User talk:Holdenbuckner

M & A Business Professional Holden Buckner

Holden Buckner, of International Acquisition Group, is one of the most experienced and successful merger and acquisition professionals in North America. Holden Buckner has more than 10 years of experience as a Senior Business Analyst. He is working with International Acquisition Group, based in Carrollton, Texas, interviewing small and medium sized businesses to determine if they are opportunities he can recommend IAG take to the capital markets. He is also an active member of several professional associations. He enjoys building his professional network and working to improve the business environment in his industry. Holden Buckner has been named the Most Successful Business Analyst at International Acquisition Group for each of the 10 plus years he has worked there. Throughout his 22 years of career experience, Holden Buckner has built a reputation for direct communication, professionalism, and reliability. In his current role, he advises businesses in how to prepare for sale and get in front of the right buyers. He also works with investors to find and purchase companies. Holden Buckner says that his work with International Acquisition Group is “rewarding, challenging, and it teaches me something new every day.” We asked Holden Buckner how aspiring professionals might reach his level of success in mergers and acquisitions. If you are a student interested in a career like Holden Buckner’s, he recommends studying hard in school, and choosing a major like economics, business, or finance. Holden Buckner also recommends an internship at a financial firm to gain some practical skills and see what type of industry might be best for your work style and personality. After getting an education, Holden Buckner recommends that students “jump right in, work hard, and take advantage of every opportunity you can get.”

Private Pilot Holden Buckner
Holden Buckner is a successful professional who likes to fly in his free time. To unwind from a busy and sometimes hectic schedule, he enjoys flying his plane to meetings, on the weekends and on vacations from work. He is a licensed private pilot, having received his license 8 years ago. To pass the test, Holden Buckner had to pass a written test, and then fly for a certain number of hours with an instructor. When he was ready, Holden Buckner was able to take and pass a practical flying test, which earned him his license. Holden Buckner regularly flies as much as possible. He loves to take friends and family members up in his plane to show them new views of Texas. Holden Buckner is the proud owner of a private plane, a Bellanca Super Viking. He is also a member of the AOPA Aircraft Owner Pilot Association and the EAA Experimental Aircraft Association. Being able to have a pilot license and pilot his own plane is like a “dream come true” he says. Holden Buckner always dreamed of being able to fly, ever since he was a small child. He says, “I took my mom up in my own plane, just like I had always told her I would! It was incredible.” Holden Buckner says that flying is a wonderful hobby, and a great new skill to learn for any adult. While it can be an expensive hobby, some private pilots share planes or take paired flying lessons to make it more economical. He advises anyone interested in flying to sign up for lessons and get started! Holden Buckner says that a good instructor is essential, and potential pilots should always check the safety record of any flying school before they start lessons.

Holden Buckner Values Direct Communication
Holden Buckner has enjoyed several years of successful experience as a mergers and acquisitions professional with International Acquisition Group. He specializes in middle market acquisitions, and advises business in the four steps of sale. He also works with investors who are interested in buying businesses. Holden Buckner has had a great deal of success and has built some very strong professional relationships. When asked the secret of his success, he credits direct communication. Says Holden Buckner, “I’ve always made an effort to be direct, and to communicate clearly.” This strategy has built him a reputation as a straight shooter who can be trusted. When he begins working with clients, Holden Buckner likes to tell them that they should be free to ask him any question and expect to get a straight answer. Sometimes the answer is “I don’t know,” but he is clear about when he can find an answer and get back to the client with an answer. What are some of his secrets to direct communication? First of all, “Pick up the phone when you can. A call is much more direct than email, especially if you have a short question or need to give someone information quickly. If you think they need a reminder, follow up with a short email,” says Holden Buckner. Holden Buckner also emphasizes that communication should be to the point. When you’re writing business correspondence, don’t use overly complicated language. Be short and to the point to make it easy for your reader to understand what you are saying, reminds Holden Buckner. Finally, Holden Buckner reminds people to be honest and sincere, even if it means you have to give some bad news. Holden Buckner advises, “Give your clients bad news right away, rather than delaying. Don’t try to sugar coat it, but give them reassurances when you can.”

Bone Marrow Donor Holden Buckner
Registering as a bone marrow donor is simple, advises Holden Buckner. Registrants simply fill out a card with their personal information and take some cheek swabs with Q-Tips. Registration can be done by mail or in person at a registration drive. Then, the bone marrow registry analyzes cheek cells and stores registrants’ information in the system. Because it is difficult to find a match, and the registry often loses donors who change addresses or contact information without informing them, there is a constant need for bone marrow donors. Patients with leukemia, other cancers, and other medical conditions need bone marrow transplants. Holden Buckner discusses the process of donating, he says the following: “The process was a bit time consuming and a little painful, but I recovered quickly, and it's nothing compared to what people suffering from the disease go through" Years later, Holden Buckner was contacted by the bone marrow registry – he was a match for someone! This time, he was able to help a patient who had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and needed bone marrow. He went through the donation process for his match, and says that he would be more than happy to do it again if they find him another match. Holden Buckner encourages everyone to sign up for the registry as well.

Holden Buckner is Youth at Risk Volunteer
You might know Holden Buckner from his work with International Acquisition Group in Carrollton, Texas. The mergers and acquisitions professional has more than 22 years of experience, and has built a reputation as a direct, reliable communicator who knows how to get a great value and find the best business opportunities for his clients. However, Holden Buckner isn’t only a professional. Holden Buckner is also a family man and good citizen. Holden Buckner often gives back to the community, and one of his favorite ways to give back is to work with youth at risk. There is a large population of youth who are at risk for dropping out of school. Across the country, high school dropout rates are high; many youth lack a positive mentor to encourage them to stay in school and work towards goals for the future. Says Holden Buckner, “So many young people today are facing challenges at home and in their personal lives, and it makes it hard for them to focus on school. Kids really need a positive role model to support them and cheer them on, so that they know they can stay in school and have a career.” Holden Buckner is a successful professional himself, but he says he would never have gotten where his is without “tons of teachers, coaches, and family members helping me.” Including his own involvement with Youth at Risk program as a teenager. Now that he has the experience and ability, he does his best to mentor kids so that they can succeed as well. We asked Holden Buckner what it takes to help at-risk youth. His answer was simple: “There’s no real secret to helping kids. Kids just need someone to listen, to help them out, and to believe in them.” He would encourage anyone who can to help at-risk youth in his or her area.