Ackerman
Ackerman Group is a privately held veterinary practice brokerage that represents independent practice owners in sell-side transactions to corporate consolidators. Founded in 2017 and based in Richmond, Virginia, it has brokered $1.8BN+ in transactions across 250+ practices in the US and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersRichmond, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ackerman does
Ackerman Group is a privately held, Richmond, Virginia-based veterinary practice brokerage founded in 2017 by Dr. Gary Ackerman. It is the first brokerage dedicated exclusively to representing veterinary practice owners in corporate sales transactions, distinguishing itself from traditional brokers focused on doctor-to-doctor transitions. The firm provides end-to-end sell-side advisory services — including complimentary practice valuations ("The Practice Review"), buyer engagement, negotiation, and closing — supported by a proprietary dataset of closed transactions that powers its Quarterly Veterinary Industry Market Report and a proprietary 6-step "Gold-Standard Sale Process." Since inception, Ackerman has brokered over $1.8 billion in practice transactions and assisted more than 250 veterinarians in selling their practices, making it one of the most active practice sales advisors in the veterinary consolidation market.
The firm's revenue model is primarily transaction-fee based, with brokerage commissions on closed deals complemented by complimentary valuations used as a top-of-funnel conversion tool. Its core technology consists of a proprietary valuation methodology and financial analysis platform for practice evaluations, differentiated by domain specialization in veterinary M&A rather than by software architecture. Distribution is sales-led and content-driven: an educational library (articles, webinars, market reports, sweepstakes, and the Insightful.vet event brand) generates inbound leads, which are converted through one-on-one advisor consultations scheduled via Calendly. The firm maintains regional business development coverage in the United States and Canada, with conference presence at VMX, WVC, and AAHA, and media partnerships with Today's Veterinary Business, Veterinary Practice News, Veterinary Education Today, and The Fountain Report.
Ackerman's customer segment is vertical-specific — independent veterinary practice owners (primarily SMBs, with select enterprise-sized multi-site groups) preparing for exit. The leadership team comprises CEO Rich Lester (formerly founder/CEO of Veterinary Practice Partners), COO/Partner Win Lippincott (formerly Chief Growth Officer at VPP), Executive VP Dr. Roger Redman, and multiple VPs of Business Development with prior experience at corporate veterinary consolidators and finance roles. The firm is wholly owned by its founders and operators, with no disclosed institutional or private equity backing.
Ackerman firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ackerman
- Legal name
- Ackerman Group
- Website
- https://ackerman-group.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ackerman Group is a privately held veterinary practice brokerage that represents independent practice owners in sell-side transactions to corporate consolidators. Founded in 2017 and based in Richmond, Virginia, it has brokered $1.8BN+ in transactions across 250+ practices in the US and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ackerman industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Veterinary Practice Brokerage and M&A Advisory
- akta.pro primary industry
- Veterinary Practice Management Software (PIMS/EMR, Scheduling, Billing) (HLAMAGAA)
Keywords
Where Ackerman is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ackerman business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Brokerage/Transaction Fees: Fees earned from facilitating veterinary practice sales and acquisitions. Handles the complete sale process including valuation, buyer engagement, negotiation, and closing.
- Practice Valuations: Complimentary practice evaluations offered initially. The Practice Review provides in-depth profitability and valuation analysis.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Complimentary Practice Evaluation |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ackerman product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ackerman Group is a full-service veterinary practice brokerage that represents independent practice owners in selling their hospitals to corporate consolidators and private-equity-backed buyers. It delivers end-to-end transaction support including complimentary valuation/profitability analysis (The Practice Review), buyer engagement, negotiation, deal structuring, and post-closing support, supported by a proprietary database of closed veterinary practice transactions.
Product overview
Ackerman Group is a full-service veterinary practice brokerage and advisory firm offering a unified service portfolio focused on representing owners in corporate veterinary practice sales. The core offering centers on Practice Sales/Brokerage services supported by Valuations/Profit Analysis capabilities, with The Practice Review serving as their flagship diagnostic product. The company also provides complementary services including Real Estate Advisory, Post-Closing Support, and a comprehensive Education & Reports Library featuring the Quarterly Veterinary Industry Market Report. Additional offerings include the DVM Job Description Template and promotional programs like the VetCE Sweepstakes, all designed to support practice owners throughout the sale lifecycle.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Insightful.vet: Educational platform and event brand operated by Ackerman Group for veterinary practice owners.
Products and services
- Practice Sales / Brokerage Full-service brokerage representation for independent veterinary practice owners selling to corporate and PE-backed consolidators. Manages the complete transaction lifecycle from valuation and buyer engagement through negotiation, deal structuring, and closing.
- Valuations / Profit Analysis (The Practice Review) Comprehensive profitability and valuation analysis service for veterinary practice owners, providing an in-depth assessment of practice value, the specific levers that drive valuation, and gaps worth closing before a sale.
- Gold-Standard Sale Process Six-step structured transaction management service embedded in every practice sale engagement, covering valuation preparation, buyer engagement, offer/LOI refinement, negotiation, closing, and post-close transition support.
- Real Estate Advisory Advisory service for veterinary practice owners regarding real estate matters incidental to a sale, including lease negotiations, property disposition strategies, and real estate structuring of the transaction.
