Emerging & Exit Planner / M&A Representative  “When you work with Enterprise Transitions you won’t have to go shopping for resources when you’re in the heat of battle. Whether you need an advisor to assist you with a growth strategy or designing and/or facilitating the exit from your business, the Enterprise Transitions group is well suited to be your advocate.”   Holly Magister, CPA, CFP® believes that there is strength in collaboration. Just as a rope is exponentially stronger than any of the single fibers that comprise it, so the individual members of Enterprise Transitions band together to offer today’s business the strength and resilience of many resources combined.   Holly founded Enterprise Transitions after 25 years of practice as a CPA and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.  As she participated in the numerous transactions during those years, she saw how the disparate interests involved could get in the way of serving the client’s needs. “The fragmentation of figures with opposing financial objectives could prevent good deals from closing. I said to myself, ‘There’s got to be a better way.’ And Enterprise Transitions was born.   With her talents as a mediator and well-honed consensus-building skills, Holly is proud of the team she has assembled. “I believe in giving first and not keeping score.” Instead of operating primarily for their individual interests, the members of Enterprise Transitions can “give first” by keeping their client’s needs at center stage. Under Holly’s leadership, these professionals work in tandem to be a client’s advocate, available to assist in every aspect of a business transition.   Inspired by ingrained values of integrity, the importance of team building, and good old common sense, Holly has succeeded in building Enterprise Transitions into a group that constantly looks to the future. “We’re not reactive—we’re proactive,” creating a proven process of strategically placing businesses in the most beneficial position to meet tomorrow and to succeed over the years to come. And, after 25 years of relationship building (combined with the hundreds of years worth of contacts her colleagues offer), Holly and Enterprise Transitions have the outreach necessary to get things done fast. With Enterprise Transitions, you’ll find the comprehensive help you need to successfully define your goals and complete your transaction.

Business, Estate and Transaction Attorney “With Enterprise Transitions, I can bring to the table an all-star in any field imaginable.”   Mike Silverman loves the synergy he finds at Enterprise Transitions. As a creative and “very aggressive” business attorney, Mike thrives within the flexibility Enterprise Transitions offers to attack client’s challenges from every angle. “It’s very exciting to be on a team that has the resources to really drill down  and get things done effectively and efficiently.  It is also very satisfying to assist clients to identify, develop and exploit the many valuable assets associated with their businesses.”   Mike has a wealth of experience in business and tax law. He advises clients regarding entity formation and capitalization and in negotiating, structuring and documenting mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. He also provides expert general business and tax advice to individual and institutional investors and start-up businesses, and represents clients in federal, state and local tax audits. He currently serves as Chair of the Tax Group of the law firm of Cohen & Grigsby, P.C. .    Mike was admitted to practice in Pennsylvania in 1989, the United States Tax Court in 1990, in the District of Columbia in 1991, and before the United States Tax Court in 1990. He earned his LL.M. (Masters of Law) in Taxation from the New York University School of Law in 1990 and J.D. (Order of the Coif, magna cum laude, Law Review, Robert M. DeBroff Award) from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1989.   But it’s not only Mike’s professional bona fides that make him essential to the Enterprise Transitions team. He understands that the energy, creativity and flexibility the group has cultivated enable Enterprise Transitions to provide unique and powerful advocacy for individual and business clients. “With Enterprise Transitions, I’m not a slave to old or ill-fitting procedures. We create and implement very innovative and comprehensive solutions, and our cutting edge structures and techniques enable us to help clients to consistently hit the ball out of the park.”   Mike has contributed to the Enterprise Transitions ethos of providing significant value to their clients by working within stringent ethical guidelines. “We’re not driven by self-interest and instead we focus on doing what will truly help the client. And a big part of the payoff is definitely the vicarious thrill I get out of seeing my clients succeed.”

Business Attorney, Director of International Business Group “Enterprise Transitions is essential to the local area as it allows middle-sized companies get the services and assistance they need to blossom in this economy. Our client base is very appreciative.”   An upbeat woman who is passionate about her work and cares about advancing her clients, Susanne Cook is a new member of Enterprise Transitions. Her expertise in international business law allows her to bring a different flavor to the work in which Enterprise Transitions excels. Specifically, she serves international businesses that are coming into the U.S. as well as those looking to depart abroad. She assists in sorting out all the legal issues they face, getting them on the right track to allow them to do what they do best—conduct business.   With her B.S. as well as J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, Susanne enjoys staying close to her roots as she frequently participates in public speaking opportunities and seminars in academic settings, such as the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and the Center for International Legal Education, as well as before trade and other commercial audiences.   A partner at Cohen & Grigsby, Susanne has been named one of the Best Lawyers of America from 2003 through 2009.  One may say that she won this honor because of her strong dedication, loyalty and integrity with her clients. “I do what is ultimately best for the client. At times they get upset with my recommendations, but eventually they understand that I’m looking out for their best interests, and they thank me for doing so.”   When not acting as her firm’s International Business Chair, she finds time to participate in several local professional organizations in addition to Enterprise Transitions. Susanne serves on the Board of the Western Pennsylvania District Export Council, the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law Center for International Legal Education. She is also a technical advisor to the Regional Export Assistance Network of the Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission.

CPA, MBA, Partner “Enterprise Transitions brings a level of sophistication down to the middle market when usually it is only available to those in the upper echelons. For a reasonable investment, we give them the expertise they need to ascend.”   Prior to becoming a partner at Grossman, Yanak, & Ford, LLP, Jeff Ford earned a B.S. in Accounting from Duquesne University and a finance-concentrated MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. Professionally, he helps provide accounting, auditing and consulting services to privately-held companies and not-for-profit organizations. In addition to the work he does with his own firm, he also writes and conducts classes regarding LIFO inventories, business acquisitions and the impact of information technology on accounting controls and audit risks. In October 2007, Jeff joined Enterprise Transitions as the go-to man for accounting and finance, helping clients obtain a better purchase or sales price for their business.   Jeff is an innovative and clear-sighted problem solver—someone who can break down complex obstacles into their more-manageable components, enabling clients to more easily achieve their goals. He very much enjoys the opportunities Enterprise Transitions provides to interact with people who are masters in their field, reveling in the challenge of tackling the complex issues unique to that level of achievement. Being a man of money and numbers, Jeff stresses the unique work Enterprise Transitions does with clients in assisting them in a cost-effective, valuable, and resourceful way. “If it weren’t for Enterprise Transitions, many of these companies would not be able to afford the level of assistance we provide.”   When not working at Grossman, Yanak, & Ford, LLP or lending his services to Enterprise Transitions, Jeff serves as an officer of the Boards of Directors of two local tax-exempt organizations and serves on the Executive Committee of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.