• The Leaders Group is a national independent broker-dealer for brokerage general agencies and independent financial advisors 
• Founded in 1994 by Dave Wickersham and based in Littleton, Colorado, The Leaders Group is a leading distributor of variable universal life insurance
• The transaction, executed by Mesirow, highlights the firm’s business services expertise and long-standing relationships

CHICAGO, August 22, 2023 – Mesirow, an independent, employee-owned financial services firm, today announced it acted as the exclusive financial advisor to The Leaders Group, Inc. (“The Leaders Group” or the “Company”) on its sale to Simplicity Group Holdings, Inc. (“Simplicity”), a leading distributor of financial products.

Founded in 1994 by Dave Wickersham, The Leaders Group is a national independent broker-dealer for brokerage general agents, independent marketing organizations and independent insurance agents. Based in Littleton, Colorado, the Company has been at the forefront of the convergence between the traditional securities and insurance industries since inception and has been the leading distributor of variable universal life insurance for seven consecutive years. 

Sean Wickersham, President of The Leaders Group, said, “In this ever-changing industry, it was important for us to find a partner that agreed with my dad, Dave Wickersham's motto: 'doing the right thing is always the right thing.' We adhere to that motto every day. With Simplicity, we have found a partner with shared beliefs and I firmly believe they will help us continue to honor Dave's legacy as we work to grow our collective business.”

“We appreciated the opportunity to represent The Leaders Group during this transaction,” said Rocky Pontikes, Managing Director of Mesirow Investment Banking. “The Company has a well-established reputation and expertise in both the traditional securities and insurance industries, which will enhance Simplicity’s support and services. We look forward to following the success of this partnership.”

The sale of The Leaders Group to Simplicity Group represents another successful assignment completed by Mesirow Investment Banking and highlights the firm’s expertise within the business services sector. Committed to leveraging extensive sector-specific expertise across industry groups and nurturing deep, long-standing relationships, Mesirow has a proven track record of completing highly tailored and successful transactions on behalf of clients.

About Mesirow 

Mesirow is an independent, employee-owned financial services firm founded in 1937. Headquartered in Chicago, with offices around the world, we serve clients through a personal, custom approach to reaching financial goals and acting as a force for social good. With capabilities spanning Global Investment Management, Capital Markets & Investment Banking, and Advisory Services, we invest in what matters: our clients, our communities, and our culture.

Mesirow was recently named one of the Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business and one of the Top 100 RIA firms by Barron’s.