Our Team
Get To Know Us
Our team brings decades of industry experience and a diverse perspective to the middle and lower-middle market. With backgrounds as both business owners and trusted advisors, we are in a unique position that allows us to understand your goals, position your company, and successfully sell your business to the right buyer.
Steve LaBarre
Managing Director
Birmingham, MI
Steve is a Managing Director and Founding Member of Emerald Bay Advisors. He brings over 20 years of M&A and principal investing experience, having worked closely with business owners to oversee all aspects of a transaction process across a wide range of industries. Steve continues to be driven by a passion for supporting family-run businesses.
Prior to establishing Emerald Bay Advisors, Steve founded Leelanau Private Capital in 2020 where he has cultivated lasting partnerships and demonstrated a commitment to guiding organizations through periods of growth and strategic change. Sellers value his thoughtful approach, attention to detail, and deep understanding of transaction dynamics, making him a trusted advisor for business owners.
Previously, he spent 14 years at Strength Capital Partners, a lower middle market private equity firm, where he completed more than 40 transactions. Earlier, Steve served as the CFO/controller for a residential construction general contracting firm and began his career at Stout.
Steve earned a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from Michigan State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
Phone: (810) 955-5738
Email: steve@emeraldbayadvisors.com
Matthew Lazowski
Managing Director
Cleveland, OH
Matt is a Senior Advisor and Founding Member of Emerald Bay Advisors. He has over 20 years of financial experience spanning investment banking, portfolio management, equity research, and commercial lending.
Prior to founding Emerald Bay Advisors, Matt spent 5 years in commercial lending at KeyBank. He previously worked for over 6 years in investment banking at EdgePoint, a middle market M&A advisory firm. At EdgePoint, Matt advised clients in the successful closing of over 20 financial transactions.
Matt earned a Bachelor of Arts from Central Michigan University and a Master of Business Administration from Cleveland State University.
Phone: (440) 452-9132
Email: matt@emeraldbayadvisors.com
Sam Miletic
Associate
Birmingham, MI
Sam is an Associate and Founding Member of Emerald Bay Advisors. He has two years of experience in M&A transactions, spanning both principal investing and investment banking.
Prior to Emerald Bay Advisors and Leelanau Private Capital, Sam spent time with Woodward Park Partners, an investment bank specializing in middle-market M&A advisory services.
Sam earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Wayne State University.
Phone: (248) 497-2271
Email: sam@emeraldbayadvisors.com
Zachary Chesnut
Associate
Chicago, IL
Zachary is an associate at Emerald Bay Advisors. He has three years of financial and operational experience in investment banking and project management.
Prior to joining Emerald Bay Advisors, Zach spent time with Momentum Advisory Partners, an M&A advisory firm in the lower-middle market. He also served as a Project Manager for Maul Paving and another large general contractor.
Zachary earned a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from Michigan State University.
Phone: (630) 853-6150
Email: zach@emeraldbayadvisors.com
