Costa Mesa, Calif. - March 27, 2006, Aerospace and defense expert Hector J. Cuellar was among the guest speakers at the 6th Annual Defense & Aerospace and Federal IT Investor & Corporate Development Conference.
The conference was held March 7-8 at the Reston Hyatt, in Reston, Va.
Cuellar, president of RSM EquiCo Capital Markets, the broker-dealer subsidiary of global investment bank RSM EquiCo, presented an M&A case study examining issues facing aerospace players operating at the mid-tier level.
The conference, which was attended by industry executives, government officials, consultants, and professionals from the finance and legal fields, explored forces shaping today's industry, including 9-11 and the ongoing war in Iraq, as well as how defense contractors, customers, suppliers and investors both perceive and materialize value in the changing marketplace.
The event also featured presentations from top industry leaders including:
- Robert Nelson, vice president of business strategy for Northrop Grumman Corporation, a global defense company;
- Pierre A. Chao, senior fellow for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a bipartisan, not-for-profit organization that provides strategic insights and practical policy solutions to decision makers committed to advancing global security and prosperity;
- Byron Callan, defense analyst for Prudential Equity Group, one of the larges insurance companies in the United States;
- Lucy Reilly Fitch, senior vice president of corporate development and strategy for BAE Systems North America, the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international company engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced defense and aerospace systems in air, on land, at sea and in space; and
- Former Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman, chairman and founding partner of J.F. Lehman & Company, which invests in lower middle-market companies in the defense, aerospace and maritime industries as well as the technologies that originate from them.
The two-day conference included discussions on topics ranging from opinions from the Pentagon and Wall Street to convergence in the federal markets and forecasting the defense budget.
Cuellar, who also co-chairs RSM EquiCo's Aerospace and Defense (A&D) practice, said that while the war on terrorism has a definite effect of the industry, many variables are shaping the sector today -- including mergers and acquisitions. "In addition to the increasing influence of private equity and financial buyers in the market, industry players should also be aware of how mid-tier consolidators, current market valuations and perceived and existent challenges affect the industry," said Cuellar.
Over the past two years, RSM EquiCo has significantly developed its aerospace/defense and government services practice, negotiating deals on behalf of both buy- and sell-side clients. The firm's A&D experts have extensive experience advising prominent corporations such as Boeing, General Dynamics, Goodrich, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Hampson PLC.
Materials from RSM EquiCo's November Aerospace & Defense symposium are available on the firm's Web site.
About RSM EquiCo Inc.
RSM EquiCo (www.rsmequico.com) is a global provider of investment banking services to private companies with annual revenues of up to $500 million. The firm brings together companies, capital and creativity on a national and international scale to help clients achieve their personal and strategic objectives.
RSM EquiCo is part of RSM McGladrey Inc., one of the nation's largest providers of business and tax consulting, wealth management, retirement resources and payroll services to midsized companies. RSM McGladrey Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of H&R Block, a diversified financial services company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
RSM EquiCo is licensed by the SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission) and all state securities authorities, and is a member of the NASD (National Association of Securities Dealers) and SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation).
RSM EquiCo's international headquarters are located in Costa Mesa, California. It also has offices in Chicago, Boston, New York, London and Coral Springs, Fla.
CONTACT:
RSM EquiCo Inc.
Todd Cooley, Director of Communications
714.327.8865
tcooley@rsmequico.com