ABMI Agents, Advisors, Consultants & Personnel

ABMI agents, advisors and consultants are comprised of individuals who are former business owners, and with prior experience in real estate, retailing, banking, manufacturing and service industries. These associates offer a blend of experience and maturity that allows us to provide clients and customers with the most professional services possible in the listing and sale of businesses of all kinds, all types, all sizes and all prices. These team members are highly trained experts in business valuations, pricing, acquisitions financing and in the marketing of business assets, with our goal of low risk for all parties. Starting with brokering businesses in metropolitan Kansas City in 1982, ABMI agents have assisted Missouri business owners, Kansas business owners, and business owners throughout the Midwestern USA and beyond with pricing, evaluating, marketing and selling their business assets, and our agents have helped thousands of buyers, from every state in the USA, and many foreign countries, find their "ideal business deal".

To arrange a no cost, no obligation consultation, please email any of the associates shown, or phone ABMI at 913-341-6300 or register with this ABMI web site.

Joseph P. Bodine
CEO
jbodine@abmi.net

Joe Bodine is a recognized expert in mergers and acquisitions who credits his business achievements to his visionary approach and strong customer focus. Owning and selling numerous successful companies from across diverse industry lines, Joe is a skilled consensus builder who brings together like-minded parties in order to create tangible deals. As CEO and owner of ABMI (American Business Masters and Investment) since 1998, Joe has shaped business strategies to positively impact growth and stability. Joe also acts as principal and/or equity owner of five companies from a variety of industries.

Currently working with one of the top industry consultants, Joe is expanding ABMI by establishing offices in cities nationally. Having sold nearly 1,000 businesses, ABMI is the largest and oldest firm of its kind in the Midwest, with more than 6,000 active business buyers and sellers. While ABMI’s foundation lies in small business, Joe expanded service offerings with the Middle Market Division in 2007. Employing more than 20 talented brokers, ABMI provides sound representation of sellers and buyers, connects teams with capital, and consults on management/strategic planning efforts.

Joe currently sits on the Board of Directors at Digital Pipelines. He is deeply committed to and passionate about advancing community education initiatives, generously donating his time, energy, and earnings to support good work. Because of his highly empathetic nature, Joe introduced and executes a private scholarship fund that provides monetary assistance to qualifying families. He serves as an advisor to several companies, as well as Reaching Out Ministries in Kansas City. With his wife Laura, Joe is a proud father of Austin and Brianna.

Dave Hawkins
CFO, COO
dave@abmi.net

Dave Hawkins is the CFO/COO of ABMI. Prior to joining ABMI, Dave owned and operated several businesses in the Kansas City area. One business he started was a distribution business in which Dave was involved in everything from sales and marketing to operations and finance. This business led to the co-founding of a transaction processing company with national contracts with the major wireless carriers and sales reps from coast to coast. In this business, Dave oversaw operations, finance, IT and logistics. The business was sold in 2003 to Euronet Worldwide where Dave served in a consulting role for 2 years.

Married with 6 children, Dave is actively involved in church and other non-profit groups, serving on the board of Kids4Truth International and Urban Life Kansas City.

Mitch Kerns
Managing Director
mkerns@abmi.net

Mitch Kerns comes to ABMI with a wealth of expertise in enterprise solutions between business owners and entrepreneurs. Mitch has handled transactions across several sectors with a deep and diverse background in business ownership and management. As a business owner, Mitch has experience in business development, operations, raising capital, financing and marketing. This experience comes from startups, turnarounds, as well as established business operations. He understands the inside of the transaction, from both seller and buyer perspective. Mitch creates a confidence with the client that his expertise is leading them in the right direction with over 26 years of experience in business ownership, buying businesses and selling businesses. Mitch specializes in M&A services, business operational improvements and strategic planning for the future growth of business.

Mitch has been recognized for his knowledge and skill in business by being awarded development awards, marketing awards and increased sales volume awards.

Mitch lives in Prairie Village, KS with his wife, Chris, and two sons Kyle and Scott. Kerns is an avid fly fisherman and golfer.

Jud Shepherd
Broker
judson@abmi.net

As a top individual producer at ABMI, Jud has been with ABMI for over ten years. Jud has extensive management experience in corporate America including eight years with Chrysler Corporation and 18 years as Vice President of Sales with the largest commercial chinaware manufacturer in the US, Syracuse China Corporation. In 1995, Jud and his family moved back to his hometown of Kansas City and bought a Dairy Queen. Seeing exciting financial results quickly convinced Jud to open two more.

Jud exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit and offers a refreshingly unique perspective from his personal experience managing the operations of his own business. His entry into the brokerage business happened by accident, and we are glad it did. His success in brokering at ABMI resulted in his decision to sell off his Dairy Queens to dedicate 100% of his time to buying and selling of businesses. Jud's successes are unequaled due to his strong understanding of the business world, both corporate and private businesses. His inter-relations with buyer and seller and understanding of their requirements are paramount.

