succession_planning

Zurich – November 08, 2026 -- Lalique Group chairman and majority shareholder Silvio Denz, who recently turned 70, has begun succession planning for every business division, and says no decision has been made on investor approaches.

Denz rejects a French blog's speculation on the group's future

Lalique Group issued the statement after a speculative report in a French blog that it says contained several inaccurate claims. The company will give no further information beyond the statement for now.

Group receives regular investor inquiries and reviews them

The group regularly receives inquiries from investors and examines them carefully, according to Denz. His guiding principle is that each division's future and its employees' jobs must be secured long term and its heritage preserved. If a project becomes concrete for any division, employees and their representatives will be informed first.

Hamburg – November 07, 2026 -- Jörg Hieber, the 88-year-old EDEKA merchant whose 17-store group generates more than EUR 300 million in annual sales, received the 2026 Golden Sugar Loaf (Goldener Zuckerhut) in the "Personality" category at a ceremony in Berlin. EDEKA Honsel, a family-run retailer from Dorsten, won in the "Merchants" category.

The award has been presented since 1958 by trade publication Lebensmittel Zeitung and is regarded as the most important distinction in the German food industry.

Hieber group employs nearly 2,000 staff across 17 stores

EDEKA Hieber began in 1966 as a 60-square-meter grocery store in Höllstein, founded by Jörg and Anneliese Hieber. The company now operates 17 stores between Lörrach and Freiburg and employs nearly 2,000 people. It has collected around 50 industry awards, including seven "Supermarket of the Year" titles.

LOS ANGELES – November 06, 2026 -- Landscape industry veteran Richard Sperber has partnered with Austin, Texas-based American Operator to steer independent landscape businesses into succession deals that keep them locally owned and operated.

Sperber to advise on deal sourcing as consolidation reshapes landscaping

Sperber will advise on buying and selling landscape businesses, identify acquisition opportunities and connect interested parties with American Operator. He helped grow his family's company, ValleyCrest, founded by his father Burt Sperber, into one of the nation's largest landscape services companies.

The partnership gives owners another succession route as industry consolidation continues. Sperber said small local businesses are often the toughest competitors in any market, but "too many are disappearing."

Charlotte – November 06, 2026 -- Martin Landscaping, a Charlotte seeding and erosion control subcontractor founded in April 1980, has become 100% employee-owned through a sale to Hansen Family Office, after Viking Mergers & Acquisitions marketed the business to more than 200 prospective buyers. Deal terms were not disclosed.

Owners Lisa Markus and David Martin, siblings who bought the company from their parents in 2007, are stepping back from daily operational responsibilities. Both remain involved. Martin has worked in the business for 45 years and Markus for 35.

Viking's competitive process draws multiple offers from more than 200 prospective buyers

Haydn Flores, Michael Elliott and Franco Cacciuttolo of Viking M&A represented the owners. The owners compared bidders and ownership structures on financial outcomes, leadership continuity, employee interests and their desired roles after closing.

Tampa – November 04, 2026 -- Schryver & Co. served as exclusive M&A advisor on the sale of Bee & Jay Plumbing & Heating Corp., a Hudson Valley contractor founded in 1964, to New York entrepreneur Tom Kulesa. Terms were not disclosed.

Owner-operator buyer keeps Bee & Jay's name, team and local leadership

Kulesa, founder of Jadwin Capital, will lead the Mahopac, N.Y.-based company. The deal retains the Bee & Jay brand, workforce and local management. Jadwin Capital is the vehicle through which Kulesa acquires and operates family- and founder-owned businesses.

Co-owner Joe Scollan said Kulesa will bring additional financial and operational resources to accelerate growth. Kulesa said he plans to invest in people, tools and systems.

Plainview – November 03, 2026 -- ZBS Group LLP has acquired the tax and accounting practice of Joseph Rabinowitz, CPA, the fourth CPA practice succession in which Michael Zaidman, CPA and financial advisor, and his team have been selected as successor. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Rabinowitz stays on through the transition period

Rabinowitz will work alongside the ZBS team after closing to facilitate client introductions and maintain service continuity. He said identifying a successor who could preserve client relationships while adding resources was his central priority.

The practice serves individuals, families, and businesses. It will complement ZBS Group's existing tax and accounting capabilities, and its clients gain access to a larger team spanning tax, accounting, and financial and investment advisory services.

Bonn – November 03, 2026 -- Germany's planned "Gesellschaft mit gebundenem Vermögen" would lock company assets into the entity permanently and make that decision irreversible, according to a framework concept presented in March 2026. Succession adviser Thorsten Luber of Luber Consulting warns that the model could erode flexibility, innovation incentives and access to financing.

Framework concept bars profit distribution and share transfers

Under the federal government's draft, profits generally could not be distributed to members. Membership would be personal and, as a rule, neither freely transferable nor inheritable. A later lifting of the asset lock would be excluded.

Bonn – November 03, 2026 -- German audit and advisory firm dhpg has launched dhpg transaction, a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and succession advisory unit led by Dr. Andreas Mansch, through a cooperation agreement.

Mansch brings years of mid-market deal experience to dhpg

Mansch has advised mid-sized companies for many years on business sales, succession arrangements and strategic acquisitions. He also has management and consulting experience. dhpg says the cooperation strengthens its position in mid-market transactions.

dhpg transaction covers the full M&A process from investor search to integration

The unit will identify and approach suitable investors or target companies and manage sale and purchase processes. It will also support integration after a company handover.

COLUMBUS – November 02, 2026 -- Aflac Incorporated will promote deputy presidents Shinsuke Morimoto and Frederic J. Simard to lead Aflac Life Insurance Japan Ltd. (Aflac Japan) and Aflac U.S., respectively, effective January 1, 2027.

Morimoto takes over Aflac Japan and joins the holding company board

Morimoto will become President and Representative Director of Aflac Japan, responsible for overall business execution. He will also join the Aflac Holdings LLC Board of Managers, which oversees Aflac Japan as an insurance holding company licensed under Japanese law.

Aflac Incorporated President Virgil Miller said Morimoto has spent nearly four decades at the company, with leadership roles spanning Claims, Sales, Corporate Planning and Strategy. Miller credited him with developing Aflac Japan's mid-term strategy and transforming its marketing and sales organization and human capital management system.

Kingman – October 31, 2026 -- Assuming a company sale will fund retirement is the first and most critical planning mistake Arizona business owners make, according to Kingman financial expert Scott Preston, featured in a HelloNation article titled "Top 7 Retirement Planning Mistakes Business Owners Make in Arizona."

Sale proceeds depend on market conditions, buyer demand and seller health

Each of those factors can shift before a sale closes, and a plan built on a single transaction can fall short. The article recommends building personal savings early, separate from the business.

SEP IRAs and solo 401(k)s offer income outside the company

The feature points to SEP IRAs and solo 401(k)s as vehicles that let savings grow independently of company performance while carrying tax advantages.