Silvermark Partners Research
Advisory Approach
Silvermark Partners is a boutique investment banking firm founded in 2004 and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, with an office in Dallas. The firm operates with a thesis-driven approach to middle-market M&A advisory: they believe the best outcomes for business owners come from specialized industry expertise combined with institutional-quality transaction execution. Their founding partners averaged over 25 years of investment banking experience at firms like Jefferies and J.C. Bradford before establishing the firm, giving them the credibility to serve as trusted advisors to sophisticated business owners, boards, and management teams. Silvermark's sweet spot is founder-owned and family-owned companies in the $5M-$250M enterprise value range seeking to build or realize shareholder value through mergers, acquisitions, recapitalizations, and strategic transactions.
Sector Focus
Silvermark Partners maintains active M&A practices across healthcare services, healthcare technology, software and data platforms, business services, and distribution/manufacturing sectors. Within healthcare, they have particular depth in physician practice management groups, behavioral health platforms, medical staffing agencies, and healthcare IT solutions. Their technology practice focuses on B2B software platforms, SaaS applications, and tech-enabled services businesses. Their business services expertise spans staffing, HR technology, and professional services. The distribution practice includes HVAC/mechanical contractors, industrial distribution, and specialized logistics providers.
The firm's team composition reflects deep sector expertise: one partner leads the healthcare-focused practice with prior experience at Goldman Sachs healthcare investment banking, while another partner concentrates on technology transactions with background in tech-outsourcing advisory and deep relationships with technology-focused private equity firms. This sector specialization allows Silvermark to provide transaction advice grounded in industry-specific knowledge rather than generic banking templates.
Deal Track Record
Silvermark Partners has closed a diverse portfolio of transactions across its core sectors over the past 20+ years, with recent representative activity including:
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Hardenbergh Group: Exclusive sell-side advisor on $15M-$25M medical staffing recapitalization with BV Investment Partners (2023). Hardenbergh Group is a national provider of behavioral health and medical staffing services.
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Vizient Patient Safety Organization: Sell-side advisor on acquisition by Sentact (2025), combining patient safety and compliance expertise with healthcare analytics.
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ApolloLIMS: Exclusive sell-side advisor on carve-out and exit from larger healthcare IT platform to financial sponsor Lead Capital Partners (2022).
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ApartmentData.com: Sell-side advisor on acquisition by MRI Software (2022), a market research and data platform for multifamily real estate providers.
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myDigitalOffice: Financial advisor on $10M+ growth investment from Cove Hill Partners (2022), digital workplace collaboration software.
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Rouse Services: Exclusive sell-side advisor on acquisition by Ritchie Bros., global equipment auctioneering and data services company (2020). Transaction included earn-out structures and earn-back provisions valued around $40M+.
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RateGenius: Advisor on growth investment and recapitalization with Tritium Partners, auto lending technology platform (2022).
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Four Star Energy Services: Exclusive sell-side advisor on acquisition by Bow River Capital-owned Veregy, expanding national energy services platform (2020).
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Hammock Inc.: Financial advisor on founder management buyout transaction with private investors (2022).
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Temperature Control Systems: Financial advisor on sale to Kele, HVAC/mechanical distribution platform (2019).
Transactions represent a range of deal structures including strategic acquisitions, financial sponsor recapitalizations, management buyouts, and growth capital placements. Deal sizes range from $5M to $40M+ enterprise values, with multiple transactions valued above $20M. The firm has demonstrated capability advising both sell-side and buy-side parties, though the majority of transaction experience reflects sell-side representation of business owners.
Process & Fee Structure
Silvermark Partners positions itself as a process-oriented advisor. The firm provides comprehensive sell-side services including market preparation, buyer identification, teaser development, management presentation preparation, data room organization, and transaction management. Engagements typically require exclusivity and retainer fees are negotiated on a transaction-by-transaction basis, though the firm commonly structures arrangements with monthly retainers credited against success fees. The firm's transaction timeline averages 6-9 months from engagement through closing, reflecting a deliberate and thorough process.
Fee structure is negotiated but typically follows modified Lehman formulas on total enterprise value for sell-side representations. Minimum engagement sizes generally fall in the $5M-$10M TEV range to ensure the firm can dedicate sufficient resources.