Todd Wilbanks
Broker
todd@abmi.net

Todd comes to us from a private business group in the Kansas City area. His tenure as the Head Project Manager provided a varied background and included both direct and consulting experience in the areas of sales, management, business consulting, real estate, investment, business development, education, and training. Since his youth Todd has been involved in family businesses on both the personal and professional level and brings a unique perspective to ABMI. The variety and complexity of his past work projects led Todd to achieve licensing and certification in many areas, including engineering, real estate, insurance, and education/training.

Todd also headed the not-for-profit efforts of the group, including KChelp.org, a private help organization in the area. With a degree in education from Central Missouri State University, he has devoted much of his time in working with youth, especially in the areas of at-risk and alternative education.

Todd has three beautiful daughters, McKayla Anne, Mariah Jae, and Maxlyn Sage. The four of them are involved in many activities, including sports, music, church, and grandparents.

Joe Meagher
Broker
joe@abmi.net

Joe Meagher has over 30 years in the Brokerage, Consulting and Management field. With an entrepreneurial background, he has worked with the national leaders in the Food and Beverage Industry, of hotels and restaurants. Working over 25 years in the Hotel and Restaurant Management industry, he’s managed many, as a General Manager, Director, President and Owner operator. The last five plus years he’s worked on Merger and Acquisition purchases and Buyer side search programs.

A BA degree in Business from The University of Missouri, KC in 1975, was the basis for his development in business. Joe owned, operated and sold his first business in 1992. This was his first awareness that selling a business was complicated and that you needed a professional to guide you on the right path to determine the sale price, marketing strategies closing agreements, etcetera.

As a Vietnam War Veteran he understands the importance of family, faith and country. Joe is a long time active member of Vietnam Veterans of America. He has worked with the Director of an after school program called, the Upper Room for several years. Joe has a passion for Softball, and has been playing on the same softball league for 27 years. He also enjoys golf and his golf partners meet at least once a week.

Joe has two beautiful daughters. Katie, 24 who is engaged to Ryan and Erinn, 27 who is married to Paul. Erinn and Paul have two children, Luke, 3½ and Krisalyn 1½. Joe came from a family of three brothers and four sisters and currently has 26 nephews and nieces.

Lance Cleaver
Broker
lance@abmi.net

Lance Cleaver is the General Counsel/Senior Associate of ABMI. Lance has a wide and varied business background including public accounting, investment sales and executive corporate legal experience. Lance has been involved in marketing and sales for the past 15 years. He also has extensive experience in the negotiation of complex commercial contracts and acquisition agreements and has represented and consulted business clients in a number of areas including mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions and venture capital investments including the development of business plans, securities offerings and securities law compliance.

Prior to joining ABMI, Lance was a Senior Counsel and Director with Sprint Nextel Corporation where he supported Sprint’s marketing and sales organizations and was the lead sales and marketing attorney supporting Sprint’s business development and strategic alliance and partner organizations. While at Sprint, Lance was the lead sales and distribution counsel supporting Sprint’s divestiture of its Sprint E|Solutions division ($150M) and Sprint Conferencing Business ($250M).

Prior to Sprint, Lance was an M&A attorney at Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP, managed a branch office for Edward Jones Investments and worked for Arthur Andersen as a senior audit and business advisory accountant. Lance is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law and has passed the CPA examination.

Patrick J. Cheek, CPA, MBA
Senior Director
pcheek@abmi.net

Pat joined the firm in 2011. He is a senior financial executive with comprehensive analytical skills, refined communication skills, and extensive financial and operating experience within the industrial manufacturing sector of the middle market. He is experienced in market research and the formulation and administration of plans for implementing strategic direction as well as the commercialization of new products and intellectual properties. Pat has been characterized by others as incisive in identifying business issues and tradeoffs, creative in formulating tactics and strategies, and pragmatic in implementing solutions to complicated diversification and expansion problems. He is experienced in business development, mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and due diligence. Pat has worked in leveraged and non-leveraged environments with an array of debt and equity structures. He has concurrent information systems and ERP/ MRP management experience.

Pat has a BA from Kansas University, an MBA from Georgia State University, and is a CPA. He has four years of professional experience with Ernst & Young, Atlanta, Georgia and thirty years of CFO experience with Preco, Inc., Immata Worldwide LLC, ROM Corporation, and the Central Fiber family of companies.

Debbie Taylor
Broker
debbie@abmi.net

Debbie Taylor is a broker in ABMI’s small business division, assisting sellers and buyers through the process in a reliable and professional manner and assists her husband, Travis, in ABMI’s real estate division, Business Realty, Inc.

