I am pleased to announce that the recipient of IBA’s Broker of the Year Award for 2025 was Sally Bergesen. Ms. Bergesen joined IBA’s mergers & acquisitions intermediary team after a successful entrepreneurial career as the founding owner of the Oiselle female running brand.  A talented, highly skilled professional offering her sale side clients strong problem solving, team building, work ethic, and superior customer service, Sally facilitated six transactions to completion in 2025 in a spectrum of industries including construction, event execution, retail, and horticulture services.  Ms. Bergesen, as a senior M&A intermediary on the IBA team, annually represents clients in a broad range of industries across the economy having the capability to intellectually grasp most business models, identify their value propositions in the marketplace, create a robust, confidential, competitive environment for their sale, negotiate strong market terms, and successfully facilitate transactions through due diligence, legal, and finance turbulence to a smooth closing.  Please join me in congratulating and recognizing Sally. I consider myself blessed to have her as part of my team, a friend, and a fellow web-footed supporter of the Oregon Ducks.

In closing, the IBA team is looking for new companies to sell in 2026. The business brokerage marketplace is presently robust and our team of business brokers working out of offices in Bellevue, Bellingham, Everett, Federal Way, Olympia, Seattle, Spokane, & Wenatchee in Washington and Portland & Bend in Oregon would welcome the opportunity to provide an overview of our client services if a retirement sale is desired next year. 100% of IBA’s compensation is paid on performance at the completion of a project. All conversations with IBA are held in strict confidence.