Blue River

09/02/2026

Blue River Financial Group has advised APPLIED Adhesives, North America’s custom adhesives solutions provider and portfolio company of Bertram Capital, on the recent acquisition of Industrial Sales and Distribution, Inc. The acquisition expands APPLIED’s adhesives and silicones portfolio, customer base and East Coast presence. Read the full press release.

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08/31/2026

Software M&A stayed active in the second quarter of 2026. The number of software-as-a-service (SaaS) transactions moderated to 341 deals in Q2 2026, down from 378 in Q1 2026, but still comfortably above the 2022 to 2023 trough and in line with the elevated cadence of the past several quarters. Download our Software Q2 2026 Report to learn more.

This market update features insight from Kyle Rutz, Director & Software Industry Leader at Blue River.

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08/27/2026

Blue River Financial Group has advised Ohio Acquisition on its recent acquisition of S&P Alliance. The acquisition brings factory-certified repair, parts, and installation services for commercial kitchen and refrigeration equipment under new ownership committed to continuity and growth. Read the full press release.

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08/20/2026

The defining theme in industrial automation in Q2 was the transition of artificial intelligence from pilots to production on the plant floor. After several years of experimentation, industrial AI is beginning to run live in demanding environments, in predictive maintenance, AI-enabled machine vision and inspection, edge intelligence, and increasing degrees of autonomy in robotics and material handling.📊Download our Industrial Automation Q2 2026 Report to learn more.

💡This market update features insight from Rich Phillips, COO at Blue River.

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08/18/2026

Blue River Financial Group📢welcomed a new team member and announced multiple promotions in Q2 of 2026. 📌Michael Herrmann is now leading the buy-side division following his promotion to Managing Director & Buy-Side Practice Leader. Buy-side also promoted 📌Fideh Samaha to Director, Business Development. 📌Paige Mason is now Executive Assistant to Sara Clevenger, CEO and 📌Tina Waber is Executive Assistant to Rich Phillips, COO. The sell-side division promoted 📌Evan Haigh, CVA, CMAA to Managing Director, and the Corporate Marketing team welcomed 📌Krystal Parcher as Associate. These changes reflect Blue River’s continued growth and ongoing investment in the team supporting it.🤝

Read the full press release.

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08/04/2026

For the fifth year in a row, M&A Source awarded Blue River🔥Top Firm of the Year🔥in the 10+ person category for having one of the highest total purchase price of completed deals for the previous calendar year. The organization also awarded William Loftis with the esteemed💰Diamond Club💰membership, for surpassing $100 million in transaction volume in a single year.

📢 "We didn't set out to win Top Firm of the Year five years running; it just happens when the people you work with hold you to a higher bar. That's true of our team, and it's true of the clients who trusted us. This recognition belongs to both,” said Bryan Berent, Blue River Managing Partner & Founder.

📢 William Loftis, Blue River Managing Partner & Founder, said, “We strive every day to put clients first, earn trust, pursue excellence, continually deepen our expertise, and work together in the service of those we represent. We are sincerely grateful to M&A Source for this recognition.”

Read the full press release.

For the fifth year in a row, M&A Source awarded Blue River Top Firm of the Year in the 10+ person category.

07/20/2026

Welcome to the 📢 inaugural edition of the Blue River Brief — our monthly intelligence on middle-market M&A. This month, we examine Q2 private equity deal activity, the growing influence of AI on investment strategy, the shift toward heavy-asset industries, and the liquidity challenges shaping today's deal environment.

🔍 In this month's edition 🔍:

💡Q2 2026 private equity deal activity and transaction trends
💡Why AI is now a top macro consideration for investors
💡The continued movement toward "HALO" sectors (Heavy Assets, Low Obsolescence)
💡Liquidity challenges and exit dynamics impacting sponsors

Check out our June M&A Monthly Brief!

Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Blue River Brief — our monthly intelligence on middle-market M&A. Q2 2026 was, in PitchBook’s own words, “another false start” for private equity: while headline M&A value held up amid large corporate megamergers, US PE deal value collapsed 37.5% quart...

06/24/2026

Blue River Financial Group today📢announced that Sara Clevenger has been named Chief Executive Officer and Rich Phillips has been named Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Co-founders William Loftis and Bryan Berent have transitioned to non-operating roles on the firm’s board of directors. Read the full press release.

Founders William Loftis and Bryan Berent transition to the board of directors as the firm advances its decision-intelligence platform.

05/20/2026

If you are a business owner, advisor, or acquirer, join us💻on June 16th @ 12pm EST for a webinar that will provide a thoughtful, structured perspective on how outstanding outcomes are engineered—not improvised.

We will introduce💡The M&A Decision System - a disciplined, seven stage blueprint designed to help owners navigate complex markets intentionally rather than reactively.

Our panelists📢include William Loftis, Managing Partner & Founder, Bryan Berent, Managing Partner & Founder, and Sara Clevenger, Partner & Buy-side Practice Leader at Blue River.

Click to register today!

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05/13/2026

Blue River celebrated 🤝 three closed deals, 45 active engagements, and one new hire in Q1 of 2026‼️Our team is building, executing, and delivering for clients every day. Catch the full Q1 recap in our video roundup!