Winners of 2018 M&A Mid-Market Awards will be announced in late March

Mergers & Acquisitions will announce in late March the winners of the 12^th Annual M&A Mid-Market Awards, which will honor leading dealmakers and deals that set the standard for transactions in the middle market in 2018. The deadline was Feb. 8. Below, you'll find information about the awards and the nomination process. What we look for: To determine the winners, Mergers & Acquisitions considers a variety of factors. We look for companies and individuals who overcame the challenges the year brought, embodied the trends of the period and took their businesses to the next level. Market leadership and performance are important, but league tables aren’t everything. Growth counts for a lot, especially when the rate of growth outpaces peers and the overall industry. Innovation also counts. We value companies that businesses. Thought leadership in the industry is also relevant. Looking at past winners provides a good guide to what we’re seeking. Last year’s winners included Campbell Soup, Huron Capital, Idera, LLR Partners, McGuireWoods, Stryker, Twin Brook and William Blair. Click here for full coverage of last year’s winners. Eligibility: To be eligible for our awards, deals must meet the following criteria: be valued at or below $1 billion and have been completed (not just announced) by Dec. 31 of 2018. The nomination process: Nominations are helpful but not required. The deadline for nominations is end of day Friday, February 8, 2019. There is no fee, and there is no limit on the number of nominations, or award categories, submitted by a firm. Please provide only information that we may publish. We do not accept anonymous nominations or confidential information for this project. All decisions are made by the editorial team, led by editor-in-chief Mary Kathleen Flynn. She can be reached at [email protected] . Awards: We bestow M&A Mid-Market Awards in the following eight categories: Deal of the Year recognizes a transformative transaction that made a significant impact on the buyer’s strategy, or sector, or overall M&A. Note: The award goes only to the buyer. Corporations and private equity firms are eligible. Dealmaker of the Year honors an individual who made a significant impact on M&A, or who led a transformative transaction. Note: The award goes to an individual dealmaker. All dealmakers are eligible. Private Equity Firm of the Year recognizes a PE firm that stood out in a competitive landscape. We take into account the acquisitions, exits, fundraising and other activities made by the firm throughout the year, including growth. Thought leadership also plays a role. Note: The award goes to the firm, and only private equity firms are eligible. Investment Bank of the Year honors a bank that outshone the competition. We take into account the volume and total value of deals advised on, as well as their significance. We also consider the firm’s growth, thought leadership and influence on the M&A industry. Note: The award goes to the bank, and only full-service investment banks are eligible. Private Equity Seller of the Year recognizes a private equity firm that produced stellar exits throughout the year. Note: The award goes to the firm, and only private equity firms are eligible for this award. Strategic Buyer of the Year honors a corporation that wielded M&A to transform or significantly expand its business, or sector or overall M&A. Acquisitions and divestitures emblematic of the company’s M&A strategy are considered. Note: The award goes to the company, and only corporations are eligible. Law Firm of the Year recognizes a law firm that excelled. We take into account the volume of deals advised on, as well as their significance. We also consider the firm’s growth, thought leadership and influence on the M&A industry. Note: The award goes to the firm, and only law firms are eligible. Lender of the Year honors a lender that ran ahead of the pack. We take into account the volume of loans made, as well as their significance. We also consider the firm’s growth, thought leadership and influence on the M&A industry. Note: The award goes to the lender, and only lenders are eligible. Related: Special reports overview: M&A Mid-Market Awards, Rising Stars, Most Influential Women.