Despite economic turmoil, 14 members of the Georgia Association of Business Brokers earned membership to the prestigious Million Dollar Club for 2008.

Each year the GABB, the state’s only professional association dedicated to buying and selling business, recognizes the state’s outstanding business brokers. To earn this distinction, a GABB professional must have produced business sales of a million dollars or more. This year’s list  includes 14 professional business brokers whose hard work resulted in nearly $39 million worth of transaction values.

GABB’s Top Producer for 2008 was Jeffery E. Merry, owner and founder of The Business House, Inc. Joining him on the GABB’s list of the Top 5 brokers for 2008 are Patricia McDonald, president and founder of CBI Business Group; Bina Cline of Metro Brokers/GMAC; Nick Modares, President, managing broker and owner of Business Brokers, Inc.; James Welch, a senior business broker with Metro Brokers; and Matt Slappey, the owner of Murphy Business and Financial Corporation of Decatur. 

Multi-Million Dollar Members for 2008 are GABB President Van Watkins, a business broker for Metro Brokers/GMAC; and C. David Chambless, president of Abraxas Business Services.

Million Dollar Club Members Joseph Sofet, president of  Prime Business Investments; Satwant Singh, an associate broker with Metro Brokers/GMAC Real Estate, Inc.; Eric Gagnon, founder and president of We Sell Restaurants; Jay Fenello principal and founder of BizPlacements.com; Charles Jay, founder of Jay and Associates of Macon;  Hank Tanner, founder of National Business Brokers in Gainesville, Ga.  Mr. Modares and Ms. Cline are new life members of the GABB Million Dollar Club.

“Qualification for the GABB Million Dollar Club is a great achievement,” said GABB President Van Watkins. “In fact, it sets the Business Broker apart as being capable of successfully taking a complicated business transaction from listing to closing. And even in a sluggish macroeconomic environment, we still have 14 Brokers who defied the odds and qualified for this prestigious award. Outstanding job!!”

These brokers will be honored by the GABB at a dinner at the Vinings Inn on May 19. The Georgia Association of Business Brokers, GABB, is a “not-for-profit,” statewide membership organization committed to establishing and maintaining an environment and support structure for success and professionalism in the business brokerage industry. GABB actively encourages each member to achieve his or her highest potential by promoting education, integrity, community responsibility, leadership, professionalism, and productivity.

Eric Gagnon, is the Treasurer of GABB and long standing member of the GABB executive board.  He is the founder and President of We Sell Restaurants and www.wesellrestaurants.com, a business brokerage firm specializing exclusively in restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Mr. Gagnon has extensive financial services experience in banking, business valuation, commercial lending and financial services.  He served as Director of Business Development for KPMG Atlanta. A graduate of Francis Marion University and the University of Montreal, he is licensed as a broker by the Georgia and Florida Real Estate Commission. He has been designated a Business Industry Expert by the Business Brokerage Press and earned the designation of Accredited Business Intermediary from the American Business Brokers Association. Mr. Gagnon is an expert in restaurant valuation and sales and a member of the Georgia Restaurant Association and the International Council of Shopping Centers. He is the preferred broker for Georgia Restaurant Consulting Group.