Regardless of a business's philosophy or strategy, without the right staff, success is extremely difficult, especially in the business brokerage and M&A world. The proper execution of a business sale transaction from inception to closing requires a culmination of many skills- including sales & marketing, knowledge of accounting, auditing, knowledge of business valuations, negotiations, resource management, project management, and so on; our greatest differentiator is our staff's experience in these areas.

Salvatore B. Urso • Founder, Broker
Salvatore Urso founded Florida Business Acquisitions in 2006 after the realization that the business brokerage industry was in dire need of a company that is equipped with the proper tools and only allows competent, professional, ethical associates to perform business brokerage services. He developed a proprietary system that is based around detailed business analysis, marketing and sales techniques that produce dispassionate results for all parties involved. He has over 20 yrs of experience in business, sales, marketing, and finance that has rendered him very adept and effective at selling companies. Aside from Florida Business Acquisitions, he co-founded two family businesses; he has personally invested in, bought, managed and sold investment properties and businesses for two decades. His fundamental recipe is to combine integrity, honesty, experience and attention to detail, so the buyer and seller both experience a win-win business transaction. To that end, this company will not sell a business that he personally would not buy for himself.

Salvatore was born in Sicily, Italy. He immigrated with his family in 1969 at the age of five. He grew up as an American with immigrant work ethic. He has been a resident of Temple Terrace, Florida for 36 years. He graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Electrical Engineering.

Franc Urso • Sr. Associate • CPA • MBA
Franc is a Certified Public Accountant in Florida with nearly 20 years of experience in business consulting and operations and buying and selling businesses. Franc began his business career when he co-founded a real estate investment group that purchased, managed and sold commercial real estate and retail property. Franc has a Masters Degree from the University of Florida in Accounting and a Bachelors Degree in Accounting and Engineering from the University of South Florida.

After graduating from UF Franc joined the Tampa office of Price Waterhouse where he serviced clients in the manufacturing, real estate, retail and financial services industries. His clients included both large and small companies like Thrucomm, Lykes Brothers, Walter Industries, World Access, Nobility Homes, Sun Hydraulics, Pinnacle Towers, Prudential Florida Realty, Bay Transportation, Lehigh Acres, Celotex, Health Plan Services, Harvard Industries and Disney. His primary responsibilities included auditing his client's books and records and performing due diligence for acquisitions. Franc was also involved in the IPO of Sun Hydraulics.

Franc became Controller for Thrucomm, Inc., an early-stage high-growth telecommunications company, located in St. Petersburg, Florida. While at Thrucomm, Franc was successful in raising $6.5 million in bridge financing and $5 million in leasing financing; completed a private placement of $15 million in Senior Preferred Stock; and raised $70 million in capital from private equities market. Franc was also responsible for day-to-day activities of the accounting department and completing special projects for the executive team.

Franc then joined Gulf Atlantic Capital, an investment banking firm, located in Tampa, Florida, where he helped clients sell their middle market companies. While at Gulf Atlantic, Franc was integral in selling the following businesses:

• $45 million wallboard manufacturer, located in Birmingham, Alabama
• $6 million apparel machinery manufacturer, located in Atlanta, Georgia
• $100 million auto parts distributor, located in Dallas, Texas and Tampa, Florida
• $50 million 50-chain restaurant franchisee, located in Scottsdale, Arizona
• $15 million specialty wire manufacturer, located in New York, New York
• $80 million go-cart manufacturer, located in Ft. Wayne, Indiana

Brad Freeman • Associate • CPA

Brad Freeman is a Certified Public Accountant. He brings an innovative, refreshing perspective to the business brokerage industry. Brad graduated with degrees in Accounting and Finance from Florida State University.  After graduating from FSU, Brad worked in Public Accounting joining Vestal & Wiler in Orlando and Deloitte & Touche in Tampa where he serviced clients in the manufacturing, real estate development, utilities, hospitality, and insurance industries. His clients included both large and small companies like Met Life, Progress Energy, MC Test and Assembly, and Flanders/Precisionaire. His primary responsibilities included auditing his client's books and records and performing due diligence for acquisitions/dispositions.

After Deloitte, Brad became the Florida Controller for Anthony & Sylvan Pools, a national manufacturer of pools.  While at A&S, Brad helped develop strategic goals in reviewing financial reports; he highlighted favorable and unfavorable variances, including trends that may impact the future performance of the business. Brad also analyzed procedures for receiving, storing, relieving and costing inventory.

