Jane Edwards
Executive Mosaic is pleased to introduce Baird Managing Director Jean Stack as an inductee into the Wash100 Award – an annual list of public and private sector leaders who are at the forefront of trends and events shaping the government contracting activity.
Vote for Jean Stack as your favorite GovCon leader as part of the 2024 Wash100 popular vote competition! Voting closes on April 30, so visit Wash100.com to cast your ten votes today.
This year marks Stack’s fourth Wash100 win, reflecting her contributions to the government contracting industry through her efforts advising companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising initiatives and other corporate strategies.
“Jean Stack is a GovCon powerhouse. Jean’s reputation as the ultimate networker is solidified by her consistent performance, by her strong online media presence and by Baird’s annual high-profile Defense Conference. Her enthusiastic, determined and well-informed approach to leadership is vital in the ever-evolving GovCon market, and it’s why we’ve chosen her as a Wash100 winner for the fourth time,” said Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award.
At Baird’s 6th Annual Government and Defense Conference in November, she noted in her State of the Market Update that M&A deals are “rebounding” in defense and government sectors despite a 24 percent decline in such transactions across industries in the U.S.
Supply chain issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and increased scrutiny from regulatory agencies have posed challenges to dealmaking, presenting companies with “significantly more cost” when pursuing acquisitions and “significantly more time to get approval,” according to Stack.
In 2023, Baird Global Investment Banking advised on several M&A deals and investments.
In September, a Cerberus Capital Management affiliate invested in aerospace survivability technology provider Resonant Sciences to help drive the latter’s product development strategies and growth initiatives. Baird acted as the exclusive financial adviser to Resonant Sciences on its deal with Cerberus’ Supply Chain and Strategic Opportunities platform.
The financial services company also played a role in the acquisition of Integrated Data Services by Arlington Capital Partners, serving as a buyside adviser in the transaction.
Agile Defense, an Enlightenment Capital portfolio company, purchased XOR Security in May as part of a push to expand its cybersecurity offerings for defense and national security customers. Baird exclusively advised XOR Security on the deal’s financial aspect.
In January 2023, AE Industrial Partners acquired a controlling stake in cyber technology company REDLattice through its third fund that launched in November 2022. For this transaction, Baird acted as financial adviser to REDLattice.
IT services contractor Redhorse moved to expand its cybersecurity intelligence offerings for national security customers with its acquisition of Allied Associates International in October. Baird acted as A2I’s exclusive financial adviser in the transaction.
Baird also served as one of VTG’s advisers in its transaction with A&M Capital Partners. VTG provides digital transformation and modernization platforms for customers in the defense and intelligence community.
In December, Bain Capital closed its $5.3 billion acquisition of Guidehouse. Baird advised Bain Capital on the deal’s financial matters.
Kratos Defense and Security Solutions kicked off the calendar year 2024 with a proposed underwritten public offering of $300 million of shares of its common stock. The defense contractor said it expects to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to buy up to an additional $45 million of shares of its common stock.
Stack announced in a LinkedIn post that Baird Global Investment Banking served as the lead bookrunner on Kratos’ proposed $345 million follow-on offering. The managing director noted that the transaction demonstrates Baird’s continued commitment to the defense technology sector.
Stack also serves as co-head of Baird’s government and defense investment banking practice.
Prior to Baird, she was a founding member of the aerospace, defense and government services group at Houlihan Lokey.
Executive Mosaic congratulates Jean Stack and the entire Baird team on their 2024 Wash100 Award selection. Cast your vote for her at Wash100.com.