Buyer Network
Silvermark maintains relationships with a broad network of strategic buyers, financial sponsors, and industry consolidators across its core sectors. The firm has demonstrated repeated placements with financial sponsors including BV Investment Partners, Tritium Partners, Lead Capital Partners, Bow River Capital, and Cove Hill Partners, indicating strong middle-market PE relationships. The healthcare practice has particular breadth, with demonstrated access to strategic buyers, PE firms, and consolidation platforms in physician services, staffing, and healthcare IT. Technology sector relationships span both strategic acquirers (MRI Software, Ritchie Bros.) and financial sponsors specializing in software and tech-enabled businesses. The distribution practice has access to consolidation platforms and strategic buyers in the logistics and mechanical services spaces.
Competitive Positioning
Silvermark differentiates in several ways:
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Founder-centric advisory: Firm partners collectively have closed 100+ transactions in LMM space, giving them deep credibility with sophisticated business owners
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Industry expertise: Rather than generalist bankers, each partner leads a sector practice with deep operational knowledge (e.g., healthcare partner previously with Goldman Sachs healthcare banking; technology partner with 15+ years tech-focused advisory)
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Relationship networks: Long tenure in middle market (founded 2004) combined with partner backgrounds at Jefferies and J.C. Bradford provides access to established buyer relationships
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Institutional process: The firm emphasizes disciplined transaction management, documentation, buyer qualification, and earnout structures rather than "speed to market"
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Geographic accessibility: Nashville headquarters provides advantage for Midwest and Southeast deals while Dallas office extends reach to Southwest; smaller firm size means partners stay involved in deals rather than delegation to junior bankers
Not a Fit If
Silvermark Partners typically declines or is less suited for:
- Businesses below $5M TEV (insufficient advisory scope)
- Companies requiring large-cap bank resources (Fortune 100 buyers, IPO processes)
- Pure financial engineering without operational story
- Sellers unwilling to commit to disciplined, 6-9 month process
- Situations requiring significant capital raising rather than business sale
Team
The firm is led by three partners with complementary expertise:
Will Fitzgibbon - Partner, CEO, Chief Compliance Officer. Nearly 30 years of investment banking experience across mergers and acquisitions, public and private equity transactions, and capital raising. Previously Managing Director at Jefferies (healthcare investment banking, 2000-2004) and Partner at J.C. Bradford (1990-2000). Board experience includes Omnia Partners (formerly Horizon Resource Group), Change Healthcare Corporation, and Trilliant Health. Education: Vanderbilt University (BS Mathematics, BA History). Focus areas: healthcare, business services, and technology.
Jack Harrington - Partner, President. Over 20 years in investment banking and principal investing. Extensive M&A experience, equity and debt raising transactions, and corporate governance experience as equity sponsor and board member. Prior roles include Partner and Managing Director at Brentwood Capital Advisors (2003-2012) and General Partner at Nelson Capital Corp (1994-2002). CFA designation (awarded 1998). Board experience includes Consumers Insurance Group, HealthStream, InfoPartners, and Performics. Education: Vanderbilt University (BA Mathematics) and Vanderbilt Owen MBA. Primary sectors: healthcare, business services, IT/software, and distribution.
Kirk Lundblade - Partner, General Securities Principal. Over 25 years as investment banker representing companies in M&A transactions, public and private capital formation, and financial advisory. Career includes roles at Dean Witter Reynolds, J.C. Bradford (technology focus), and Bear Stearns (2000-2005, Managing Director of Technology Investment Banking). Joined Silvermark 2006. Education: Southern Methodist University (BBA Finance) and Stanford GSB (MBA). Primary focus: technology and tech-outsourcing companies.
Additional team members include operations and compliance professionals. CRD registrations held by principals allow direct transaction management.
Geographic Coverage
Primary offices in Nashville, TN and Dallas, TX. FINRA registration in 20 US states and territories including Tennessee, Texas, California, New York, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia, indicating capability to serve national client base. Transaction experience reflects primarily US-focused practice with concentration in Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and California.
Regulatory Status
Silvermark Partners LLC is FINRA-registered broker-dealer (CRD #137898, SEC #8-67124) headquartered at 3100 West End Avenue, Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37203. Member of FINRA and SIPC. No public disclosure events or regulatory actions in recent history. Firm conducts investment banking (principal business) and brokerage operations under full regulatory oversight.