Scott Bushkie is the Managing Partner and Founder of Cornerstone Business Services. With more than 25 years in the M&A industry, Scott is a recognized leader in the field, providing exit strategies, sell- and buy-side transitions, along with valuation services in the lower middle market.

Over the years, Scott has successfully executed hundreds of transactions, domestically and internationally, working with private equity firms, family offices, and strategic buyers, both public and private. Scott has the trust and respect of CPA and financial advisor alliances, investment banks, and other professional service firms around the M&A marketplace.

He is a sought-after expert on the M&A market and has been quoted by the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, and the Associated Press. He writes for regional business papers, including a monthly syndicated column for Gannett. As a keynote speaker, he has engaged audiences from national organizations to local trade groups and international delegations, with a key focus on helping professional advisors and their clients prepare for future business transitions.

Scott is the founder and past chair of the Wisconsin chapter of Midwest Business Brokers & Intermediaries (MBBI) association and also the past chair of the International Business Broker Association (IBBA), the largest association for business brokers and M&A professionals worldwide. In 2014, Scott became the youngest person ever awarded the IBBA prestigious fellow designation. The lifetime award recognizes industry expertise and significant contributions to the profession. In 2017, Scott was named a fellow of the M&A Source, once again the youngest recipient in the organization’s history. Scott is the current chair of M&A Source 2021 and also the current founding president for the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) Wisconsin chapter.

Among other industry accolades, Scott received the IBBA Closing of the Year award and the Chairman’s Circle Award for 2017. He’s been recognized with the MBBI Outstanding Leadership Award and Member of the Year and as the Wisconsin SBA Emerging Small Business Person of the Year.

In 2018, Scott launched the Cornerstone International Alliance, providing member firms with enhanced buyer reach, access to industry experts, resources, and structured best practice sharing. Operating with the philosophy that success breeds success, the alliance helps top tier lower middle market M&A firms create more value for their clients.

Scott holds the Mergers & Acquisitions Master Intermediary (M&AMI) designation. He is a Certified Business Intermediary and a registered representative of the broker dealer Ceiba Financial with the Series 62 & 63 securities licenses.

Hundreds OF Millions in Sales

Today, Cornerstone is one of the largest lower middle market M&A firms in the Midwest. Operating from offices in Wisconsin and Iowa, its associates have completed several hundred million in sales. The company fields worldwide interest in client opportunities and has led transactions with buyers and sellers based in Europe, Asia and Russia.

Thought-Leader

A thought-leader in the industry, Scott developed the Cornerstone Process to offer investment banking M&A-level services to the lower middle market. The result is a closing ratio that’s more than double the national average.

Published Author and
Recognized Speaker

Scott has authored numerous articles on M&A best practices, and his work is syndicated in regional publications. He is a sought-after expert on the national M&A market and has been quoted in some of the nation’s most respected newspapers including the Forbes, New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, and the Los Angeles Times. As a speaker, he has engaged audiences from national organizations to local trade groups and international delegations.

Scott’s diverse background includes entrepreneurial endeavors, management, finance, and marketing. He has operated small startups and worked with international corporations. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Scott and his wife Cassie live in Green bay with their three children.