Meet the Nominees for Exit Planner of the Year

The Peter Christman Exit Planner of the Year is the highest honor offered in the exit planning industry. It is awarded to a CEPA who practices exit planning, manages exit planning engagements, or educates business owners and advisors. Named after EPI Co-Founder Peter Christman, who recognized that despite the successful sale of a business, owners often lacked the level of satisfaction that he aimed to bring them. As a result, Peter set out to create a holistic succession planning approach to change the lives of his clients. What he created was the exit planning profession. 

Meet the Nominees

AMY WIRTZ, The Family Business Consulting Group

Being recognized for her expertise in exit planning is not new to Amy. This is her second time being nominated for the Exit Planner of the Year Award. 

“It’s always such a gift and an honor just to be nominated,” she says. “I am in good company. Tim and Jesse have made great contributions to the industry, and I admire them.”

Amy has been part of EPI’s faculty since 2015. When she began, her largest class was nearly 50 people. Now, she teaches her teaming curriculum to about 300 at a time. Her teaching happens outside of the classroom as well. She mentors about 20-25 new CEPAs annually, encouraging each one to get involved in the online curriculum, chapter meetings, and networking.

“I tell CEPAs all the time, you get what you give—what you contribute to the EPI community will determine what you get out of it,” she says.

• Year achieved CEPA: 2014
• Summit excitement: “I always love connecting and learning from other CEPAs during the Summit—it is such a great group of people, all dedicated to their discipline and how it fits into exit planning.”
• There from the start: “When I first became involved with EPI, it was just Chris and Scott [Snider]. The first Summit was in Cleveland, and it was small. Now there is a whole team supporting CEPAs internationally, and the Summit is so much larger. It’s been fantastic to see firsthand.”
• Leading to teach: “At their core, a leader is a teacher. The best leaders share their knowledge with those around them, so they can grow people and help elevate the collective skill set.”
• From divorce mediator to exit planner: Amy’s background is in the collaborative law arena, where she previously worked with couples ending their marriages. That unique skill set caught the attention of Chris Snider, who could see how the combined communication-negotiation-collaboration skill set would be an asset to exit planners, particularly those working through challenging family dynamics, and he asked her to teach her collaborative team approach.
• Writing a new chapter: “I began teaching my collaborative team approach to the EPI community and decided to pursue the CEPA certification, so I could understand the process and who I was teaching too. It ended up that being a CEPA became my next chapter career-wise.”
• Demystifying the exit: “I love helping demystify the business transition, particularly for family businesses. Taking them through a structured process like the Value Acceleration Methodology makes it less scary and painful. I break down complex transitions in a more approachable way, so we can get to the endpoint they desire.”
• #1 skill set: “As an exit planner, the number 1 thing you must be good at is listening.  You have to be able to hear the pain points and the opportunities that owners are presenting—even if they don’t realize they’re presenting them.

TIM YOUNG, WealthPoint Business Advisory Services

Tim’s impact on the owners is priceless, according to his nominator. Over the past 17 years, Tim has led the development of a unique process, including game-changing decision-making modeling tools and an execution methodology to not only plan but execute strategies through to fruition.

“It is impossible to calculate the enormous impacts on owner groups and their families, employees and their families, vendors, clients, and the community not only from the continued success of the businesses but through their continued giving back to the communities they serve,” his nominator writes.

As a previous owner/operator himself, Tim understands what his clients are going through—and he wants to make sure they get it right and understand all their options, along with the pros and cons of each.

