Key Takeaways
- • IMA Financial Group expanded its Private Equity and M&A Practice with seven senior hires across Austin, Charlotte, Phoenix, Dallas, and Chicago, adding capabilities in growth leadership, transaction broking, account management, and production.
- • The Private Equity and M&A Practice has grown to 50 associates serving more than 350 private equity sponsors and portfolio companies, supporting $8.4 billion in annual transaction volume less than five years after its launch.
- • Shawn Carroll, a 25+ year M&A veteran from Willis Towers Watson who previously led Dallas's largest M&A team in the western U.S., joins as National Growth Leader to drive expansion in the middle-market private equity segment.
- • IMA Diligence Services, the firm's Chicago-based financial due diligence subsidiary, provides financial and lender due diligence and transaction advisory services to private equity firms, commercial lenders, and institutional investors, supporting the broader practice.
- • The expansion reflects IMA's strategic positioning during a period of elevated M&A activity—U.S. and Canadian M&A volumes reached $577 billion in Q1 2026, a 30% year-over-year increase.
Summary
IMA Financial Group announced a seven-person expansion of its Private Equity and M&A Practice, reinforcing the firm's commitment to one of its fastest-growing specialty lines. The new hires bring senior-level expertise across transaction execution, risk management, and practice development, with geographic distribution spanning Austin, Charlotte, Phoenix, Dallas, and Chicago.
The practice itself has matured rapidly since its launch less than five years ago. Today it comprises 50 associates serving more than 350 private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies. The practice currently supports $8.4 billion in annual transaction volume, positioning it as a material revenue contributor within IMA's broader platform. The expansion also encompasses IMA Diligence Services, a Chicago-based financial due diligence business that provides lender and transaction due diligence services to private equity firms, commercial lenders, and institutional investors.
Shawn Carroll's appointment as National Growth Leader represents the cornerstone of this expansion. Carroll brings 25+ years of M&A experience, including more than 23 years in senior leadership roles at Willis Towers Watson. Most notably, he led Dallas's M&A team, which was the largest in the western U.S. region, and brings deep expertise in structuring complex risk transfer solutions for private equity and management teams. His mandate is to catalyze national expansion with particular emphasis on the middle-market private equity segment, where IMA has already built substantial market traction.
The remaining six hires—Brennan Pendergast (Executive Risk Leader, Charlotte), Kevin Crowley (Team Lead, Austin), Rebekah Craig (Senior Account Executive, Phoenix), Farrah Ata (Account Executive, Dallas), Alan Devey (Producer, Chicago), and Brian Mulroe (Producer, Chicago)—address gaps in risk leadership, account management, and production across multiple markets. This build-out signals confidence in sustained M&A momentum; U.S. and Canadian transaction volumes reached $577 billion in Q1 2026, representing a 30% increase year-over-year, underscoring robust dealmaking conditions for the foreseeable future.
The practice itself has matured rapidly since its launch less than five years ago. Today it comprises 50 associates serving more than 350 private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies. The practice currently supports $8.4 billion in annual transaction volume, positioning it as a material revenue contributor within IMA's broader platform. The expansion also encompasses IMA Diligence Services, a Chicago-based financial due diligence business that provides lender and transaction due diligence services to private equity firms, commercial lenders, and institutional investors.
Shawn Carroll's appointment as National Growth Leader represents the cornerstone of this expansion. Carroll brings 25+ years of M&A experience, including more than 23 years in senior leadership roles at Willis Towers Watson. Most notably, he led Dallas's M&A team, which was the largest in the western U.S. region, and brings deep expertise in structuring complex risk transfer solutions for private equity and management teams. His mandate is to catalyze national expansion with particular emphasis on the middle-market private equity segment, where IMA has already built substantial market traction.
The remaining six hires—Brennan Pendergast (Executive Risk Leader, Charlotte), Kevin Crowley (Team Lead, Austin), Rebekah Craig (Senior Account Executive, Phoenix), Farrah Ata (Account Executive, Dallas), Alan Devey (Producer, Chicago), and Brian Mulroe (Producer, Chicago)—address gaps in risk leadership, account management, and production across multiple markets. This build-out signals confidence in sustained M&A momentum; U.S. and Canadian transaction volumes reached $577 billion in Q1 2026, representing a 30% increase year-over-year, underscoring robust dealmaking conditions for the foreseeable future.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.