Debbie owned a service company for many years in the Kansas City area. In 1996 she joined her husband, Travis in starting an industrial manufacturers’ representative agency, working for many years with large distributors and manufacturing plants throughout the entire Midwest. In 2005 Debbie received her real estate salesperson’s license and joined Travis, working for the largest locally owned real estate company. They did over $3,000,000 in volume their first year and won top rookie of the year for 2005 and 2006. Debbie belongs to Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors, Kansas and Missouri, National Association of Realtors and Heartland Multiple Listing Service.

Debbie is married and has one daughter and a brand new grandson. She is a longstanding member of “The Kansas City Board of Governors”, a fund-raising group who adopt families at Christmas. She loves animals, plants and enjoys spending time with great friends and networking.

Travis Taylor
Broker
travis@abmi.net

Travis Taylor is the managing broker for ABMI’s real estate division, Business Realty, Inc. and works as a business broker ABMI's small business division assisting sellers and buyers through the process in a reliable and professional manner.

Travis owned an industrial manufacturers’ representative agency for many years, working with large distributors and manufacturing plants throughout the entire Midwest. He received his real estate broker’s license and worked for one of Kansas City’s top commercial real estate offices. In 2005 he switched to residential sales and with his wife, Debbie they did over $3,000,000 in volume their first year and won top rookie of the year in 2005 and 2006. Travis belongs to Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors, Kansas, Missouri and National Association of Realtors, Heartland Multiple Listing Service and is a longstanding member of the Missouri Government Affairs Committee

Travis is married and has one daughter and a brand new grandson. Travis enjoys working with clients, spending time with great friends and trying to spend more time at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Denise Lang
Broker
denise@abmi.net

Denise and her husband Pat have successfully owned and operated Midwest Telecom, a prepaid wireless company, since 2003. They have purchased three smaller wireless companies and have worked hard at growing their business. Prior to owning their business, Denise worked for several different telecom companies. Denise has also worked in the banking industry and tax preparation. Denise has also recently completed the Missouri Real Estate training and is a licensed real estate agent in that state.

Denise has been married to Pat for 28 years and together they have 4 daughters; Jessie, Kristen, MaKayla and Amber, who is married to Kellen. They also share a grandson, Brandon. The whole family enjoys playing on a co-ed volleyball team. They are very active in sports and church. Denise has been an AWANA leader at her church for 15 years.

Pat Lang
Broker
plang@abmi.net

Pat joins ABMI after spending 27 years in the field of education. During this time, he taught high school math and coached basketball, football and baseball.Pat and his wife Denise have owned and operated Midwest Telecom since 2003. Their company is in the continually growing prepaid market. They have expanded their business by purchasing three other businesses.

Pat and Denise have been married for 28 years. They have 4 daughters, one grandson and one granddaughter on the way. Pat enjoys playing sports, camping and watching his daughters play sports.

Michael Constant
Sales Manager/Broker
michael@abmi.net

Mike comes to ABMI as a broker with a wide-range of experience in business. He owned and operated a petroleum and lubricant distributorship for over 20 years in Central Kansas. Mike also managed service stations that included a car wash, c-store fuel supply and transportation company. During that time he sold three service stations and finally sold his bulk plant in 2003. He was also licensed in securities and worked as a stock broker in a small firm on a part time basis.

Mike moved to the Kansas City area in 2003 when his wife Shelley took a position with Apple Computer. Mike worked in the financial services industry for several years before returning to the petroleum industry as a Certified Energy Specialist with Cenex, the energy division of CHS, Inc.

Tom Thurmond
Broker
tom@abmi.net

Tom comes to ABMI from the executive recruiting arena where he worked for 7 years in the medical, computer and engineering arenas. He placed the top computer director at MasterCard in their California headquarters, and several airline directors/managers at American and United Airlines. Prior to that, he was in the sales representative area of the Accounts Receivable industry. His education includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Wichita State in math with a minor in economics.

Ted Bertram
Broker
tbertram@abmi.net

Ted has over 28 years as a commercial Insurance agent/broker. As a Marketing Representative for Federated Insurance Companies he helped business owners finance and manage risk for their businesses. Ted has worked with large franchise equipment dealers, small contractors, convenience store owners, oil jobbers and many other types of businesses.

Ted has worked closely with business owners planning their exit strategies when they decided to retire and enjoy the fruits of their labor. After early retirement from Federated Insurance, Ted moved to Kansas City in 2005 with his wife Sherri. They have been married 38 years and have two children and four grandchildren living in the area.

