About Southern Mergers & Acquisitions

Over the past two decades, the principals of Southern Mergers and Acquisitions positioned themselves as the dominant brokerage firm in the Carolinas.  Southern Mergers’ team continued to grow and expand throughout the Southeast, incorporating business sales in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Mississippi, Florida and Georgia, and eventually establishing northern Florida as corporate headquarters. 

We continue to specialize in the sale of manufacturing, distribution and service related businesses.  The majority of our transactions fall within the $1 Million to $25 Million range, however, we broker all types of businesses priced both above and below these amounts.

Professional Experience

We are members of the IBBA (International Business Brokers Association) and The M&A Source, the largest mergers and acquisitions network in the world. Our sister company Sunbelt Business Brokers of Jacksonville/St. Augustine is part of The Sunbelt Network with hundreds of offices nationwide.  Southern Mergers’ managing partner, Bill Law, obtained the IBBA professional designation of Certified Business Intermediary in 1997.  He has been a licensed real estate broker and broker in charge for over two decades. 

Prior to becoming a full time business broker in 1992, Mr. Law was an accountant and auditor.  His wealth of knowledge in understanding tax issues, extraordinary people skills and general knack for deal creativity have helped hundreds of business owners transfer their business to purchasers while saving them millions of dollars in taxes.

Diversified Business Broker Experience

We have sold just about every kind of business imaginable.  Provided the company is not a start up entity, we assist all types of business owners in the sale process. Our vast experience includes our smallest transaction involving the resale of a franchise business to a first time buyer and our largest transaction, a $50,000,000 manufacturing company to a private equity group.  However, many of our business transactions are industrial related involving sales to corporate buyers that are often strategic in nature.  We encourage you to view some of the transactions our staff has been involved with over the years.  (click here for transaction experience).

Many of the businesses we have sold have never officially been on the market or seen on the internet, and occasionally, business owners have instructed Southern Mergers only to bring them specifically qualified buyers. 

Reputation for Win-Win Business Transactions

We understand selling or buying a business is often the largest financial decision many of our clients will ever make in their lifetime.  Choosing an experienced intermediary is an extremely important step.  Southern Mergers understands completely that the only deals that get done are those where both parties feel equitably compensated and those which culminate in a win-win situation. 

All parties must feel they were treated fairly, ethically and professionally.  Obviously, a Seller wants to obtain maximum value for his company.  Southern Mergers helps business owners obtain full value for their business and structure the deal with the most favorable tax friendly terms.

Southern Mergers begins this process by recasting the business owner’s statements and determining true cash flow or adjusted earnings.  We then assist the business owner in determining a fair market value, marketing the business confidentially and professionally, and carefully screening buyers in order to ultimately bring forth the right buyer for the business.  Usually, the owner of a business is interested in procuring a buyer who will not only pay a fair price, but will also take good care of his/her employees and continue to carry on the business in good standing.  For a successful sale to occur, the buyer and seller must personally like and trust one another.  Southern Mergers fully understands this and we strive to provide optimal service to both sellers and buyers while transacting each sale. 

Bill Law,
Managing Partner
Office) 904-819-6930 ext. 12  
Cell) 704-904-6624

Bill Law is a Certified Business Intermediary and a 1983 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.S. in Accounting.

During his accounting career, Bill worked for various manufacturing companies and financial institutions as an internal auditor, investment accountant, banking supervisor, real estate development controller and financial analyst. In 1992, he founded Sunbelt Business Brokers Charlotte office and has been Sunbelt’s longest standing franchisee. Bill sold his Charlotte, NC office and continued his relationship with the Sunbelt Network by purchasing the Jacksonville & St. Augustine franchise. This sister company handles the lower to mid market regional business transactions.

Bill is the managing partner of Southern Mergers & Acquisitions, Inc. Since joining the IBBA in 1996, he has served as a speaker / instructor at a number of the IBBA national training conferences.

Mr. Law focuses on mid-market transactions in various industries, but specializes in the sale of manufacturing businesses to corporate entities and financial buyers. Some of his transactions have exceeded $20 Million in sales price with some involving multiple sales of companies to buyers in a particular industry.

Bill spends much of his time working with manufacturing clients and buyers throughout the Southeast. He has extensive experience in working with CNC Machining, Tool & Die, and Metal Fabrication related companies.

Gilles Maillart.
Office) 904-819-6930
Cell ) 351-359-5442
gm@biz-sold.com

Gilles Maillart was born in Marseille, France. International sailing competition brought him to the U.S. to race for the “America’s Cup” in 1983. In 1987, he moved to Gainesville to start and run a manufacturing company. After organizing a four million dollar buy-out of a competitor in 1997, Gilles started a business brokerage practice in Gainesville, FL.

Gilles is now president of Florida Business Advisors in Gainesville. He is responsible for directing the company's activities in business sales and valuations. Since 1998, he has been involved in selling small to midsize businesses, including manufacturing, distribution, franchises and service companies. He provides many services including Mergers & Acquisitions, SBA Financing, Independent Valuations, Internet Marketing and Advertising, etc.

Bill Thompson
Office) 904-819-6930
Cell ) 351-359-1836
bt@biz-sold.com

Mr. Thompson has been a resident of Florida for the past 30 years and lives with his wife and two children in Gainesville, Florida.

Mr. Thompson has held executive positions in sales and marketing with IBM and ESE Consulting. In these capacities he has worked with major industry executives providing solutions to their business issues. Mr. Thompson has expertise in manufacturing, distribution, health care, retail, and the service industries.

For the past 15 years he has devoted his energies to solving the requirements of the business owner. “I provide qualified buyers for those owners looking for an exit strategy.” In this capacity, his knowledge of the Florida market place and industry expertise has proven to be an invaluable asset to both buyer and seller.