuring, and bankruptcy planning matters worldwide.
Chambers & Partners has praised Mr. Sprayregen for his “outstanding reputation for complex Chapter 11 cases” noting he is a “great clients’ lawyer, admired for his unflustered ways.” Chambers said that clients it spoke to noted that he is “probably the best restructuring lawyer in the world.” Most recently, the 2015 edition of Chambers USA described Mr. Sprayregen as “a world-class practice leader,” one of the “deans of the Bar,” and “one of the guys you would go to if you have one of the biggest cases.” In 2014, Mr. Sprayregen was described by Chambers USA as “the godfather of restructuring” and “one of the major stars of the industry.” Prior editions of Chambers recognized Mr. Sprayregen as “a restructuring genius and one of the best strategists in the country” noting that clients look to him as someone who is “providing leadership and strategic guidance on the big issues.” Sources commended Mr. Sprayregen for his “incredible work ethic and skill” and for his ability to “bring a mastery of the law to practical application.” Clients are “impressed by his boundless energy to work on issues” and note that Mr. Sprayregen is “very good in complicated and difficult situations.”
In March 2010, Mr. Sprayregen was selected by The National Law Journal as one of “The Decade’s Most Influential Lawyers.” Mr. Sprayregen was named “Global Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyer of the Year” in 2013 by Who’s Who Legal Awards, receiving more votes from clients and peers than any other individual worldwide. In October 2013, Mr. Sprayregen was inducted into the Turnaround Management Association (TMA) Turnaround, Restructuring, and Distressed Investing Industry Hall of Fame. From 2013-2015, Mr. Sprayregen was appointed to serve a two year term as the President of INSOL International, the leading insolvency association in the world.
Mr. Sprayregen joined Kirkland in 1990 and built its international Restructuring Group. He joined Goldman Sachs in 2006 where he was co-head of Goldman Sachs’ Restructuring Group and advised clients in restructuring and distressed situations. He rejoined Kirkland three years later. Mr. Sprayregen is a frequent lecturer, speaker, and writer on insolvency, cross-border and distressed M&A issues. He has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, New York University School of Law, and a Lecturer-in-Law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
John Bolduc is an Executive Managing Director of H.I.G., having joined the firm in 1993. He is responsible for leading H.I.G.’s Credit Platform, which manages approximately $9 billion of capital across multiple investment funds.
John has more than 25 years of experience focused on credit investments, including primary loans and distressed debt, as well as private equity investments. He currently serves on the board of several privately held companies. Prior to joining H.I.G. in 1993, he was at the management-consulting firm of Bain & Company, a leading worldwide management-consulting firm, where he directed domestic and international assignments for Fortune 500 clients. Prior to joining Bain & Company, he worked for three years as the Assistant to the President of Chemed Corporation (NYSE: CHE), a specialty chemical company.
John is a graduate of Lehigh University with a B.S. degree in Computer Science and earned his M.B.A. from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
KEITH MAIB is a Senior Managing Director with Mackinac Partners and co-leads the firm’s practice providing restructuring, turnaround, financial advisory and interim management services. For the past 10 years, Keith has worked closely with Jim Weissenborn, the firm’s founder and managing partner, building Mackinac into one of the preeminent organizations serving middle market distressed companies and the financial community that provides their capital.
Over his 30-year career, Keith has played a lead role in the restructuring and turnaround of many high profile companies through complex transactions, including Colt Defense, Logan’s Roadhouse, AgFeed Industries, Zale Corporation, Lomas Financial Corporation, Lincoln Financial Corporation, Acordia, PennCorp Financial Group, RSL Communications, Sunterra Corporation, Norwood Promotional Products and Playpower. Click Here to Read Full Bio
KEITH MAIB is a Senior Managing Director with Mackinac Partners and co-leads the firm’s practice providing restructuring, turnaround, financial advisory and interim management services. For the past 10 years, Keith has worked closely with Jim Weissenborn, the firm’s founder and managing partner, building Mackinac into one of the preeminent organizations serving middle market distressed companies and the financial community that provides their capital.
Over his 30-year career, Keith has played a lead role in the restructuring and turnaround of many high profile companies through complex transactions, including Colt Defense, Logan’s Roadhouse, AgFeed Industries, Zale Corporation, Lomas Financial Corporation, Lincoln Financial Corporation, Acordia, PennCorp Financial Group, RSL Communications, Sunterra Corporation, Norwood Promotional Products and Playpower.
Mr. Maib graduated from the University of Kansas and is active in many professional and charitable organizations. In 2014, Keith was inducted into the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle and is an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
With the presentation of the 2018 M&A Advisor Leadership Award, Mr. Maib joins a notable and exclusive community of industry leaders who have proceeded him, including Wilbur L. Ross, Jack Butler, Robert “Steve” Miller, Harvey R. Miller, Timothy Coleman, William Repko, Corinne Ball, Barry Ridings, Tom Lauria, and Sheila Smith.
PATRICK M. O’KEEFE is Founder and CEO of O’Keefe. Patrick has been active as a financial consultant and turnaround advisor to under-performing businesses for over 30 years in various industries including, retail, construction, automotive, manufacturing, agriculture, and real estate, and has successfully completed assignments in out-of-court and Chapter 11 restructurings. He is an advisor to financial institutions in complex workouts and asset recovery strategies.
He is currently a receiver appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission over a large portfolio of real estate assets in Flint, Michigan. Mr. O’Keefe is also the CEO of Glycadia, a diabetes research company and CEO of Grow Michigan, Inc., a junior lien lender supported by the State of Michigan and nineteen financial institutions to lend money to growing businesses. Prior to forming O’Keefe, Mr. O’Keefe was a former partner at Deloitte & Touche where he was in charge of the Detroit offices’ Middle Market department. Click Here to Read Full Bio
PATRICK M. OKKEFE is Founder and CEO of O’Keefe. Patrick has been active as a financial consultant and turnaround advisor to under-performing businesses for over 30 years in various industries including, retail, construction, automotive, manufacturing, agriculture, and real estate, and has successfully completed assignments in out-of-court and Chapter 11 restructurings. He is an advisor to financial institutions in complex workouts and asset recovery strategies.
He is currently a receiver appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission over a large portfolio of real estate assets in Flint, Michigan. Mr. O’Keefe is also the CEO of Glycadia, a diabetes research company and CEO of Grow Michigan, Inc., a junior lien lender supported by the State of Michigan and nineteen financial institutions to lend money to growing businesses. Prior to forming O’Keefe, Mr. O’Keefe was a former partner at Deloitte & Touche where he was in charge of the Detroit offices’ Middle Market department.
Mr. O’Keefe currently serves as President for the Detroit Athletic Club and is a past President of the Detroit Chapter of the TMA. He is a frequent guest lecturer and writer and engages regularly with major media outlets on automotive, real estate and retail industries.
He has received the Outstanding Individual Contribution Award by the TMA, the Cleary Business Medal of Honor as an outstanding businessman, and the Small Business Administration’s Financial Services Champion of the Year Award presented by former Governor Jennifer Granholm.
With the presentation of The 2018 M&A Advisor Leadership Award, Mr. O’Keefe joins a notable and exclusive community of industry leaders who have proceeded him, including Wilbur L. Ross, Jack Butler, Robert “Steve” Miller, Harvey R. Miller, Timothy Coleman, William Repko, Corinne Ball, Barry Ridings, Tom Lauria, Van Conway and Sheila Smith.
