Merit Harbor Group Appoints New Managing Director to Southwest Office

LAS VEGAS - March 13, 2015 - PRLog -- Merit Harbor Group, a  boutique M&A, Investment Banking, and Advisory Firm dedicated to helping CEO’s and Entrepreneurs create, grow, optimize and capture enterprise value, today announced the opening of their new Southwest office under the leadership of Managing Director, John Illes.  The Southwest office will be based in Las Vegas, NV and will focus on serving clients in; California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.

“Expansion of our advisory and investment banking practices has been a goal of Merit Harbor since inception,” commented Merit Harbor’s CEO Craig Dickens. In addition to our Seattle and Portland Offices we have had designs on growing our west coast presence. Having known John for several years and the level of professionalism and service he brings clients, John was a natural fit to lead our southwest region and bring the kind of high touch service of a boutique M&A firm with the big firm out away power our clients have come to expect.  We are excited to welcome John and support his adding advisors and bankers to the Merit Harbor Group team in the Southwest.”

Mr. Illes joins Merit Harbor Group after running his own firm, BergSpyder LLC, which provided management consulting, and investment banking  services to lower middle market companies.  Mr. Illes looks forward to focusing on helping his clients identify key value drivers that enhance their market positions and leave a lasting legacy

Mr. Illes has led a range of sell-side M&A engagements with companies from business services to manufacturing, fromsiimple to highly complex transaction structures. Industry specializations include Consumer Goods, Retail, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and Energy.

Prior to working in mergers and acquisitions, Mr. Illes held senior executive positions in the United States and Europe with investor-owned companies of all sizes.  His past leadership experience provides a comprehensive understanding of how middle market businesses create value.  Mr. Illes offers clients a unique and pragmatic perspective to the M&A process which enables him to build a bridge between successful owner-operated businesses and institutional and Private Equity  investors.

Mr. Illes earned his MBA from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University and a BS degree in Public Affairs from Indiana University.  Mr. Illes is a Six Sigma Green Belt and is a Certified Merger and Acquisition Advisor with Series 24, 62, 63 and 79 licenses.  He is a member of the Alliance of Merger and Acquisition Advisors and the Steering Committee of the Southern Nevada Chapter of the Exit Planning Institute.

Mr. Illes is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and has lived in Dallas, Texas; New York, New York, Richmond, Virginia; and Morristown, NJ.  He currently lives in Henderson, NV with his wife and two Labrador retriever dogs.

About Merit Harbor Group
Merit Harbor Group is a boutique M&A, Investment Banking and Advisory firm dedicated to helping CEO’s and Entrepreneurs create, optimize and capture their enterprise value. With offices in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Boston, Merit Harbor Group professionals work closely with clients to raise growth capital or prepare for a M&A event.  The Company concentrates on helping lower middle market companies from $10mm – $200mm in sales.  More information can be found at http://www.meritharborgroup.com/ (http://www.meritharborgroup.com/#_blank)