As chair of the Compensation & Employment Group, Andy leads the Firm’s executive compensation and employee benefits practice with skill and insight brought on from years of counseling boards of directors, compensation committees, and senior management of both public and private companies. Whether its the design and implementation of equity and cash incentive programs, nonqualified deferred compensation plans and tax-qualified retirement plans, or advising clients during their mergers, acquisitions, and other business transactions, Andy is always at the ready to hone in on a wide range of issues with laser-like focus.
This broad experience doesn’t exclude the administration and compliance side of compensation and employee benefits matters either. Andy regularly works with the legal, human resources, and finance functions of public and private companies to assist them with the various concerns commonly encountered when dealing with the correction of tax-qualified plan errors, ERISA’s fiduciary duty and prohibited transaction rules, and reviews by regulatory agencies, including DOL and IRS audits.
A frequent speaker at seminars on executive compensation and employee benefits, Andy is an adjunct professor in the Master of Science in Taxation Program at DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. He was also a former Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at Merit Music located in Chicago, which provides high-quality music education so children may experience its transformative power. Andy himself is a very, very below average piano student.
Representative Experience
Issuer’s counsel for the $69.1 million initial public offering of Alerus Financial Corporation (ALRS/Nasdaq), a financial holding company headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota (2019 – Raymond James).
Representation of Anchor Bancorp, Inc. in connection with its sale to Old National Bancorp (Nasdaq: ONB).
Representation of Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: BWB) and its subsidiary Bridgewater Bank (HQ: Minnesota) in M&A, IPO, subordinated debt, and other transactions.
Represented CNB Bank Shares, Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Jacksonville Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: JXSB).
Represented Dieterich Bank of Effingham, Illinois, in connection with its acquisition of five Illinois branches of First Bank, St. Louis, Missouri.
Represented First American Bank in connection with its acquisition of Miami-based Continental National Bank, the first Cuban-American owned bank in the U.S.
Represented First BancTrust Corporation (OTCQX: FIRT) in connection with the acquisition by First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMBH).
Represented Northern States Financial Corporation (OTCPINK: NSFC), in entering into a definitive agreement in which Northern States merged with First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMBI).
Represented Prairie State Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for Farmers State Bank of Danforth, in connection with an acquisition that will merge Farmers State Bank of Danforth into First Trust Bank of Illinois – a First Trust Financial Corp. unit – which will operate under the name First Trust Bank.
Served as primary counsel to Invesque Inc. (TSX: IVQ.U) ("Invesque"), a healthcare real estate company serving the U.S. and Canada, in its acquisition of a number of senior living properties and Commonwealth Senior Living, LLC ("Commonwealth"), a transaction that will position Invesque as a leading healthcare platform and open the door for future growth.
Representation of Level One Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: LEVL) and its subsidiary Level One Bank (HQ: Michigan) in M&A, IPO, subordinated debt, and other transactions.
Represented Gateway Banc Corp. in connection with its definitive merger agreement with McLaughlin Holding Company.
Represented Midland States Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSBI) in connection with its acquisition of Alpine Bancorporation, Inc.
Representation of Midland States Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSBI) in connection with its acquisition of Centrue Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: CFCB).
Representation of Moët Hennessy, a division of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, in its partnership with Shawn Jay-Z Carter, pursuant to which Moët Hennessy acquired a 50% stake in the Champagne brand, Armand de Brignac, previously wholly-owned by Jay-Z.
Represented QCR Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: QCRH) in connection with its acquisition of Springfield Bancshares, Inc.
Served as counsel to PGB Holdings, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pacific Global Bank ("PGB"), in their acquisition by RBB Bancorp (Nasdaq: RBB) and its subsidiary, Royal Business Bank.
Acted as legal counsel to STC Bancshares Corp. in connection with its pending acquisition by Wintrust Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: WTFC).
Activities & Honors
- Selected, Leading Lawyers Network (2021-2023)
- Adjunct Faculty, Master of Science in Taxation Program, Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, DePaul University
Charitable & Community Organizations
- Former Vice Chair, Board of Trustees, Merit School of Music
- Volunteer, Project SALUTE (A pro bono legal project that provides assistance exclusively on federal benefits issues to U.S. military veterans)
Speaking Engagements & Presentations
Articles & Publications
News
Education
University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation, 1998
Loyola University Chicago, J.D., cum laude, 1996
Loyola University Chicago, School of Business Administration, B.B.A., 1994
Bar & Court Admissions
- State of Illinois
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