• Year achieved CEPA: 2008
• 19th hole revelations: After selling his company at age 49, Tim spent a lot of time on the golf course with retirees who were complaining about how the world had changed. Tim realized he still had quite of bit of life left and wanted to use it to make a difference. Thus, his second career was born.
• Mind your business: Tim got involved with a financial services firm initially, but was quickly disenchanted with how they overlooked the true success of owner/operators: “They didn’t deal with an owner’s largest asset: their business. By ignoring it, they were selling false promises.”
• Knowing your story: “We take owners through a process we call knowing your story—it provides clarity for their vision, helping us understand how they want things to look when it’s their time to go.”
• Three sides of a business: Tim helps owners evaluate their succession planning and exit options from three perspectives: 1) numerical (value of the company), 2) operational (people, processes, and best practices leveraged daily) and 3) relational (alignment or misalignment between stakeholders involved in succession plan).
• Exit plan in reverse: To develop a successful exit plan, Tim believes his clients must back into it, by first understanding all of their options and the upsides and risks associated with each. “There are many inter-related issues, and we help clients think through each and are transparent, so every stakeholder understands what’s in it for them and how each decision impacts them. By doing this, we help everyone align to the future.”
• It’s personal AND business: “Sometimes we have to help clients through difficult situations, especially when it comes to family businesses and needing to prune the family tree. We care about people and want to treat them right. We work to lend our clients the courage and process they need to do what’s right for the company in the long term.”

JESSE ABERCROMBIE, Edward Jones

Jesse has become well-known in the EPI community in recent years. He has a passion for this industry and those we serve—and his passion is contagious. Since joining EPI, he has grown his advisory practice, expanded the network of CEPAs at Edward Jones, and is a known thought leader in the exit planning space. And last year, Jesse was one of the nominees for the CEPA of the Year.

Jesse is a financial advisor and general partner with Edward Jones. He joined the firm in 2003 and today serves over 200 clients, providing wealth management solutions to business owners in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. 

Outside of work, Jesse serves on the advisory committee for The Dallas Foundation and the Communities Foundation of Texas. He has also served as a committee member for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

• Year achieved CEPA: 2017
• Testament to his track record: “When I first heard I had been nominated, I thought what a testament it was to doing what is most important for the clients and also pursuing a path I’m passionate about. The other nominees are very worthy, so it’s great to be recognized among them.”
• Start with the end in mind: “I work hard to help clients see the big picture and realize the enterprise value of their business. I start having those conversations very early on so what we’re building towards is always in front of us. I have one client getting ready to sell his business for $17M and I remember our first conversations and it’s so amazing to see that come full circle.”
• Favorite question for business owners: “I like to ask owners, ‘If the Wall Street Journal were to write about article about your industry, what would it say?’ This allows me to better understand what’s important to them in their industry as well as what concerns they have.”
• Summit excitement: Jesse’s a Summit regular and always looks forward to reconnecting with old friends and colleagues as well as meeting new people whom he can share ideas with and who may be good resources for his clients.
• It’s all about the why: “What I love most is helping a business owner realize their ‘why’ of starting the business. As their financial advisor, I can help them with an array of services, but their baby is their business. It was their original plan to achieve financial independence. Helping them realize this dream is why I'm so passionate about exit planning.”
• His vision for Edward Jones: “One day Edward Jones will have 2000 CEPAs. If the average CEPA helps their clients with 20 million in transactions our firm could be a part of 40 billion dollars' worth of transactions per year. This is what drives me to not only help my clients but also influence and inspire our firms' advisors and CEPAs that serve business owners.
• Sharing is caring: “I have thought leadership content through a coaching group that puts together very relevant information to share with business owners, CPAs, and attorneys. I also post timely information regarding exit planning on social media. I have made it a mission to educate the public so that when my services are needed, I’m one of the first people they think of.” 

Awarding Excellence in Exit Planning

Reflecting on the achievements of these three outstanding exit planners, it's evident they've significantly influenced the exit planning landscape. Their dedication to excellence and innovation has not only transformed their clients' lives but also inspired others in the field. As we prepare to honor their accomplishments at the upcoming Exit Planning Summit, we recognize their role in setting a standard for future advisors and driving the continued growth of exit planning.

Join us in celebrating their remarkable contributions at the 2024 Exit Planning Summit, where we'll acknowledge their impact on the industry and highlight the importance of excellence in exit planning.