NEWS & INSIGHTS

Van Conway honored again by Dbusiness as one of metro Detroit’s & Michigan’s 500 most powerful business leaders

Expert Van Conway comments in Detroit Crain’s “Metro Detroit supplier bankruptcy could signal storm approaching”

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/auto-suppliers/supplier-bankruptcy-could-signal-storm-approaching

Detroit’s Financial Expert Van Conway Weighs In On Whether Traditional Auto Suppliers Will Be Left Behind If Unable To Pivot To EV

https://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/supply-chain-troubles-worsened-because-of-war-in-ukraine-solution-lies-in-domestic-production-shift-says-detroit-financial-expert-van-conway/

Stellantis retracts unpopular supplier-contract terms

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/chrysler/2022/05/16/stellantis-retracts-unpopular-supplier-contract-terms/9793625002/

Van Conway on Ukraine and Supply Chain Effects

https://www.europeanbusinessreview.com/supply-chain-troubles-worsened-because-of-war-in-ukraine-solution-lies-in-domestic-production-shift-says-detroit-financial-expert-van-conway/

Van Conway’s Radio Interview with Paul W. Smith

https://the-paul-w-smith-show.simplecast.com/episodes/van-conway-the-paul-w-smith-show

Van Conway on the recently filed Art Van lawsuit

https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/2022/03/22/art-van-furniture-bankruptcy-trustee-heirs/7125793001/

Van Conway, Alan C. Young Form Joint Financial Advisory Firm

CRAIN’S DETROIT

A professional relationship that dates back decades, as well as a pair of complementary contact books, serves as the foundation for a new joint venture between two well-known metro Detroit financial executives. READ FULL ARTICLE

Two Powerhouse Detroit Firms Come Together

DBUSINESS

Alan C. Young & Associates in Detroit, one the country’s largest minority-owned certified public accounting firms, and Van Conway & Partners, a boutique financial advisory and business consulting firm in Birmingham, have formed a joint venture called The Young Conway Group. READ FULL ARTICLE

Hard Count

DBUSINESS

“Sports teams are very interesting,” Van Conway says. “The most accepted valuation model is called discounted cash flow, (but) you can’t really use that methodology with sports teams because if you look at the Lions, with $40 million or $50 million in operating income, there’s no way you get to $2 billion.” READ FULL ARTICLE

What is Next for Art Van Furniture Customers and Employees?

FOX 2 DETROIT

Van Conway sits down with a panel of professionals on Fox 2 Detroit’s Let It Rip and discusses what what went wrong with American furniture retail store chain Art Van Furniture, what its Chapter 11 bankruptcy means, and whether or not it can be saved. VIEW FULL VIDEO

Some Risk, More Reward for CEOs Embracing Trump’s Sit-Down Meetings

Fox Business

Though America appears to be divided in the early days of Trump’s presidency about the way he’s going about bringing policy change, it’simportant to note the best way to understand what American businesses need is to go directly to the source, said Van Conway, CEO of consulting firm Van ConwayPartners. READ FULL ARTICLE

Orphan Drugs Face Criticism on Prices and From Patients

Medical Marketing & Media

Companies want patients to discover innovations before they reach the marketplace, so they’ll demand the therapies from physicians. It’s a process that starts long before launch.

Outreach in the early stages of development is paramount to an orphan drug’s marketability down the line. This often means initiating early engagement with associations, identifying obstacles to coverage way before a drug reaches the market, and securing coverage on formularies. These elements help companies hit the ground running when the drug is approved. READ FULL ARTICLE

Inside Sears’ Death Spiral

Business Insider

“They are going out of business,” said Van Conway, an expert in bankruptcy and debt restructuring and CEO of Van Conway & Partners. “This snowball is 90% of the way to the bottom of the hill.” READ FULL ARTICLE

Department stores become endangered as Sears, Macys’ struggle

USA TODAY

“I honestly don’t see a spot for Sears long-term,” says Van Conway, CEO of Van Conway & Partners, who has advised retail companies and other businesses on reorganization and insolvency. “My mom shopped at Sears. That was the only place she could go. Now you have 50 choices, and Sears is outdated.’’ READ FULL ARTICLE

Bankruptcy again for Kmart?

detroit free press

Van Conway, CEO of Birmingham-based management consulting firm Van Conway & Partners, said the retail corporation’s current problems could have been predicted at the time of the Kmart-Sears merger.

