The M&A advisory practice of Bluestone Capital Partners merged into Houlihan Lokey’s Aerospace, Defense and Government Services (ADG) Group. Bluestone is a boutique investment banking firm which provides corporate finance and other advisory services to companies in the aerospace, defense and government services sectors.

John Allen, Susan Gabay and Greg Van Beuren will join Houlihan Lokey as managing directors in the ADG Group, overseeing the firm’s government services clients.

Allen, co-founder and CEO of Bluestone, has more than two decades of experience advising both Fortune 500 and middle-market companies, including some of the largest corporate and financial sponsor clients in the sector (such as Booz Allen, KeyW, ManTech and Veritas Capital). His prior experience also includes serving as co-owner of Windsor Group prior to its acquisition by BB&T in 2005 and co-president of Quarterdeck Investment Partners alongside Anita Antenucci, Houlihan Lokey’s head of the ADG Group, from 1994 until 2002.

Gabay, co-founder of Bluestone, and Van Beuren have worked alongside Allen at Windsor Group and BB&T. Together, the three partners have advised on more than 150 transactions across the aerospace, defense and government services sectors. Key recent transactions include the sale of Enlighten IT Consulting to MacAulay-Brow, Belcan’s purchase of The Kemtah Group and the acquisition of Owl Computing Technologies by QRC Technologies.

“The Bluestone team has closed transactions with nearly every type of buyer in the market, from large integrators to emerging mid-tier players to private equity-backed portfolio companies and leading financial sponsors,” Antenucci said. “Our government services clients will benefit substantially from their sector expertise, industry relationships, and invaluable market insight gleaned from more than 60 years of experience in the sector. John, Susan, Greg, and their colleagues are an outstanding addition to Houlihan Lokey’s industry-leading ADG Group,” she added.

In addition to the managing directors, Bluestone Vice President Garrett Asta and a team of analysts will be joining Houlihan Lokey’s ADG Group.