RKCA Investment Banking

Nexigen + Rove IQ: Building the Future of Connected Communities We’re excited to announce a new partnership between Nexigen (https://www.nexigen.com/) and Rove iQ (https://www.roveiq.com/), joining forces to deliver cutting-edge Smart City, Digital Kiosks, Digital Directories and IOT technologies to some of the most vital sectors of our lives. By combining Nexigen’s expertise in digital infrastructure with Rove IQ’s innovative and transformative hardware and software, this collaboration will create solutions that are intelligent, scalable, and human-centered. 🔹Smart cities – deploying interactive, data-driven infrastructure that enhances safety, accessibility, and citizen engagement. 🔹 Intelligent communities – driving digital transformation that empowers residents, visitors, and organizations with real-time insights and connected experiences. 🔹 Healthcare – enabling smarter environments that improve patient and visitor experience while streamlining provider efficiency. This partnership marks a leap forward in how technology integrates with daily life—bridging infrastructure, information, and people to shape the next era of innovation. 👉 Stay tuned as we roll out new projects, share success stories, and showcase how connected technology can unlock value for communities everywhere. #SmartCities #IoT #HealthcareInnovation #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfCommunities #Partnership Aron Godbey Peter (PJ) Thelen Russ Middleton Nick Duskey Chris Hensley James Downs Kevin Pressler

We are pleased to announce a successful transaction with investment in Mid-American Pools, a leading pool construction and service company, serving the greater Cincinnati region, Lexington, KY, and Louisville, KY. Mid-American was founded in 1985 by Tim Buechel and a partner. Michael Geers became a partner in 2014. Under Tim and Michael’s leadership, the company grew significantly and expanded geographically. Mid-American’s success is rooted in its emphasis on high quality, excellent service, a focus on customers, and reliability. Mid-American received investment from John Browner, a private investor based out of Cincinnati, OH. John is focused on investing in and growing service companies with a long-term mindset, strong community ties, and a proven track record of creating value. John has an appreciation for the hard work and many years it takes to build a business. Tim Buechel, Mid-American’s Founding Partner, said, “RKCA led an excellent process for finding a partner that was the best fit for us. The RKCA team provided detailed guidance and leadership throughout the process of finding a partner. Under their patience and perseverance, the process was a success. I highly recommend RKCA to anyone looking to sell, find partners or investors.”

We are pleased to announce a successful transaction with investment in Mid-American Pools, a leading pool construction and service company, serving the greater Cincinnati region, Lexington, KY, and Louisville, KY. Mid-American was founded in 1985 by Tim Buechel and a partner. Michael Geers became a partner in 2014. Under Tim and Michael’s leadership, the company grew significantly and expanded geographically. Mid-American’s success is rooted in its emphasis on high quality, excellent service, a focus on customers, and reliability. Mid-American received investment from John Browner, a private investor based out of Cincinnati, OH. John is focused on investing in and growing service companies with a long-term mindset, strong community ties, and a proven track record of creating value. John has an appreciation for the hard work and many years it takes to build a business. Tim Buechel, Mid-American’s Founding Partner, said, “RKCA led an excellent process for finding a partner that was the best fit for us. The RKCA team provided detailed guidance and leadership throughout the process of finding a partner. Under their patience and perseverance, the process was a success. I highly recommend RKCA to anyone looking to sell, find partners or investors.”

Thank you to ACG Cincinnati and FEI Cincinnati for hosting a sold-out discussion on the latest M&A trends in private equity. Managing Partner Mono Bhattacharya shared the stage with Cheryl Strom of The Riverside Company at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP. https://lnkd.in/dvaHHu9Q

At RKCA, we focus on privately held businesses in the lower middle market. We have the privilege of working alongside founder-led, owner-operated, and family-run businesses to help them realize their life’s work. What follows is RKCA’s perspective on the current market environment, what business owners considering a sale of their business in 2025 should expect, and key macroeconomic value drivers prepared by Mono Bhattacharya, Managing Partner at RKCA. //DISCLAIMER See the report for relevant disclaimers and details

