DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Exit Planning Institute® (EPI) has named Joan Ridley, president of Business Wealth Solutions, a 2013 recipient of an Excellence in Exit Planning Award. EPI, the premier international membership organization serving the educational and resource needs of the exit planning profession, presented the award to Ridley at its annual conference in Cleveland on September 18.
“I’m honored to be recognized by an association that I’m proud to be part of and to promote the profession that I love,” said Ridley. “My work gives me the opportunity to help business owners achieve their lifetime goals, regardless of how they exit their businesses.” Ridley has served on EPI’s board of governors since 2008 and founded the organization’s North Texas Chapter in 2013. She also leads EPI’s monthly webinar series. She added, “Midmarket businesses represent the backbone of our nation’s economy and it’s my privilege to foster business growth and profitability for this vital segment.”
“The Excellence in Exit Planning Awards recognize outstanding contributions to the exit planning profession,” said Christopher M. Snider, president of EPI. “Joan is a true pioneer in our field and continues to lead the charge in providing education and advocacy for exit planning advisors who grow the value and position their businesses to enable the efficient conversion of that ownership into personal financial freedom and peace of mind.” He continued, “Exit planning is not only a profession—it’s a movement—and Joan has been a thought leader on the forefront since the beginning.”
A survey released last month revealed that approximately three million business owners will be seeking to transition ownership in the next five years, representing a transfer of over $7 trillion of wealth. Conducted by EPI, Grant Thornton, PNC Bank, and the Ohio Employee Ownership Center at Kent State University, the survey was designed to assess and understand the “state of readiness” of owners to transition privately-held small and middle market businesses.
With more than 30 years of experience advising business owners and managing their business and non-business wealth, Ridley has been an active contributor to the growth and evolution of the exit planning profession. In 2007, she became one of the first professionals in the world to become certified as an Exit Professional. At Business Wealth Solutions, the firm she founded in 2003, Ridley works closely with business owners and leads the design and implementation of strategies to help them maximize their goals, both before and after they leave the business. She is a frequent speaker and writer on the topics of corporate value enhancement and the business exit planning process.
Before establishing Business Wealth Solutions, Ridley was associated with a Dallas-based mergers and acquisitions firm. Prior to that, she grew and sold two of her own companies. One was acquired by American Express IDS and the other by a member of the Premier Client Division of Financial Network Investment Corporation (now ING). She is a Certified Business Intermediary, Certified Exit Planning Advisor, and Certified Financial Planner™.
About Business Wealth Solutions
Business Wealth Solutions helps entrepreneurs grow and harvest wealth by maximizing the value of a business and creating a sound strategy for transition, whether it’s one year or one decade away. Joan Ridley and her team help business owners reach their goals, both before and after they leave the business. The firm advises clients in industries including manufacturing, wholesale distribution, business to business services, technology, financial services, and transportation. Learn more at www.businesswealthsolutions.net.
About the Exit Planning Institute
The Exit Planning Institute® (EPI) is the premier international membership organization serving the educational and resource needs of exit planning professionals. Formed in 2005 to bring together business brokers, M&A advisors, CPAs, financial advisors, attorneys, management consultants and other business advisors, the Exit Planning Institute’s members, including some of the most highly recognized leaders in the industry, draw upon their combined expertise to better serve the needs of small and mid-sized business owners worldwide. The common thread uniting these different professionals is their commitment to helping clients exit their companies successfully. Learn more at www.exit-planning-institute.org.