Jim Wahrenbrock

As a senior-level executive with Land O’ Lakes, Jim Wahrenbrock provided leadership for more than 45 mergers, joint ventures and acquisitions ranging from $500,000 to $375 million. He was a key player in growing Land O'Lakes from $1.5 billion to $6.5 billion in sales.

Wahrenbrock brings his vast experience to mid-level companies who are looking at creating long-term value through a merger, acquisition or joint venture.

“It is not a cookie cutter process. It is emotional and it is disruptive to the day-to-day business. A third party can lead or coordinate the process without getting hung up in the emotion or being distracted by other projects. We can come in and ask the tough questions, provide an outside perspective and be a vital part of the team," Wahrenbrock noted.

"From there," he said, "the first step is to sit down and understand what the company hopes to accomplish. For example, why do we want to do an acquisition? Is it a geographic expansion or an addition of the product line? What type of company would be a good complement? What size and structure would be viable? Once we’ve identified the objectives of the deal and how the business functions, we can help the client develop a game plan for the process.The next step is to identify target companies and that’s where the hard work begins.”

From start to finish, the acquisition process can take six to 12 months of time consuming work that is above and beyond an executive’s other duties. This is one reason he suggests it’s not for everyone to tackle an acquisition by themselves.

“A well planned acquisition can be extremely beneficial to a company’s growth and profitability,” noted Wahrenbrock. “A bad deal can haunt you forever.”

To contact Jim, email him at jimw@rjensenconsulting.com.