Our Story
It started with a realization and a plan. Discover the beginnings of Ackerman Group.
Over 18 years ago, Dr. Gary Ackerman noticed an obvious knowledge gap among his fellow veterinarians: Many did not know when to sell their practices, how to negotiate a good deal, or how to effectively plan for retirement. His colleagues were not taking full advantage of market pricing, transition planning, or retirement preparation – and they had no clue where to start.
As a veterinarian, former multiple-practice owner, licensed commercial real estate agent, and investment advisor, Dr. Ackerman’s experience was (and continues to be) uniquely positioned to help veterinarians sell their practices. Consequently, he developed a specialized and educational approach to veterinary practice sales to ensure practice owners secure the terms they want, and ultimately realize their dreams of retirement. Dr. Ackerman’s consistent success with ‘clients’ led to team expansion and the official formation of Ackerman Group.
Fast forward to today: Ackerman Group has guided more than 200 practice owners in successfully transitioning their businesses. Guided by Dr. Ackerman’s commitment and holistic approach, Ackerman Group focuses on veterinary practice sales, specifically in the corporate market, to the benefit of clients and their legacies.
Our purpose and passion are the same: to help veterinary practice owners, like you, navigate the complexities of selling your practice so you can secure your personal and financial legacies with confidence.
Whatever your goals may be, our motto remains “Best Price. Best Terms. Best Fit.”, where we strive to help you shape the future you want for yourself and for your practice.
Considering selling your veterinary practice? Start here.
We offer options for veterinarians at any stage in the transition process.
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What does Ackerman Group do?
Our team guides veterinarians in corporate practice sales. With quality relationships and deep market expertise, Ackerman Group helps you navigate every aspect of the transition process to successfully sell your practice in the corporate market.
Our team works with you to customize a transition plan that advances your professional and personal goals. We design a plan to secure your personal terms, find the best cultural fit for your practice, and negotiate the best price. Ackerman Group has helped over 200 practice owners successfully sell on their own terms.
Why should I partner with Ackerman Group to sell my practice?
Our breadth and depth of experience in all aspects of veterinary practice sales is unmatched: From negotiating employment agreements and exit strategies, to analyzing private equity offers and tax mitigation techniques, we know the market trends, the buyers, and how you can carve out the future you want.
We’ve brokered more practices to corporate groups than anyone else in the veterinary profession. With more than 200 deals facilitated since 2017, and over $1B in combined value of practices brokered by Ackerman since 2020, we are the preferred practice sales broker among veterinarians.
Why does Ackerman Group only sell practices to the corporate market?
The corporate consolidation of the veterinary industry is expected to continue for several years as high-quality practices are available and in high-demand. Corporations are looking for well-run, profitable practices that will fit into the business culture and brand they are building nationwide. It’s due to the quality of veterinary practices we represent that corporations rely on Ackerman Group to help them find the right practices to grow their companies.
While today’s corporate market is exciting, it’s equally complex. At Ackerman Group, we enjoy specializing in the corporate space and are attuned to its market changes, the specific buyers and their strategies, and the intricacies of the transaction process.
What is the Ackerman Process and how does it work?
The Ackerman Process is the proprietary approach we use to help you successfully sell your practice to the corporate market. It’s a comprehensive process and methodology we’ve followed for years that’s proven to help you secure the best price, best terms, and best fit for your veterinary practice.
We start with document and data collection to gain a deep understanding of your goals, the current state of your practice, and your practice’s financials. We’ll provide in-depth consultations to help you identify, plan, and prepare your practice to enter the corporate market. Finally, Ackerman Group works with you to evaluate your offers, negotiate terms, and close successfully. You can read about the Ackerman Process and its steps in more detail here.
I’m interested in working with Ackerman Group to sell my practice. What next?
Whether you’re set on selling your practice, or the idea is a brief passing thought, we have options for veterinarians at any stage.
Book a time to chat with Ackerman Group. We offer 30-minute and 60-minute consultations for any purpose: answering your questions, providing advice, or sharing more about what we do.
Schedule a Virtual 1:1
Want to see what your practice is worth? Start our Practice eValuation process, where you can see a “snapshot” of your practice’s profitability in the corporate market.
Start the Practice eValuation
Other inquiries? Call us at 804-382-5160 or send us a note at [email protected] and we’d be happy to help.
Dr. Gary Ackerman
Founder & Co-CEO
Dr. Gary Ackerman is the Co-CEO of Ackerman Group, having founded the company 20 years ago after developing a proprietary process that helps practice owners successfully sell to the corporate market. You can read more about the story of Ackerman Group here.
Gary earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia before establishing his own multi-doctor, multi-site practice in Virginia. After growing his veterinary practices for 20 years, he sold them to a corporate buyer in 2001, where he experienced the transition process firsthand.
Throughout his career, Gary gained a wealth of knowledge and experience across many different areas that position him as an industry leader in the veterinary world today. In addition to being a DVM and former veterinary practice owner, he is also a licensed commercial real estate agent and investment advisor. His areas of expertise include (but are not limited to): corporate consolidation, veterinary practice ownership, business growth and management, real estate transactions and construction planning, tax mitigation strategies, practice transitions, due diligence, practice valuations, and negotiations.
Gary is a regular speaker at veterinary conferences and events, and he is an approved CE teacher for numerous realtor, accounting, and legal firms. He is published across multiple trade magazines and management publications where he writes about real estate issues in healthcare as well as practice transitions.
Gary lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wife Brenda. He has two children in college. When time permits, he enjoys water sports and an occasional game of racquetball.
The Comprehensive, Proven Ackerman Process.
Our methodology is developed to help you navigate every aspect of the transition process with ease and control, while we handle the heavy lifting and minute details.
From negotiating employment agreements and exit strategies, to analyzing private equity offers and tax mitigation techniques, we know the market trends, the buyers, and how you can carve out the future you want.
Every practice is different, and every plan is personalized. The Ackerman Process can last up to seven months and leaves no stone unturned. We plan, identify, negotiate, and close while educating and preparing you to sell throughout the partnership.