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January 21, 2022 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 am
Join our panel of experts for a discussion on business turnarounds in 2022. Followed by Q&A and networking breakout sessions.
About this event
Our panel includes:
- Ben Calkins of the Calkins Law Firm, Ltd., panel moderator and CFE co-founder
- Dennis R. Kebrdle – Managing Partner, Chikol Equities, Inc., Sentinel Services, Inc.
- Mark Kozel, CTP – Managing Member, Kozel & Associates, LLC
- John K. Lane – CEO/Managing Director, Inglewood Associates LLC
With your RSVP confirmation you will receive a Zoom link to join the meeting.
As always, networking will follow the presentation in smaller breakout rooms.
About Benjamin Calkins:
CFE Co-Founder Ben Calkins is a top rated and highly experienced business law attorney.
An honors graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, he clerked for a Federal Judge before joining one of the World’s largest law firms, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey. Mr. Calkins has also worked at, and been a partner in, several of the most prominent “old style law firms” in the World.
In launching his own business law boutique, The Calkins Law Firm, Ltd., Ben Calkins acted on his commitment to providing, for businesses and their owners, a combination of extraordinary expertise and vast experience, together with unsurpassed responsiveness and surprising affordability.
About Dennis R. Kebrdle:
Dennis’ activity from the early 1980’s to 2000 was primarily as an entrepreneur focused on companies that manufactured finished products that were then sold by a combination of international dealers and direct accounts. There were several leveraged acquisitions during that period with the largest being Allis Chalmers lift trucks, which was acquired including with partners from both Asia & Europe.
Chikol then became involved with the Grabill Bankruptcy, as “CRO” on several the companies. Chikol assisted in the sale of several the companies in early 363 actions, working with McDonald & Co.: becoming adept at using this tool in the restructuring world. While working on a number of the 363 sales in Northern Indiana, Chikol bought a contract office furniture manufacturer and a specialty tooling company in Elkhart when the Grabill sales were completed. Chikol purchased additional companies in the contract office furniture industry over the following 7-8 years, and created a very diverse product base, once again diverting from the traditional marketing manner, including becoming one of the leading direct suppliers to the Federal Prison Industry; the FAA towers; and to the hospitality support industry. This paved the way for a sale in 2000 to a publicly traded competitor after selling the tooling company that had become a national player in the retail industry and all other interests at that time.
Upon sale of all companies in 2000, Chikol was approached by the Banks & Mezzanine partners we’d been working with, who suggested we focus on supporting them by helping companies they were involved in to improve results as we had in our investments with them and be in position to step in when a company was struggling and management either needed to be replaced or supported. This became the next step in our work pattern—Chikol pledged to be supporting management and lenders and not be a purchaser.
With that decision, Dennis’ typical Roles for the past 22 Years as a Turnaround Professional for Chikol:
- Corporate Valuation & Opportunity Evaluation for PE firms during the Acquisitions or Divestitures—including preparation of documents needed for both purchase and sale of noted Company
- Court Appointed Receiver-State & Federal Courts
- Chief Restructuring Officer–Ch. 11; or liquidation or sale of the subject Company
The combination of having been an actual owner of leveraged businesses allows Dennis to bring a “hands-on” perspective to his cases from many years as a President, and actual Operator within most industries including: commercial construction, industrial manufacturing, design build, material handling, heavy duty road machinery, firearms training within both the public and government sectors, plastics injection, food processing, packaging supply, trucking & international shipping, tooling manufacturing, and many other market segments. As expected with the scope of experience, Dennis has also been a participant in the sales/distribution activities within these industry segments as well, including retail distribution and local store sales. Dennis also has been responsible for work being done in foreign factories and sales into those markets as well.
Dennis typical focus includes identifying and implementing solutions for clients in financial distress through cash flow creation and stabilization. Enhancing capital and asset preservation are key targets in troubled situations of both in and out of court situations. As Dennis is one of the two Managing Partners at Chikol, he has helped to bring to the company other like-minded operators with significant experience in: sales, manufacturing, finance, logistics, supply chain & engineering. This allows Chikol to step into almost any situation and offer support and leadership.
About Mark Kozel, CTP:
Mark has over 25 years of experience in investment banking, business consulting, insolvency and restructuring. He is accomplished at sell-side services for organizations from small private companies to large public companies.
Mark offers vast knowledge in bankruptcy planning and management, serving as a financial advisor to Debtors well as Committees. He is also experienced as a Chapter 7 trustee, Chapter 11 Trustee, claims administrator, plan administrator, Chief Liquidating Officer, receiver, and expert witness. He specializes in turnarounds, workouts, and business restructuring.
Mark is adept at business performance and profitability improvement, from the sales of companies, product lines, or divisions. He is also experienced in claims reviews, analyses, challenges, and resolutions. He frequently advises clients on preference/avoidance actions and collections as well as plan distributions.
Mark is the current Immediate Past-President of the Turnaround Management Association, Ohio Chapter, and also co-chairs the programming committee of that organization. He has been recognized as a Certified Turnaround Consultant (CTP) by the Turnaround Management Association.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- The American Bankruptcy Institute
- Turnaround Management Association, Northern Ohio Chapter
- Chapter President 2017-2018
- Immediate Past-President, 2019-2020
EDUCATION
Rochester Institute of Technology
About John K Lane:
John K. Lane is CEO/Managing Director of Inglewood Associates LLC (www.ingw.com), a turnaround, crises management and business/operations management consulting firm. John has had forty‐five years of broad financial, management, operational, technical and international experiences with middle market and entrepreneurial companies.
John has run numerous companies as either a CEO, crisis manager or receiver and has participated in all facets of business, including strategy, sales and marketing, operations, mergers and acquisitions, financing, accounting, information systems, performance measurement, employee benefit and other incentive plans.
John served as the court appointed receiver for the Robbins Company, a $100+ million developer and manufacturer of advanced, underground construction machinery, suppling equipment for tunneling projects around the world including the United States, China, India, Australia, Russia, Europe and South America.
Previously, while at Inglewood, John served as the Interim CFO of Quaker Steak & Lube and was instrumental in finding the buyer for that business and in structuring the transaction. That transaction won the Ohio Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association’s (TMA) Turnaround/Transaction of the Year.
Additionally, while at Inglewood, John and his team were engaged by American Roll Formed Corp. to improve operations of this 85% ESOP owned business and to provide strategic consulting advice. Subsequently, John was appointed CEO to lead the management team to accomplish, among others, increasing the sales pipeline from $15 million to over $100 million and the sales backlog from $4 million to almost $9 million, reducing average scrap rates by 25% and set up hours by 40% and opening a new Las Vegas facility, producing the first parts only three months after Board approval of the expansion.
Prior to Inglewood, John was the Managing Director of the Cleveland Office of The Revere Group, a business and technology consultancy; the Managing Director of Evergreen Partners Ltd., assisting firms with corporate strategy, capital structure, acquisitions and divestitures; and a Partner at Price Waterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers).
John is a Certified Turnaround Professional (CTP) and a past president of the Ohio Chapter of TMA. He obtained a BBA at the University of Notre Dame.