- Post-Closing Support Post-closing transition support service for veterinary practice owners, helping sellers, staff, and associate veterinarians navigate the immediate aftermath of a corporate acquisition and ensure continuity for the practice.
Quantifiable outcome
- 250+ veterinarians successfully sold their practices
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Ackerman
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Ackerman technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Ackerman partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Insightful.vetcoreEducational event brand and platform created and hosted by Ackerman Group for veterinary practice owner education and industry engagement.
- National Association of Veterinary Ccontinuing Education (NAVC) / VMXminorIndustry conference partnership. Ackerman Group participates as exhibitor/sponsor at VMX annual conference.
- Western Veterinary Conference (WVC)minorIndustry conference partnership. Ackerman Group participates as exhibitor/sponsor at WVC Vegas.
- American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)minorIndustry association partnership for conference presence and thought leadership.
- Today's Veterinary Business (TVB)minorIndustry media partnership for content distribution and thought leadership.
- Veterinary Practice News (VPN)minorIndustry media partnership for content distribution and thought leadership.
- Veterinary Education Today (VET)minorIndustry media partnership for content distribution and thought leadership.
- The Fountain ReportminorIndustry media partnership for content distribution and thought leadership.
- Linmac LLPminorCanadian partner for VetTalk events providing practice transition expertise.
- VetCPAminorCanadian partner for VetTalk events providing veterinary CPA expertise.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ackerman competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Community Veterinary Partners: Multi-site veterinary consolidator that is both a buyer for Ackerman's sell-side mandates and a former employer of one of Ackerman's VPs (Ryan Barlow). Closely linked to Ackerman via the buyer-side relationship it cultivates.
- VetStrategy: Leading Canadian veterinary consolidator and part of the broader consolidator ecosystem that Ackerman's Canada VP (Michael Kemp) targets as a buyer counterpart. VetStrategy is a customer-side participant rather than direct broker competitor.
- PetVet Care Centers: U.S. corporate veterinary consolidator and frequent acquirer of independent practices. Functions primarily as a buyer counterpart for Ackerman's sell-side mandates but also has internal M&A capability that can transact directly with sellers.
- Mars Petcare (VCA) M&A Team: Largest corporate veterinary consolidator in North America (operating VCA, Banfield, BluePearl, etc.). Mars Petcare is a key buyer client of Ackerman rather than a competitor, but its M&A in-house team can execute transactions directly, sizing the addressable pipeline.
Broad incumbents
- Lincoln International: Global M&A advisory firm with active healthcare services practice. Competes for corporate veterinary transaction mandates on larger platform-sized deals, bringing broader international buyer reach than Ackerman.
- Houlihan Lokey: Global investment bank with established healthcare M&A advisory practice. While not niche to veterinary practices, Houlihan represents a credible competitor on larger corporate veterinary consolidator transactions and roll-up advisory work where Ackerman also competes.
- Stout (Stout Risius Ross): Mid-market advisory and valuation firm with significant healthcare services M&A practice. Provides transaction advisory and valuation services that compete directly with Ackerman's brokerage and Practice Review offerings on larger mandates.
Emerging players
- VetPractice Transitions / Veterinary Practice Transitions: Smaller veterinary practice transitions and sales advisory firm serving independent owners. Competes with Ackerman for seller mandates but lacks its corporate-only focus and proprietary market data infrastructure.
Direct peers
- Simmons & Associates (Joseph J. Simmons & Associates): Long-established veterinary practice sales brokerage operating across the U.S. Simmons competes head-to-head with Ackerman on sell-side mandates, though with a broader mix of doctor-to-doctor and corporate transactions rather than Ackerman's exclusive corporate focus.
- PS Broker (Professional Practice Sales): Brokerage firm specializing in sales of veterinary, dental, and other professional practices. Overlaps directly with Ackerman on veterinary practice sales mandates and uses a comparable transaction-fee revenue model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ackerman social profiles
Digital presenceAckerman financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ackerman leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Ackerman funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ackerman M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ackerman
What does Ackerman do?
Ackerman Group is a full-service veterinary practice brokerage that represents independent practice owners in selling their hospitals to corporate consolidators and private-equity-backed buyers. It delivers end-to-end transaction support including complimentary valuation/profitability analysis (The Practice Review), buyer engagement, negotiation, deal structuring, and post-closing support, supported by a proprietary database of closed veterinary practice transactions.
Is Ackerman a public or private company?
Ackerman is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ackerman founded?
Ackerman was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ackerman based?
Ackerman is headquartered in Richmond, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ackerman make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Brokerage/Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are practice Valuations.
Who are Ackerman's main competitors?
Others on record are Community Veterinary Partners, VetStrategy, PetVet Care Centers and Mars Petcare (VCA) M&A Team. Broad incumbents are Lincoln International, Houlihan Lokey and Stout (Stout Risius Ross). VetPractice Transitions / Veterinary Practice Transitions is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Simmons & Associates (Joseph J. Simmons & Associates) and PS Broker (Professional Practice Sales).
Does Ackerman have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ackerman.
What industry is Ackerman in?
Ackerman's product category is Veterinary Practice Brokerage and M&A Advisory. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAMAGAA, Veterinary Practice Management Software (PIMS/EMR, Scheduling, Billing).