Consumer & Retail

Joe Anto is a Managing Director in PCE’s investment banking group. With more than 20 years of finance, M&A, and C-level experience in various industries, he is well-equipped to advise middle market clients on potential M&A and financing opportunities.

Throughout his career, Joe has executed more than $3.5 billion in M&A and financing transactions across a variety of sectors. As a former business owner and C-suite executive, Joe understands the challenges clients face when evaluating strategic transactions.

Prior to joining PCE, Joe was CEO and CFO for a publicly-traded retail and pharmacy chain with 550+ stores and $2 billion+ in revenue. Joe also served as SVP of M&A and Investments for one of the largest newspaper holding companies in the U.S. Earlier in his career, Joe served as Director of Investments for a distressed and special situations hedge fund and also worked in venture capital and investment banking.

Certifications & Affiliations

• FINRA Series 24 and 79 Securities License
• Member - Association for Corporate Growth, South Florida Chapter

Education

• Emory University, BBA with Concentrations in Finance & Information Technology
• Columbia University, MBA with Concentration in Finance

Located in PCE’s Chicago area office, Eric Zaleski is a part of PCE’s ESOP Advisory Group. With over 20 years of experience advising middle market clients with liquidity and growth financing initiatives, often involving ESOPs, Eric understands the challenges that business owners face in growing and funding their companies.

With tremendous insight into the benefits associated with ESOPs, Eric has the analytical and organizational skills to guide business owners through the most complex ESOP structures. Over the years, Eric has established a proven track record of providing business owners with strategic advice for the implementation and financing of ESOPs to meet their objectives.

Prior to joining PCE, Eric served as Senior Vice President – ESOP Division Manager of a Chicago based bank. Throughout his career, Eric has managed nearly half a billion in commitments on middle market senior loans. Additionally, over the past 15+ years, Eric was responsible for sourcing more than $1 billion in ESOP and leveraged financed opportunities.

Certifications Affiliations

• Member – National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO)
• Member – The ESOP Association
• Member – The Ohio Employee Ownership Center
• FINRA Series 24 & 79 Securities Licenses

Service

• Executive Committee Member – Small Business Growth Corporations
• Former Board Member – Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation (2006 – 2009)

Education

• BA, Criminal Justice/Psychology, Aurora University, Chicago, IL

Kyle Wishing is a Director in PCE's ESOP Advisory Group and is located in our Atlanta area office. In this role, Kyle provides financial advice to shareholders and fiduciaries to structure transactions that meet the client’s stated goals and objectives. With more than a decade of consulting and valuation expertise advising middle market clients on ESOP transactions and financing activities, Kyle understands the obstacles business owners encounter when attempting to grow and fund closely held enterprises.

Kyle’s past work experience includes providing valuation and financial advisory services for a national valuation firm, where he served as the firm’s ESOP practice leader. In addition to Kyle’s ESOP specialization, he prepared valuations for tax planning and compliance, forensic analysis and dispute resolution, strategic information and corporate planning, and financial reporting purposes.

Kyle has a diversified background, working with public and private companies in various industries.

Certifications and Affiliations

• Accredited Senior Appraiser from the American Society of Appraisers
• Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder and member of the Atlanta CFA Society
• FINRA Series 24 and 79 Securities License
• Member of the ESOP Association
• Member of the National Center for Employee Ownership

Education

• Middle Tennessee State University, Bachelor of Business Administration in Corporate Finance