His experience as a CPA provided him with extensive financial analysis experience combined with integrity and honesty, which is critical to a successful business transaction. This diversified business experience has broadened Mr. Freeman into a knowledgeable business intermediary. Brad’s overall background in selling companies, leadership experience, and attention to details are essential elements to selling and buying a business for a fair price.

Christopher E. Henderson • Associate
Chris graduated from the University of Georgia with an MS in artificial intelligence and a BS in computer science.  He has lived in the Orlando area since 1997. He has more than fifteen years of business experience including large-scale project management, budgeting, financial analysis, staffing, business acquisition, customer relationship management, and technical oversight. He has also owned and managed personal real estate investments for over 15 years.

After working for years in a large corporate environment with companies such as Lockheed Martin, TRW, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and SAIC, he founded his own company, which was consistently one of the top performers of its type nationally.  Organized from the outset for eventual sale, this business sold within weeks for full asking price.

While selling his own company, Chris became fascinated by the workings of the business brokerage industry and realized it would be a good fit for his analytical, organizational, and communication skills. He was recruited to join the firm not only for these professional skills, but also because of his integrity and personal attributes.

Stephen J. Morehouse • Associate • MBA
Stephen Morehouse is a Graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where he majored in business. He obtained his MBA from The Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College in 1992. Steve held a procurement Directors position at Siemens Corporation from 1993-1996 where at the time he was the youngest person to ever hold that position. Steve successfully managed over $500 million dollars of purchasing expenditures while strategically marketing to the various Siemens suppliers to achieve a greater than 10% cost reduction year on year. In 1996 Steve left to join a large manufacturers' representative firm in Florida. In less than three years he was the standout salesman of the company and in 2002 was made partner and sales director and drove a $200 million dollar sales force before leaving the company to join Florida Business Acquisitions, Co.

Bill Burnham • Associate • MBA
Bill Burnham is a lifelong resident of the Tampa Bay area. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida where he majored in Accounting. He obtained his MBA from The Florida Institute of Technology in 1983. Bill has 25 years experience working with Fortune 500 companies, nearly twenty of those years in management positions. During that time he managed over 200 employees and spent time in accounting, finance, manufacturing, production control and strategic planning. He managed government contract budgets in excess of 50 million dollars and operating budgets of more than 25 million dollars. He prepared analysis for potential acquisitions, proposals for government contracts and conducted companywide training programs on several different topics. Bill’s experience includes successfully integrating the manufacturing operations of acquired companies into existing operations on two separate occasions. He also led the implementation of a new MRP system which was completed six months ahead of schedule. Complementing his large company background, Bill also has five years experience as a small business owner. In his own business Bill tripled his sales, achieved twenty percent profit margins and retained ninety eight percent of his customers in his first four years in business. Bill combines this diverse background of experience with a passion for small businesses and an overarching commitment to honesty to make him uniquely qualified as an associate with Florida Business Acquisitions.

Patrick Hurley • Associate • MBA
Patrick is a Tallahassee native whose family has resided in north Florida since the mid 1950’s. He attended undergraduate school at Stetson University, where he earned his BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) with majors in Marketing and Business Administration and minors in Management and Electronic Business Technology in 2003.

Upon graduation, he returned home and began a career in real estate working hand and hand with an experienced private investor to expand his portfolio. In 2004, Patrick obtained his real estate license and was highly recruited by several real estate firms. His marketing and management knowledge served him well, and he facilitated over $25 million in sales between 2004-2008. After four years in residential sales, Patrick partnered with an associate and formed H2 Real Estate Group LLC and H2 Mgt. LLC to better serve the needs of his growing clientele and to expand their business to include property management and commercial real estate sales.

In addition to his professional experience, he is extensively involved in his community in many ways. He is a co-founder of Male-cancer Awareness Now (MAN), chairman of Tallahassee YPN (Young Professional Network for the Florida Association of Realtors), serves on the board for Keep Tallahassee Leon County Beautiful, and belongs to both Access Tallahassee and Network of Young Professionals.

Patrick joined Florida Business Acquisitions in 2010, bringing with him fresh perspectives, extensive connections, and the type of work ethic that set us apart. In addition, our Tallahassee office has expanded our coverage area to include North Florida, spanning from Jacksonville to Pensacola.