We are pleased to announce the addition of Justin Heeren to the deal team. Justin joined RKCA in 2025 as a Senior Associate. Justin works within RKCA’s M&A advisory practice, where he is responsible for creating financial valuation models and analyses, conducting financial, industry, and buyer research, and assisting executives with strategic decisions.               Justin has M&A experience across a wide range of industry verticals, from industrial manufacturing and distribution businesses to high-growth software companies. Before joining RKCA, Justin worked in investment banking at Deloitte Corporate Finance and FMI Capital Advisors, executing middle-market buy-side and sell-side transactions and capital raises. He previously served as a nuclear launch officer in the United States Air Force. Justin holds an MBA in Corporate Finance from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, as well as a BBA in Business Management and a BA in Economics from the University of Wisconsin. //DISCLAIMER   The persons providing the testimonials on this website have experience in the services that RKCA, Inc. provided. Their respective experience with RKCA, Inc. may not be representative of all other Clients of RKCA, Inc. Testimonials are not paid for by RKCA, Inc. Testimonials do not constitute a guarantee of future performance or success related to any product, transaction or service.   This information should not be construed as a recommendation, offer to sell, or solicitation of an offer to buy a particular security or investment strategy. This material is for informational purposes only and should not be relied on for accounting, legal, or tax advice. Though the information is deemed reliable, there is no guarantee of accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose and there is no warrantee with regard to the results to be obtained from its use.     © Copyright RKCA. All rights reserved. RKCA, Inc. is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC. All securities transactions are conducted through RKCA, Inc. Non-securities engagements are conducted through RKCA Services, LLC. Investing involves the risk of loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results. RKCA Inc, 1077 Celestial Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, USA

Congratulations to Anthon Oestergaard for his promotion to Vice President!   Anthon joined RKCA in 2024 as a Senior Associate. Since then, he has proven to be an integral support to the Investment Banking team, earning a promotion to Vice President in early January 2025. Anthon works within RKCA’s M&A advisory practice where he executes transactions across a wide range of industries as well as mentoring and leading a team of analysts and associates. Anthon has prior M&A experience from both the sell-side and buy-side. He began his career working at financial institutions Goldman Sachs and Nordea in London and Copenhagen, where he worked on a diverse range of private equity and equity capital markets transactions. He later joined the investment company Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker in Copenhagen where he completed investments in private equity, venture capital and public equities. His industry exposure varied from high-growth software and e-commerce companies to more traditional manufacturing and service businesses. Anthon is a graduate of HEC Paris and holds an MSc in International Finance. Anthon also holds a BSc in International Business from Copenhagen Business School, which included a stint at the University of Southern California. In his leisure time, Anthon enjoys reading, hitting the slopes in Colorado, and making memories with his wife and one-year-old son. //Disclaimer This information should not be construed as a recommendation, offer to sell, or solicitation of an offer to buy a particular security or investment strategy. This material is for informational purposes only and should not be relied on for accounting, legal, or tax advice. Though the information is deemed reliable, there is no guarantee of accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose and there is no warrantee with regard to the results to be obtained from its use. © Copyright RKCA. All rights reserved. RKCA, Inc. is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC. All securities transactions are conducted through RKCA, Inc. Non-securities engagements are conducted through RKCA Services, LLC. Investing involves the risk of loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results. RKCA Inc, 1077 Celestial Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, USA

Congratulations to Anthon Oestergaard for his promotion to Vice President!   Anthon joined RKCA in 2024 as a Senior Associate. Since then, he has proven to be an integral support to the Investment Banking team, earning a promotion to Vice President in early January 2025. Anthon works within RKCA’s M&A advisory practice where he executes transactions across a wide range of industries as well as mentoring and leading a team of analysts and associates. Anthon has prior M&A experience from both the sell-side and buy-side. He began his career working at financial institutions Goldman Sachs and Nordea in London and Copenhagen, where he worked on a diverse range of private equity and equity capital markets transactions. He later joined the investment company Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker in Copenhagen where he completed investments in private equity, venture capital and public equities. His industry exposure varied from high-growth software and e-commerce companies to more traditional manufacturing and service businesses. Anthon is a graduate of HEC Paris and holds an MSc in International Finance. Anthon also holds a BSc in International Business from Copenhagen Business School, which included a stint at the University of Southern California. In his leisure time, Anthon enjoys reading, hitting the slopes in Colorado, and making memories with his wife and one-year-old son. //Disclaimer This information should not be construed as a recommendation, offer to sell, or solicitation of an offer to buy a particular security or investment strategy. This material is for informational purposes only and should not be relied on for accounting, legal, or tax advice. Though the information is deemed reliable, there is no guarantee of accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose and there is no warrantee with regard to the results to be obtained from its use. © Copyright RKCA. All rights reserved. RKCA, Inc. is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC. All securities transactions are conducted through RKCA, Inc. Non-securities engagements are conducted through RKCA Services, LLC. Investing involves the risk of loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results. RKCA Inc, 1077 Celestial Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, USA

