Our Team
Aaron has provided business valuation services to privately held companies since 2005. He is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) and holds the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA) designation. Aaron regularly performs valuations and fairness opinions for employee stock ownership plans, estate and gift taxes, buy/sell agreements, and other purposes. He also has experience valuing more complex securities such as employee stock options, warrants, and other derivative securities.
Aaron is an active member of The ESOP Association (member of Valuation Advisory Committee), the CFA Institute, the American Society of Appraisers, the National Center for Employee Ownership, and the Association for Corporate Growth.
Education: University of Northern Iowa, BA, Finance and Economics
Wayne D. Fjeld - CFA, ASA
Education: University of Victoria, British Columbia, Bachelor of Commerce in Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Managing Director and Partner
Wayne has provided valuation and consulting services since 2001. He has extensive experience with employee stock ownership plans, providing services for operating companies, limited liability companies, and family limited partnerships. Wayne has been the financial advisor to more than 100 ESOP-owned businesses and also has experience in estate and gift planning, S corporation elections, and corporate planning. Prior to joining Acclaro in September 2016, Wayne worked at Moss Adams, LLP, for 15 years with a practice that spanned the nation.
Wayne has presented at national conferences of The ESOP Association and the National Center for Employee Ownership, conducted webinars for the Construction Financial Management Association and the National Association of Surety Bond Producers, and has had articles published in numerous print and online publications. In addition, he has testified as a valuation expert in U.S. Tax Court.
Wayne is an active member of the CFA Institute, CFA Society of Seattle, American Society of Appraisers, The ESOP Association (member of Valuation Advisory Committee), and the National Center for Employee Ownership.
Thomas S. McQueen - ASA
Director and Partner
Tom has worked in the financial services and accounting industries since 2011. He joined Acclaro as an Analyst in 2013 and was named Partner in 2019.
He provides valuations for employee stock ownership plans (annual updates and transactions), estate planning and estate tax, litigation support, M&A, corporate planning, and various other purposes.
Tom is an active member of The ESOP Association, the American Society of Appraisers, the National Center for Employee Ownership, and the Association for Corporate Growth.
Education: Creighton University, Master of Investment Management & Financial Analysis
University of Iowa, BBA, Business Management and Certificate of Entrepreneurial Management
Jason rejoined Acclaro in 2019 as a Director and is based out of Greater Chicago. He was named Partner in 2021. Jason previously worked in Acclaro’s Omaha office from 2007 to 2010 before moving to Chicago and working for Houlihan Capital and Duff & Phelps.
Jason regularly performs valuations for public and privately held companies and other business interests for M&A, employee stock ownership plans, gift and estate planning, financial accounting, tax reporting, and fairness and solvency opinion purposes.
Jason is an active member of The ESOP Association, National Center for Employee Ownership, Association for Corporate Growth, CFA Society of Chicago, and the American Society of Appraisers.
Education: Creighton University, Master of Security Analysis & Portfolio Management
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, BS, Business Administration
Paul joined Acclaro in 2021 as Senior Vice President. He has been providing business valuation services to privately held companies since 2006 and regularly performs valuations of operating companies, limited liability companies, and family limited partnerships for gift and estate planning, buy/sell agreement, tax reporting, and various other purposes. Prior to joining Acclaro, Paul worked at RIC Closely Held Services, LLC in Omaha for eight years as Senior Vice President and Marshall & Stevens, Inc. in St. Louis for seven years as Senior Manager.
Paul has presented at the National Trust Closely Held Business Association, conducted webinars, and written articles on business valuation theory and fiduciary compliance requirements.
Paul is an active member of the American Society of Appraisers, The ESOP Association, and the National Center for Employee Ownership.
Education: Saint Louis University, BS, Business Administration, Finance
Cole S. Felber
Associate
Cole joined Acclaro in October 2020 as an Analyst and was promoted to Associate in July 2022. His responsibilities include company, industry, and economic research and the development of client valuation models and reports. Before joining Acclaro, he was an Intern at D.A. Davidson & Co.
Cole is an active member of The ESOP Association.
