We work with Diamond Capital Advisors, one of the top Investment Banking firms in Los Angeles, on client assignments which require a team approach.
Meet the Team
Managing Director
Mike Simon
Mike has over 20 years of corporate finance experience focused primarily on strategic mergers & acquisitions made on behalf of middle-market and larger corporate clients, primarily cross-border transactions between Europe and the United States.
Previously he was managing director at Glocap Advisors, LLC and principal at American Corporate Services. Prior to joining ACS, Mike was a Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager of Ferranti High Technology, a venture capital firm funded by UK based companies active in the technology industry and Baring Brothers (Now ING group N.V.) While at Ferranti, he was involved in raising capital, restructuring, M&A, and valuation advisory for companies in the technology sector. He also served as a director of several portfolio companies. Mike has operating experience with technology companies in a number of positions.
Mike earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He holds Series 7, 24, 63, and 79 licenses with FINRA. Michael Simon FINRA broker page
Areas of Speciality: Information technology, photonics, sensors, and electronics hardware.
Managing Partner
Shawn Thompson
Shawn has executed transactions in a range of industries including consumer products, technology, healthcare, manufacturing, distribution, retail, and business services. Previously, he worked at JP Morgan, Barrington Associates (now Intrepid), Mosaic Capital, and other middle market investment banking firms. He has completed over 50 transactions in sell-side advisory, buy-side advisory, leveraged buyouts, restructuring, and valuations.
Shawn earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania (Magna Cum Laude). Shawn is FINRA licensed (Series 79, 63).
Shawn enjoys playing and listening to live music, reading, spending time with his son (including being beaten at video games), and attending sporting events across Los Angeles. Shawn Thompson FINRA Brokercheck page
Vice President
Nicholas Berquist
Nick previously worked with Strategic Wealth Management Group and passed his CFA Level One certification examination on the first try. His experience includes investment strategy optimization, portfolio modeling, and data visualization.
Prior to joining ACS Nick was an operations manager in the hospitality industry. He demonstrated excellence in growing revenue and profits for both new ventures and seasoned establishments. During his time in hospitality management, he was involved in activities ranging from bulk purchase negotiations, management training and hiring, vertical integration, product sourcing, and cost center control.
Nick graduated Manga Cum Laude from Penn State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. Nick Berquist FINRA broker page
Industry Specialist
Warren Vidrine
Warren Vidrine is one of the world's leading experts in molecular spectroscopy. For over 30 years he has provided domestic and international companies with corporate technology evaluations and laboratory instrument design services.
He has assisted companies in developing ground-breaking products, including the first FT-IR process analyzer. Additionally, he has assisted in optimizing and deploying a broad range of spectrometry systems, from UV-Vis to FT-IR, NMR, as well as MS, LC, GC, SFC, and electro chemistry instruments and systems. Warren has helped many companies overcome quality and manufacturability issues.
Warren has numerous patents, awards, publications, and has been an invited speaker at 24 international conferences on four continents. He received his BS in Chemistry at Spring Hill College (ACS certified program), MS in Biochemistry at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, and Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry at the University of South Carolina.