At RKCA, our daily focus is on comprehensive value-building and transaction advisory for our business owner clients, with the tagline for each deal as ‘A life’s work, realized.’   2024 was our best year ever in that regard. We appreciate the ownership groups of 10 family-run, owner-operated, founder-led companies that trusted RKCA with their advisory needs.   We facilitated the sales of majority and minority stakes in businesses and raised both debt and equity capital across software, residential/commercial services, niche manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, energy, and spirits. At RKCA, we put business owner client’s goals first and work to deliver an outcome aligned with those goals. We doubled down on this approach in 2024 with the addition of Carter Gaither, heading our Build-to-Sale division. Carter and his team are working with business owners 2-7 years before a sale to help them optimize for a successful sell side process and transaction – and they will have all the benefits of our investment bank’s insights along the way in preparation for the sell side process. In 2024, the RKCA team continued its internal growth as well: The investment banking team added four deal professionals: Anthon Oestergaard, Eric Langen, Kingsley Ediae-Holly Jr., Colton T. Markland, with at least three additions joining in 2025. We announced well-deserved promotions of Eric Knight Hornung to Director and COO and Justin Hollon to Associate. The direct investments team bolstered its portfolio coverage with operations managers Brandon Witt and Alexander (Alex) Mumma. We can never thank the internal operations team enough for all that they do to keep RKCA rowing. Joyce Tabar celebrated 20 years at RKCA (and its predecessor), and Mandy Peck joined in early 2024. 2025 will mark ten years of partnership between Brent Rippe, Mono Bhattacharya, and Tom Compton. It feels like it was just yesterday that we set out on this journey together. Since our partnership began, we have completed well over a billion dollars of ‘A Life’s Work, Realized’ enterprise value for dozens of business owners. In our industry, our clients trust us with a life-changing transaction. Our core values remain consistent as we continue to serve the middle market, privately-held businesses with enterprise values of $10 - 250 million. It has been and continues to be challenging and deeply fulfilling work. Thank you to every business owner who has trusted us along the way and continues to advocate for RKCA.    We also appreciate all those who have made referrals over these ten years. We enjoy working hard for you, your clients, your friends, your family, or your colleagues.    Thank you! Your success is our success. 

Congratulations to Brandon Witt on his promotion to Director of Finance and Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)! Brandon began his career at RKCA in January 2024 as a consultant within Direct Investments. Following passing multiple FINRA exams, such as the Series 27, Brandon also took on the duties of the firm’s Financial Operations Principal (FINOP).  Brandon now works between the Operations team; and Direct Investments, where he serves as an operations manager within several portfolio companies. Before joining RKCA, Brandon spent time as a Director of Finance for a commercial real estate development firm, middle market commercial banking with Bank of America, and treasury and securities services with J.P. Morgan. He has served in the Army National Guard for nearly two decades and most recently as a Task Force Operations Officer in the Middle East. Brandon is a graduate of Miami University with an MBA in Finance and the University of Cincinnati with a BBA in Finance. Brandon is a combat veteran with multiple deployments, has been awarded the Bronze Star, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and is a graduate of the US Army Ranger School. //DISCLAIMER -- The persons providing the testimonials on this website have experience in the services that RKCA, Inc. provided. Their respective experience with RKCA, Inc. may not be representative of all other Clients of RKCA, Inc. Testimonials are not paid for by RKCA, Inc. Testimonials do not constitute a guarantee of future performance or success related to any product, transaction or service.   This information should not be construed as a recommendation, offer to sell, or solicitation of an offer to buy a particular security or investment strategy. This material is for informational purposes only and should not be relied on for accounting, legal, or tax advice. Though the information is deemed reliable, there is no guarantee of accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose and there is no warrantee with regard to the results to be obtained from its use.     © Copyright RKCA. All rights reserved. RKCA, Inc. is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC. All securities transactions are conducted through RKCA, Inc. Non-securities engagements are conducted through RKCA Services, LLC. Investing involves the risk of loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results.