Cornerstone Business Services, a lower middle market investment banking firm, will host the State of M&A Conference 2026 on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at the Oneida Hotel & Conference Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

State of M&A is northeast Wisconsin’s premier annual conference focused on mergers and acquisitions. Now in its eighth year, the conference is built for business owners, CEOs, and deal professionals who want a realistic view of the M&A market and guidance they can act on. Attendees include business owners, private equity professionals, lenders, CPAs, attorneys, financial advisors, and business consultants who work closely with owners on growth, acquisition, and exit planning.

“Owners hear a lot of opinions about the market, but they rarely get the full picture in one place. The State of M&A is designed to bring real-world perspective from people who are in transactions every day, so owners and advisors can make decisions with better information and finish strong with fewer surprises.”— Scott Bushkie, Managing Partner

The conference is a full-day event with registration and networking beginning at 8:00 am and sessions running from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The $110 registration fee includes a light breakfast, lunch, and a cocktail hour networking reception.

Register Here

If you’re planning to grow, acquire, or eventually sell a business, this conference is built to give you clarity and practical insight, not just theory.

Attendees can expect to leave with:

• A clear view of current M&A and economic conditions
• Insight into what buyers and lenders are prioritizing right now
• Practical ways to strengthen value before a transaction
• Lessons learned from recent lower middle market deals
• Connections with professionals who are active in transactions today

Keynote presentations will cover both value and the economic landscape, including:

• Value Acceleration: Aligning Business, Personal and Financial Goals for Maximum Value, presented by Scott Snider, President of the Exit Planning Institute
• 2026 Economic Outlook, presented by Corey Schroer, CFA, Goldman Sachs

The day also features multiple breakout sessions, along with the crowd favorite Lower Middle Market Shark Tank. The Shark Tank is a private equity panel where four firms evaluate a hypothetical target company and submit confidential bids in real time. Each firm then presents its offer, giving attendees a real-world look at competitive valuation, key value drivers, and how deal structure comes together in the lower middle market.

About Cornerstone Business Services

Founded in 2001, Cornerstone Business Services is an investment bank serving the lower middle market and specializing in transactions for businesses with annual revenue of $5 million to $250 million. Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the firm advises business owners throughout North America on sell-side transactions, acquisitions, and valuation services, including its Real Market Analysis (RMA).

Cornerstone’s Assurance 360™ process is designed to create multiple qualified offers and improve deal certainty. Over the past five years, the firm has maintained an average closing ratio of about 85%. Cornerstone also publishes original research on business owner readiness and exits, including the 2025 National Study on Selling Your Business. Cornerstone’s mission is to create a positive life-changing event for all the lives they touch.