Today is the last day to nominate M&A Mid-Market Award candidates

Mergers & Acquisitions has opened up the nomination process for the 13^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 2019. Nominations are accepted only through our electronic forms. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. There is no fee. Below is more information about the nomination process and what we look for in winning candidates. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION 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: Hollie Haynes, who took home Dealmaker of the Year for raising a second fund for Luminate Capital Partners, the tech-focused PE firm she founded after leaving Silver Lake; TA Associates, which won Private Equity Firm of the Year for growing significantly as the firm celebrated its 50th anniversary and completed its 500th transaction; Fortive, which scored Deal of the Year for its $775 million acquisition of Gordian, a provider of construction software in a transformative deal for the construction industry; and Nike, which was named Strategic Buyer of the Year, for buying Zodiac and Invertex, a pair of innovative digital startups helping the athletic apparel maker get closer to customers. 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 2019. The nomination process: Nominations are helpful but not required. The deadline for nominations is end of day Friday, February 7, 2020. 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. Good luck to all! Note: For more information on Mergers & Acquisitions’ annual special reports, including timelines, see: Special reports overview: M&A Mid-Market Awards, Rising Stars, Most Influential Women.