Wade Wilson
Broker
wwilson@abmi.net

Wade joined ABMI in 2010. Wade is a born and bred Kansan from central Kansas. At the age of 35, he has been involved with and accomplished more than most retired people. Wade is a veteran of the first Gulf War as a member of the US Navy. After the Navy, Wade spent time in the Semi-Conductor industry, helping to develop state of the art equipment used to “build” computer processors for all of the major manufacturing companies in that field.

Wade then switched industries to become a stock broker here in the Kansas City area, with all of the necessary licenses, like the Series 7, 63, 65 and life and health insurance.

During his time as a broker, Wade was learning how to fly (which is his life’s passion) and has become a commercial pilot for both single and multi-engine aircraft.

Wade is now proud to be a business broker with ABMI. With his people first policy, he is excited to bring buyers and sellers together for a mutually beneficial win, win situation.

Gene Bammes Image Gene Bammes
Broker - Topeka Office - (785)554-5959
gbammes@abmi.net

Gene comes to ABMI as a broker with a wide-range of experience in business. Gene was honored to serve in the US Air Force as a computer repairman, and after leaving the USAF, he worked fulltime as a computer operator and programmer while working his way ghrough Kansas State in Business Management and Computer Science. With Gene's friendliness and integrity, it was a natural for him to move into sales. He spent 16 years in Financial Planning where he consistently was a top 10% producer, as well as being an agency computer trainer, agency manager and computer specialist. Gene then started a highline car dealership, and partnered with a friend to start an internet company. He continues to be involved with his partner as they develop other internet businesses. Gene also was the USA CEO for a startup company that was based in Hong Kong where he was responsible for initial fund raising, USA market research, working with the FDA for market approval, and organizing pilot testing for the product. Gene is a licensed insurance agent in Kansas, Missouri, Texas and Arkansas.

Gene serves ABMI clients from his office in Topeka where he lives with his wife Ruth, who has been a 2nd grade teacher at Topeka Collegiate School for 20 years. They have 2 sons, Ben, who graduated from KU with a triple major...Math, computer enginering, and Physics, and just finished his PHD in Biophysics from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston where he lives with his wife and 2 boys. Nathan, the younger son, is a 4th year Med School student from KCUMB where he also earned an MBA from Rockhurst. The whole family reamains active n Church activities.

Steve Cordell Image Steve Cordell
Broker
scordell@abmi.net

Steve Cordell is a Kansas City native that has spent his entire career working with businessowners.

Born and raised in Kansas City, Northeast High School grad, and then two Bachelor's degrees from University of Missouri-Kansas City. Steve was a Sales Manager and then General Manager in the Electrical wholesale trade. He later attended Mid America Nazarene University, where he obtained a Master's in Business Administration.

Steve started and operated the Money Mailer brand direct mail advertising in Kansas City; after a successful nearly 10 year run, he sold the business (his first experience with a Business Broker!) After selling the business, he was with Val-Pak direct mail, where he was in the top 5% of sales reps nationwide.

Steve also spent some time in the financial world, obtaining the FINRA Series 7 and 66 licenses, so he is licensed to do both financial product sales, as well as Financial Planning.

He lives in Olathe with his wife Karen, and enjoys his hobbies of American History, Classic Movies, and (weather permitting) traveling the mid-west in their convertible with the top down!

Valerie Martin
Administrator
valerie@abmi.net

Valerie presently serves as ABMI’s Office Administrator, Data Entry Coordinator, and Executive Secretary. From 2004 through 2009 Valerie was Office Administrator, Office Manager, Branch Trainer and Executive Assistant, for First National Business Corp., and United States Business Brokers, Inc. in Springfield, MO. She provided a full range of administrative support to the organization’s owner, including training employees and administrators for 19 Branch offices nationwide. During 2003 Valerie was the Office Administrator, Office manager for FNBC Business Brokerage in Denver, Colorado and helped open that branch office. From 2000 to 2003 Valerie returned to the Springfield, MO Headquarters office and was Office Manager, Branch Trainer, and Data Entry Supervisor for United States Business Corp., and First National Business Corp. From 1994 through 1999 Valerie started her career as the Office Manager and Executive Assistant for American Business Master, Inc., in Shawnee Mission, KS.

Valerie is also a Certified Medical Assistant-Denver, Colorado and attended the University of Northern Colorado in Greely, Colorado.

With over 16 years experience in business brokerage administration and management, Valerie is well qualified to help ownership manage ABMI’s administrative activities.

ABMI's agents, consultants and advisors are individuals with wide experience in business, real estate, law, banking and other industries. To arrange a no cost, no obligation consultation, you may choose any of the agents shown, and email them directly, or phone ABMI at 913-341-6300, or register with this ABMI web site, and we will contact you.

6201 College Blvd., Ste 385
Overland Park, KS 66211
Phone: 913-341-6300
Fax: 913-381-5978
info@abmi.net