Join the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network for an in-depth M&A Update. Drawing on recent market analysis, our expert panel will explore why, even in a cautious economic climate, strategic dealmaking in the food and beverage industry is far from slowing down. We’ll delve into the key trends shaping the landscape, including a shift toward larger, more targeted investments and how evolving trade dynamics are prompting companies to re-evaluate their supply chains.
Our panelists will provide critical insights into this rapidly changing market, discussing how new tax rules could impact transactions and the continued role of private equity in driving growth. This is your opportunity to understand the forces at play in the current M&A environment.
Network with industry leaders over cocktails and appetizers. Secure your spot to gain a competitive edge and make valuable connections in the Chicagoland food and beverage community.
AGENDA
5:00 PM Doors Open/Check-In
5:30 PM Panel Discussion and Q&A
6:45 PM Networking
8:00 PM Event Ends
SPEAKERS
THOMAS DeMINICO
Director
BMO Middle Market M&A
Thomas DeMinico is a seasoned investment banker with extensive experience advising clients on mergers & acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic advisory assignments primarily within the consumer landscape.
Thomas is a Director on the Food, Consumer, and Retail Team of BMO Middle Market M&A, where he leads efforts in branded foods and pet products and services. Prior to BMO, he held investment banking positions with Harris Williams and Greene Holcomb Fisher, and was in the consumer equity research group at Northland Securities. Thomas holds board seats with multiple consumer businesses including Bizzy Cold Brew and Bow Wow Labs, and maintains advisory relationships with several other food and consumer companies.
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STEVE GAITHER
Chief Marketing Officer
PURA Beverage Company
Steve Gaither is a CPG brand and growth executive currently serving as Chief Marketing Officer of Pura Beverage Company, a fast-growing better-for-you beverage brand that recently raised $15 million. He leads brand strategy, commercialization, and go-to-market execution across the U.S. market and is also a partner in Vosges Haut-Chocolat.
With more than 20 years of experience, Steve has built, scaled, and invested in consumer brands across food and beverage. He founded and successfully exited JB Chicago, a CPG-focused brand agency, to C.A. Fortune, where he remained on as Chief Marketing Officer, leading brand integration and corporate marketing. He is an active venture investor and advisor to early-stage food and beverage companies.
HELANA ROBBINS HUDDLESTON, CIRA
Partner, Transactional Advisory Services
Manufacturing and Distribution Industry - Co-Leader
Cohn Reznick
Helana Robbins Huddleston provides transaction and related advisory services to clients in a range of different industries. She has over 22 years of expertise in financial due diligence, restructuring, cash flow budgeting, financial auditing, internal control evaluation, and business process improvement.
KEVIN SLAUGHTER
Partner in and Leader of the Corporate Practice Group
Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC
Kevin Slaughter is a Partner and Leader of the Corporate Practice Group at Levenfeld Pearlstein, where he focuses on middle-market mergers and acquisitions with a particular emphasis on the food and beverage industry. Kevin advises buyers, sellers, founders, and investors on complex transactions across the manufacturing and service sides of the sector, and regularly serves as a strategic counselor on critical commercial arrangements, including manufacturing, co-packing, supply, and distribution agreements.
Known for his pragmatic and proactive approach, Kevin helps clients navigate high stakes deals with clarity and confidence. He is valued not only for his deep legal and business acumen, but for his ability to anticipate issues before they arise and translate complex legal concepts into practical, actionable guidance. Clients appreciate his steady hand, collaborative mindset, and ability to keep deals moving efficiently, even in the most intense negotiating environments.
More Speakers To Be Announced......
This event is in collaboration with:
