Meet The Panelists for The Business Succession / Maximizing the Value of your Business Event

Christian W. Blees

CPA/ABV, CM&AA

Chris is a cpa and middle-market investment banker specializing in the sale of closely held middle-market companies.
Chris began his career as a cpa at biggskofford pc, with offices in colorado springs and denver.
In 2003, chris launched the firms m&a practice, known as biggskofford capital. In 2007 he was also appointed as the cpa firms managing partner. Chris has become a leader in the m&a sector, through his involvement in over 300 merger, acquisition, and sale transactions.
Chris is a member of the founders circle for the alliance of merger & acquisition advisors (am&aa) and was elected chairman of the am&aa in 2020. Through the am&aa, he serves as the lead instructor for the certified merger & acquisition advisor (cm&aa) program, having personally instructed over 1,000 certified m&a professionals throughout the world. Chris was instrumental in expanding the cm&aa curriculum and has taught in partnership with university executive mba programs at pepperdine, loyola, depaul, asu, wake forrest, university of maryland, and others. Wiley finance publishing engaged chris as co-author of middle market m&a, which is now used in continuing education courses and by investment bankers and m&a advisors around the world. Chris is a cpa/abv, cm&aa, and he holds series 7, 63, and 79 investment banking securities licenses.
Chris remains active in many professional organizations, including having served for years on the board of directors for the colorado springs chamber & edc, the uccs chancellors leadership council, the alliance of m&a advisors (am&aa), and chairman for western colorado university (wsu) board of trustees.
Personally, chris and his family enjoy mountain sports and athletic pursuits. Along with his wife and children, the blees family has climbed all of colorados 14,000-foot peeks, as well as other mountains throughout the world such as ranier, denali and kilimanjaro. He enjoys running ultra-marathons and ironman triathlons.

Chris is a CPA and Middle-Market Investment Banker specializing in the sale
of closely held middle-market companies.
Chris began his career as a CPA at BiggsKofford PC, with offices in Colorado
Springs and Denver. In 2003, Chris launched the firm’s M&A practice, known
as BiggsKofford Capital. In 2007 he was also appointed as the CPA firm’s
Managing Partner. Chris has become a leader in the M&A sector, through his
involvement in over 300 merger, acquisition, and sale transactions.
Chris is a member of the “Founders Circle” for the Alliance of Merger &
Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA) and was elected Chairman of the AM&AA in 2020. Through the
AM&AA, he serves as the lead instructor for the Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA)
program, having personally instructed over 1,000 Certified M&A professionals throughout the world. Chris
was instrumental in expanding the CM&AA curriculum and has taught in partnership with university
Executive MBA programs at Pepperdine, Loyola, DePaul, ASU, Wake Forrest, University of Maryland,
and others.
Wiley Finance Publishing engaged Chris as co-author of “Middle Market M&A”, which is now used in
continuing education courses and by investment bankers and M&A advisors around the world. Chris is a
CPA/ABV, CM&AA, and he holds Series 7, 63, and 79 Investment Banking securities licenses.
Chris remains active in many professional organizations, including having served for years on the Board of
Directors for the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, the UCCS Chancellor’s Leadership Council, the
Alliance of M&A Advisors (AM&AA), and Chairman for Western Colorado University (WSU) Board of
Trustees.
Personally, Chris and his family enjoy mountain sports and athletic pursuits. Along with his wife and
children, the Blees family has climbed all of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peeks, as well as other mountains
throughout the world such as Ranier, Denali and Kilimanjaro. He enjoys running ultra-marathons and
Ironman triathlons.
Chris can be reached at: cblees@biggskofford.com

Kevin O'Neil

CEO, The O'Neil Group Company

A native of Colorado Springs, Kevin O’Neil has balanced his entrepreneurial efforts with a commitment to paying it forward. Kevin launched his first company in 1982 and graduated cum laude from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 1989.

Kevin is a multifaceted business entrepreneur with a wide business portfolio that ranges from residential and commercial real estate development to aero and cyberspace technology. Inherent in each of his ventures is a community development component, whether economic growth through bringing new jobs and companies to the Pikes Peak region or support of local charities and non-profits in the form of volunteering his financial and business expertise.

Kevin is passionate about engaging local students in the engineering field and encouraging them to stay in Colorado Springs to take advantage of local opportunities for education and training. This endeavor includes a partnership he has formed with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in which he has created substantial scholarship funds, as well as volunteering his time and resources for speaking engagements to middle and high school students.

Some of Kevin’s accomplishments include being a 2016 Colorado Technology Association’s APEX awards nominee, as well as the winner of the 2019 Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance’s Business Citizen of the Year.

Mark Tomasulo

CEO/Founder of PeakMed Direct Primary Care

Physician/Entrepreneur/Executive with extensive experience as primary care doctor, hospitalist, managed care medical director, CEO/Founder of PeakMed Direct Primary Care and benefits consultant. Skills include health claim analysis, predictive modeling, implementation of wellness programs, strategic planning, business development, claim review, knowledge of multiple cost containment solutions for health care, and quality/cost issues facing employers today.
Specialties:
As CEO/Founder of PeakMed Direct Primary Care, I helped create a platform allowing doctors and patients to communicate, manage, and collaborate individualized care plans without the constraints of a broken system. PeakMed is redefining health care transparency, costs, technology, care coordination, and has created a continuum that is doctor-centered and patient-focused.
As a physician and benefits consultant, I provide insights, guidance and risk mitigation expertise to reduce costs and improve employee well-being and productivity. Performing a thorough analysis of population health and claims data, I identify cost drivers and health risks and make recommendations regarding appropriate lifestyle and medical management programs and strategies. I also evaluate the quality of care being delivered and support the development of strategies to improve the health status of an employer’s population. I assist in communications with carriers and providers to negotiate claims, provide guidance in the evaluation of service vendors and act as a resource and subject matter expert.