“Why did anyone think that two bad companies would result in a good company? That never happens,” Conway said.

“A bad company with a good company can cause a bad company,” he added. “Two good companies will make a better company. But you can’t fix a bad company by merging with a bad company. And of course that was the only play left. READ FULL ARTICLE

It’s Thanksgiving in August

THE DETROIT NEWS

I thank all of our sponsors and all of our volunteers and participants for our 13th Annual Paul W. Smith Golf Classic benefiting Detroit PAL raising $500,000. Mark Snethkamp of the Snethkamp Automotive Family stepped up to bring us to that final half million dollar mark at the end of the night. We are now at about $5,700,000 dollars raised since we began 13 years ago.

Special heart felt thanks to my radio home, WJR, Ford Motor Co., Detroit Golf Club, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, DTE Energy Foundation, FCA Foundation, General Motors and Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.

Kudos to Delta Airlines, Bridgestone, Diez Group, Quicken Loans, Van Conway & Partners, Meijer, Suburban Collection, Star Lincoln, FirstMerit Bank, FOX 2 and Campbell Marketing and Communications Team. READ FULL ARTICLE

19 Michigan Macy’s stores face closure threat with latest announcement

DETROIT FREE PRESS

Van Conway, CEO of management consulting firm Van Conway & Partners, said it is unusual for national retailers to close store locations that are still profitable. This could be a smart move for Macy’s, he said, as it allows the company to focus attention and capital on bolstering its strong-performing stores.

Nevertheless, he said it’s unlikely this newest round of Macy’s store closures will be the last because Internet shopping continues to chip away at all bricks-and-mortar retailers. “It’s hard to imagine that they can stay at 700+ stores for the next 10 years” READ FULL ARTICLE

Chemical-Talmer deal heads toward close this year, pending regulatory approval

MIBIZ

The strong backing from shareholders at both banks came as no surprise to Greg Roberts, a partner at advisory firm Van Conway & Partners LLC in Birmingham.

Talmer had assets of about $6 billion and faced limited growth prospects within its existing footprint, especially the “very highly competitive market” in Southeast Michigan, Roberts said. In turn, Talmer would become part of a growing institution that’s positioned statewide. The relative lack of redundancy in the branch network of the two banks makes the merger “a pretty good deal,” he said.

“The footprints overlay nicely,” he said. “It makes a ton of sense.” READ FULL ARTICLE

Talmer shareholders back $1.4B merger with Chemical

MIBIZ

Talmer, facing limited growth prospects within its existing footprint, especially a highly competitive market in Southeast Michigan, in turn would become part of a growing institution that’s positioned statewide, said Greg Roberts, a partner at advisory firm Van Conway & Partners in Birmingham. READ FULL ARTICLE

Talmer shareholders overwhelmingly approve Chemical Bank deal

CRAIN’S DETROIT

“In any transaction, there will be people on both sides of the fence,” said Greg Roberts, Senior Managing Director of Birmingham-based Van Conway & Partners. “Dave Provost has proven he makes money for his shareholders. There is a business precedent and synergies to having a $16 billion bank. In this case, bigger is better. That being said, most people would agree this is not a merger of equals.” READ FULL ARTICLE

Van Conway Reflects on His Career and State of the Industry in Oakland Legal News Interview

OAKLAND LEGAL NEWS

In an interview with Oakland Legal News, Van Conway reflects on his early life, career, and the state of the turnaround and restructuring industry. READ FULL ARTICLE