Mackinac Partners was recognized with a 2014 Champions Award from the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and The M&A Advisor for its role as restructuring financial advisor and chief restructuring officer to AgFeed Industries. The award was presented by ACG’s New York chapter in the M&A Consumer Deal of the Year (Under 50MM) category for the successful sale of AgFeed China to Ningbo Tech Bank.

Keith Maib, a senior managing director for Mackinac Partners, who helped direct the transaction, was also named as one of the “Top 100 Global Restructuring and Turnaround Professionals for 2014” by the Global M&A Network, an organization of financial leaders across the M&A, turnaround and alternative investor communities.

“We are always humbled by industry recognition we receive for accomplishments that come with serving our clients and getting the job done right,” Senior Managing Director Keith Maib said. “The most successful restructurings and M&A deals only happen when a lot of parties work together to drive value, so our appreciation goes out to everyone we worked with to help AgFeed Industries attain maximum value on this important engagement.”

The transaction, which is one of the first ever acquisitions by a Chinese company of the Chinese operations of US Chapter 11 debtor, has been recognized by a number of leading M&A organizations and analysts for its success and complexity including recently being awarded “Cross Border Special Situation M&A Deal of the Year – Mid-Market” by the Global M&A Network. Mackinac Partners received three 2014 Atlas awards earlier this year from The M&A Advisor related to the deal, including International M&A Deal of the Year, Agriculture Deal of the Year, and §363 Sale of the Year.

“We’re very pleased that Keith has been recognized as a ‘Top 100 Global Restructuring and Turnaround professional,’” said Jim Weissenborn, managing partner of Mackinac Partners. “His strong commitment to delivering value through strategic solutions that reflect innovative thinking, financial dexterity, and great client service places him in a very unique peer group of dealmakers. Congratulations to Keith and the entire Mackinac Partners team on being recognized by ACG®, The M&A Advisor and the Global M&A Network for strong value delivered in M&A transactions this year.”