George Odden
Partner
As an investment banker of over 25 years, George Odden has worked for multinational banks conducting transactions valued in the billions of dollars, as well as having worked in the middle market helping small companies find the right partners to reach business owners’ goals. He started his career as an officer in the United States Navy, serving aboard the USS Tripoli in support of Operation Desert Storm.
Having worked on Wall Street at Dillon Read and UBS, with transactions including mergers and acquisitions as well as debt and equity financing, Mr. Odden also led the M&A efforts of two Fortune 500 companies, Rockwell International and Honeywell Aerospace, working to grow these businesses through acquisition and joint venture. Mr. Odden left corporate America to return to investment banking, where he now serves small and middle market clients, primarily helping private owners sell their businesses. Mr. Odden earned a BA from Cornell University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Jordan Geotas
Partner
Jordan Geotas is a mergers and acquisitions advisor, licensed attorney, and a commercial real estate broker. In his career he has been instrumental in advising businesses in the divestiture process and for commercial real estate transactions and commercial mortgages.
Mr. Geotas has been a licensed attorney for over 30 years and brings over 20 years of investment banking experience. Mr. Geotas earned a BA in Political Science and Philosophy from Rutgers College and a Juris Doctorate from Arizona State University. Jordan lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife. They have two grown children.
Chris Collins
Managing Director
Chris is a career M&A professional more than 20 years of domestic and cross-border experience as both an investment banker and the leader of corporate acquisitions and divestitures for major public companies and institutional investors. Having closed dozens of deals in various capacities, industries and geographies, Chris has unique sell- and buy-side experience that inures to the benefit of his clients.
Chris began his M&A career in investment banking, advising business owners on the sale of their companies while working at Deloitte Corporate Finance and an investment bank subsequently acquired by Citigroup. Chris then transitioned to corporate roles, leading acquisitions and divestitures for Experian, Ryder and UTi Worldwide, all multi-billion-dollar public companies, as well as for INTTRA, a private company owned by institutional investors.
Chris received a BA in economics from Swarthmore College, where he was quarterback of the football team and captain of the track team. Chris attended graduate school at UCLA, receiving an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and a JD from the UCLA School of Law. Chris is a member of The State Bar of California, and he holds FINRA Series 79 and 63 licenses.
Nick Rossi
VP of Business Development
Nick Rossi brings over 10 years of experience working with small business owners, having served most recently as a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors and a senior associate at a Phoenix-based M&A and commercial real estate firm before becoming a founding member of the team at Ardent.
In his current role, Mr. Rossi diligently assists clients through the full spectrum of the M&A, commercial real estate, and commercial finance processes to bring about a successful close. In his prior professional experience, he successfully managed a portfolio of high net-worth individuals at Wells Fargo Advisors, among other accomplishments.
Mr. Rossi earned a BS in Finance from Arizona State University.