Blackhawks Land Third Overall Pick in 2019 NHL Draft

An alumnus of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, Matthew Brunstrum leverages nearly five years of financial services experience in his role as a mergers and acquisitions advisor with Sun Acquisitions. Beyond his professional pursuits, Matthew Brunstrum is a passionate sports fan who counts the Chicago Blackhawks as his favorite National Hockey League (NHL) team.

Expected to select 12th overall in the upcoming 2019 NHL Draft, the Blackhawks scord a major victory in the NHL draft lottery, which took place on April 9. Chicago had only an 8.3 percent chance of moving into the top three selections of the draft, but that’s exactly what happened. The New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers also moved up from their respective positions into the top three. Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman called the news “a game changer” for the franchise.

Chicago picked eighth overall in last year’s draft and selected Swedish defenseman Adam Boqvist. The last time it picked as high as third overall was in 2007, when it held the first overall pick and selected right winger Patrick Kane of the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights. Chicago selected Jonathan Toews third overall the year prior.

The top two picks in this year’s draft are expected to be Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko. Vasili Podkolzin, a winger from Russia, is a strong candidate for the third overall pick. Other options for the Blackhawks include defenseman Bowen Byram, center Dylan Cozens, and center Alex Turcotte.

Adopting a Pet Through PAWS Chicago

PAWS Chicago
Image: pawschicago.org

Holding a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, Matthew Brunstrum has served as a mergers and acquisitions advisor at Sun Acquisitions in Chicago, Illinois, since 2017. Outside of his work, Matthew Brunstrum is involved in the local community through work with organizations such as PAWS Chicago–a nonprofit dedicated to animal welfare throughout the Chicagoland area.

Adoption is a wonderful opportunity to provide a warm, nurturing home life to ownerless pets housed in animal shelters. That said, adoption is also a serious commitment and PAWS Chicago has a screening process in place to ensure that pet adopted through the agency are placed with responsible owners capable of caring for them. Firstly, those looking to adopt must be at least 21 years old and able to provide a government-issued photo identification card proving their age.

Generally, new owners are also responsible for getting their new pet spayed/neutered for population control purposes. This requirement can be waved in some cases, however, based on individual circumstances. New adopters are also required to spend at least an hour with an adoption counselor, introduce the pet to all family members/pets currently residing in the home, and provide confirmation that they can legally house the pet in their home (if they don’t own their own home). To learn more adopting a pet from PAWS Chicago, visit pawschicago.com.

Buying a Company with Existing Employees

Matthew Brunstrum is an M&A advisor for Sun Acquisitions in Chicago. In this position, Matthew Brunstrum handles diverse listings, including offers that include real estate and existing employees. 

Some buyers may prefer that a company comes with essential employees already in place. However, this brings extra considerations to the sales process. Here are a few strategies for acquiring a company with existing employees:

– Meet with key employees. Essential employees usually have the knowledge or hold a credential that is required to run the company. Buyers must interview these employees as part of their due diligence to ensure that the company is viable and compliant with regulations. This usually takes place late in the negotiation process.

– Consider an agreement. Buyers have the option to propose contracts that obligate employees to work for the new company. Some experts advise buyers to empirically analyze the contributions of key employees before they offer these agreements.

– Implement a retention program. A transition can be a difficult time for existing employees. If not managed properly, the change can trigger an exodus of skilled workers. Buyers can create a retention program with incentives, such as money and benefits, that encourage employees to stick with the new company.