Meet Our Team

Rick brings over 40 years of experience running businesses across more than 16 industries. He's co-author of The Business Sale… An Owner's Most Perilous Expedition and creator of the seminar series The Magic of M&A Math, sharing his expertise with business owners worldwide. His hands-on experience shaped the systems and processes that make Optimum Transitions unique.

I've seen too many deals fall apart because someone tried to force a square peg into a round hole. Every business owner's situation is different—their family dynamics, their financial goals, their timeline. My job isn't to sell them a standard package; it's to understand what success looks like for them personally, then build the right strategy to get there.

Rick's career spans entrepreneurship, strategic advisory, and business ownership. He has guided mid-sized business owners through mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, strategic alliances, funding, and growth strategies. Beyond Optimum Transitions, he co-founded Investment Bankers International, a global network of middle-market intermediaries, and co-founded Elvarity, which helps teams improve communication and performance. He also owns several businesses, including Blast It Clean, a high-tech cleaning and restoration company, and previously led Vercor Ltd., a company focused on helping owners reach their business goals.

Rick is known for integrating financial, operational, and personal considerations into every transaction. He thrives on solving complex challenges, helping business owners achieve their dreams, and ensuring that every transition is smooth, strategic, and successful.

Drew's journey to business transitions started with an Engineering degree and evolved through a career in technical sales, where he discovered his knack for solving problems in creative ways. While pursuing his MBA, he was promoted to Sales and Marketing Manager, but the entrepreneurial itch proved too strong to ignore. In 2014, after years of searching for the perfect opportunity, Drew purchased an acoustical consulting firm in the Architecture and Engineering space. He grew the business successfully and sold it in 2020, helping a husband-and-wife team achieve their ownership dreams.

Since joining Optimum Transitions in 2021, Drew has guided owners through mergers, acquisitions, sales, succession planning, leadership changes, growth initiatives, and other complex transitions. He works across industries including manufacturing, distribution, B2B/B2C services, professional services, and ESOP-owned businesses—offering trusted guidance through the challenges unique to each sector.

When I was preparing to sell my business, I didn't know what I didn't know. I worried about some of the wrong things and completely ignored some things I should've focused on. Having been there myself, I understand the emotional journey that comes with such a huge transition. The experience helps me guide other owners through the process with confidence, perspective, and empathy.

Beyond M&A work, Drew is a lifelong learner, avid investor, and active community member. He serves on boards and committees for the Louisburg Library, Miami County Economic Development, Louisburg Freedom Fest, and his childhood church's Investment Committee. When not working, he enjoys cheering on his kids at softball or track, spending time on the boat with family and friends, and volunteering locally.

Drew thrives on connecting with others to share experiences and ideas—whether it's business strategy, personal growth, or navigating life's bigger decisions. Fair warning: conversations with Drew have a tendency to stretch well into the night when the topics get interesting!

When most business transition advisors see numbers, Sarah sees the complete story—combining financial expertise with strategic marketing insight to give clients advantages their competitors simply can't match. As a Business Transitions Advisor at Optimum Transitions, Sarah guides owners and leadership teams through complex transitions, mergers, acquisitions, and growth strategies. Her dual background in financial analysis and marketing strategy creates distinct value—whether clients are building for sale, identifying acquisition target, or positioning their business to shine in the marketplace.

"The best transitions happen when owners have clear intelligence and rock-solid financials. I bring both to the table. Whether we're structuring an ESOP, evaluating acquisition opportunities, or preparing your business for sale, I help you see the full picture—not just the numbers, but how the market will respond."

Sarah's background combines analytical rigor with marketing strategy—a dual skillset rarely found among business transition advisors. This allows her to identify prime acquisition targets by analyzing both financial metrics and market positioning, position businesses for maximum sale value through strategic market analysis, and structure deals by understanding both financial mechanics and market dynamics. Before joining Optimum Transitions, she partnered with small business owners at Turnkey Marketing, blending strategic advisory and financial analysis with growth marketing. Previously, she managed communications for a 10,000+ member community, executing multi-channel campaigns while overseeing operational systems.

At Optimum Transitions, Sarah leverages her unique background to advise clients on ESOPs, succession planning, exit strategies, financial structuring, and valuations while supporting M&A and growth initiatives. Her approach balances analytical precision with marketing insight and genuine empathy, making complex business decisions both clearer and more strategically sound. 

Outside of work, you'll find her cheering loudly at her kids' games, rollerblading through the neighborhood, painting canvases that may or may not resemble what she intended, diving into a good book, or tackling ridiculously ambitious DIY home projects that test both her patience and YouTube's tutorial library.

Mary Ann is an accomplished business professional with experience in sales operations, marketing research, and strategic management across technology, finance, and M&A sectors. With a proven track record in optimizing processes and driving financial success, she supports organizations through complex transitions and provides essential operational backbone to the Optimum Transitions team.

I love being the one who connects all the dots. Whether I'm researching potential buyers, analyzing market trends, or organizing due diligence materials, I get energized by turning complex information into clear insights. My job is to make sure our team has everything they need to help clients make the best possible decisions for their future.

Mary Ann's career spans major technology and finance companies where she's consistently delivered measurable results. At McAfee, as a Senior Sales Operations Analyst, she streamlined revenue processes, reducing Accounts Receivables by approximately $4 million. At Hewlett Packard Enterprise, she played a key role during the company's historic split, managing budgets and negotiating new vendor contracts during one of the largest corporate transitions in tech history. As Director of Research at a Dallas M&A firm, she successfully helped match buyers and sellers through her extensive methodology and proprietary resources.

Her analytical skills and process optimization expertise make her invaluable in supporting client engagements, market research, and transaction coordination. Mary Ann brings both the technical acumen and attention to detail that complex business transitions demand.

Mary Ann holds an MBA from Northwest Missouri State University and dual Bachelor's degrees in Business Administration and Computer Science from William Jewell College. When she's not at work, Mary Ann enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, hiking, and reading non-fiction history. She also loves caring for their menagerie of dogs, cats, and chickens!