ACG Utah today announced that Urban Meyer, Ohio State Head Football Coach, the former Utah Utes and Florida Gators football coach and two-time BCS National Championship winner, will keynote the 2012 ACG Utah Intermountain Growth Conference  at the Grand America Hotel on Friday March 9, 2012 in Salt Lake City.

This event will enable growth-oriented middle market businesses and the intermediaries who work with them in Utah, Idaho and Northern Nevada to gain unparalleled access to, and opportunities to network with, private equity groups from around the country.

"The purpose of the conference is to establish and nurture the connections that spur middle-market business growth,” said Mark Lehman, president of ACG Utah and shareholder of Parsons Behle & Latimer. “The events we have planned will bring together leading private equity firms, investment bankers and lenders that represent billions of dollars in capital to help middle market companies attain growth.”

ACG Utah has also partnered with ACG NY and ACG Los Angeles for the Fourth Annual Dealmakers Ski & Board Conference Thursday - Sunday, March 8 – 11 at Snowbird, Utah.

Friday, March 9, 2012 ACG Utah Intermountain Growth Conference schedule:

7:15 - 8:00 a.m. Registration 

8:00 - 9:10 a.m. Opening Remarks and Morning Keynote Address 

                           Brendan Ryan, Vice President, Kennecott Utah Copper

                           Spencer P. Eccles, Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Economic Development

9:10 - 9:30 a.m. Break 

9:30 - 11:50 a.m. Conference Workshops 

11:50 - Noon Break 

Noon - 1:50 p.m. Luncheon and Afternoon Keynote Address 

                           Urban Meyer, Ohio State Head Football Coach

1:50 - 1:00 p.m. Break 

2:00 - 4:30 p.m. Capital Connection/Private Equity Marketplace

Panels will include the following:

·         Growth Stories:  A CEO's Perspective

As the economy rebounds and companies focus on growth rather than survival, this panel of CEOs will explain how they have successfully grown their businesses using infusions of new capital, internal resources, and M&A opportunities.

·         Innovating to Grow

One mark of a successful business is the ability to achieve perennial growth.  To do this, a company must often be creative, imaginative and innovative to exploit new market opportunities.  Join us for a discussion with a few of Utah's most innovative business leaders.

·         Private Equity Markets in 2012

Private equity and debt financing continued on a strong pace during 2011 in spite of high uncertainty in the economy and high volatility in the public capital markets.  With substantial amounts of private equity capital still on the sidelines looking for the right situations, this panel will discuss what deals are getting done now and where the opportunities lie in 2012.

·         Leveraging Your M&A Opportunities

At long last, the credit markets appear to be easing and banks are entertaining M&A financing once again. With financial institutions looking to put their capital to use, join us for a discussion of current trends and developments in using debt financing in M&A transactions, what terms are available and the key factors to consider when exploring a leverage-backed deal.   

Registration is now open: http://www.acg.org/utah/events/event.aspx?EventId=3937

For more information, please visit: http://www.acg.org/utah