Education: Creighton University, Master of Investment Management & Financial Analysis
Nebraska Wesleyan University, BS, Economics
Tanner L. Comp - CPA/ABV
Associate
Tanner, a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Nebraska who also holds the Accredited in Business Valuation credential from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, joined Acclaro in June 2021 as an Analyst and was promoted to Associate in July 2022. His responsibilities include company, industry, and economic research and the development of client valuation models and reports. Before joining Acclaro, he was an auditor with Deloitte, LLP. His experiences as an auditor included auditing valuations ranging in size from $27 million to more than $755 million by challenging critical business assumptions associated with the income and market approaches. He has experience working in the healthcare and industrial products industries, as well as the technology, telecommunications, and media industry.
Tanner is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Education: University of South Dakota, Master of Professional Accountancy
University of South Dakota, Bachelor of Business Administration
Robert H. Hicks, Jr. - ASA
Bob has provided valuation and consulting services to privately held businesses since 1992 and has over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. He specializes in ESOP valuations and other business transition planning, tax-driven valuations, mergers and acquisitions, and investment banking.
Before joining Acclaro Valuation Advisors, Bob was the Managing Director of Kurios Financial Advisory, LLC, which he founded in 2005 as a boutique business valuation, appraisal, and financial advisory services firm serving clients up and down the West Coast. With the merger of Kurios and Acclaro in July 2012, Bob came on board as a Managing Director. Bob brings a depth of transactional experience and a consultative and problem-solving approach to Acclaro. He is a Certified Public Accountant (Inactive) that holds the Accredited in Business Valuation (Inactive) credential from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Education: Oregon State University, BS, Accounting and Finance
Matthew M. Finney
Analyst
Matt started with Acclaro as an Analyst in August 2022. Prior to joining the firm, Matt studied at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business, from which he graduated with high honors with a degree in Business Administration - Financial Analysis and Economics. His responsibilities at the firm include conducting company, industry, and economic research and developing client valuation models and reports.
Education: Creighton University, BS, Business Administration – Financial Analysis and Economics
Christopher M. Johnson
Analyst
Chris joined Acclaro as an Analyst in July 2023. His responsibilities at the firm include conducting company, industry, and economic research and the development of client valuation models and reports. Prior to joining Acclaro, Chris was an Investment Operations Intern at Principal Financial Group.
Chris graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2022 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Economics (expected graduation December 2025).
Education: University of Nebraska Omaha, BS, Business Administration
Parker J. Mispagel
Analyst
Parker joined Acclaro as an Analyst in July 2023. His responsibilities at the firm include conducting company, industry, and economic research and developing client valuation models and reports. Prior to joining the firm, Parker was an Investor Services Intern at Charles Schwab.
Education: Creighton University, BS, Business Administration - Financial Analysis
Deanne M. McCarrison
Documentation Manager
Deanne rejoined Acclaro in a full-time capacity in 2013 as Documentation Manager, and previously worked for the firm as a part-time proofreader from 2008 to 2010. A seasoned editing professional, Deanne reviews Acclaro’s valuation reports, bring-down letters and fairness opinions, proposals, engagement letters, and conference materials. Prior to rejoining Acclaro, she worked as an editor on a federal government contract involving Medicare. She also previously was a proofreader for a national advertising agency and AAA’s travel magazine, and has been a freelance editor since 2001 for many projects, including 11 published books.
Education: University of Nebraska Omaha, BA, Journalism
Lynn C. Brungardt
Business Manager
Lynn joined Acclaro in August 2021. She came to the firm with more than 25 years of business experience in several different industries, with the majority of her experience in the financial services and real estate realms. Lynn manages Acclaro’s general business operations, including human resources, information technology, coordination of memberships and conferences, accounting, and administrative support.
Education: Bellevue University, BS, Business Management
Jenna M. Aker
Editor
Jenna joined Acclaro in November 2022 as a part-time Editor. She helps to review the industry and local economy sections of Acclaro’s valuation reports, along with editing other firm documents and assisting in finalizing reports for clients. Before joining Acclaro, she was a freelance writer and editor for a variety of industries.