Two business brokers from Transworld Business Advisors of South and West Texas have earned the International Business Brokers Association’s highest individual honor, the Platinum Chairman’s Circle Award, presented at the organization’s 2026 annual conference in Minneapolis.
Steve Merritt and Wayne Blease each qualified for the distinction by closing more than $10 million in verified business transactions during 2025 — a threshold that places them among the most productive dealmakers in the business brokerage industry.
The Business Brokerage Market in Context
The IBBA Platinum Chairman’s Circle represents the upper echelon of business transaction professionals. Qualifying requires not just volume but verified deal completion, meaning each transaction must meet the association’s documentation and reporting standards. The $10 million threshold encompasses the total value of qualifying deals closed within the calendar year.
Business brokerage occupies a critical position in the broader financial services ecosystem. While investment banks handle large-cap mergers and acquisitions, and real estate agents manage property transactions, business brokers facilitate the sale and transfer of small and mid-market companies — the enterprises that form the backbone of the American economy.
The sector has seen significant deal flow in recent years, driven by demographic factors including the aging of baby boomer business owners, many of whom are seeking exit strategies for companies they’ve built over decades. This generational wealth transfer represents one of the largest economic transitions in U.S. history, with trillions of dollars in business value expected to change hands over the next decade.
What Drives Platinum-Level Deal Volume
Reaching the $10 million threshold in a single year requires a combination of deal sourcing capabilities, valuation expertise, buyer-seller matching, and the ability to navigate complex negotiations through to closing. Business sales involve layers of due diligence — financial audits, legal reviews, lease assignments, employee transition planning, and often seller financing arrangements — that can derail transactions at multiple points.
"Closing deals of this magnitude requires not just transactional expertise, but an unwavering commitment to the business owners who trust us with their life’s work," said Tony Keane, Vice President and CFO of the organization.
Emily Bowler, IBBA Executive Director, presided over the conference proceedings where the awards were presented. The Minneapolis event brought together business brokers, M&A advisors, and transaction professionals from across the country.
The Franchise Model in Business Brokerage
Merritt and Blease operate under the Transworld Business Advisors banner, which is part of United Franchise Group. The franchise model has become increasingly prevalent in business brokerage, offering individual brokers access to brand recognition, proprietary deal management technology, national buyer databases, and training programs that independent practitioners typically cannot replicate.
For the business brokerage industry, the franchise approach mirrors trends seen across financial services — the consolidation of independent operators into branded networks that can leverage scale while maintaining the local market expertise that small business sellers demand. Transworld’s presence across South and West Texas positions it in one of the country’s most active markets for business formation and transaction activity.
Implications for Business Owners and Investors
The recognition of high-performing brokers like Merritt and Blease highlights a broader trend in the lower middle market: the professionalization of business sales. A decade ago, many small business transactions were handled informally, often resulting in undervaluation, failed closings, or post-sale disputes. Today, certified business brokers bring structured valuation methodologies, marketing processes, and transaction management to deals that range from neighborhood restaurants to multi-million-dollar manufacturing operations.
For business owners contemplating an exit, the caliber of advisory talent available through organizations like the IBBA has never been higher. For investors and search fund operators looking to acquire operating businesses, the maturation of the brokerage industry means better deal flow, more reliable financial information, and smoother transaction processes.
As the baby boomer succession wave continues to build, the demand for experienced business transaction professionals — and the deal volumes they facilitate — is likely to accelerate. The Platinum Chairman’s Circle may represent the industry’s top tier today, but the scale of the coming ownership transition suggests that the bar for exceptional performance will only continue to rise.
