HFW hires Jason Donker to support AE partner portfolio expansion

TAMPA – The HFW Companies (HFW), a fast-growing professional services firm with a national focus on the architecture and engineering industry (AE), has announced the hiring of Jason Donker as its director of corporate development.

Donker, based in Tampa, Fla., has been hired to fill the newly created role helping to implement HFW’s merger-and-acquisition (M&A) initiatives and provide acquisition deal support to expand HFW’s portfolio of AE Partner Firms across a national footprint, according to Matthew Westphal, PE, chief operating officer of HFW. Since its inception in 2020, HFW has grown its HFW Partner Network to nine firms and expects to close several additional deals this year.

“As we strive to become even more strategic in our acquisitive growth in the AE industry and accelerate our expansion efforts, we need additional leadership to guide our M&A strategy, conduct acquisition target research and due diligence, and work with our M&A team and other stakeholders to close these transactions,” Westphal said. “Jason has the high level of M&A expertise, along with corporate finance experience, necessary to help drive our efforts.”

As part of his role, Donker also will support the development of strategic growth partnership plans, the creation and negotiation of terms, and the development of a strong deal flow pipeline across a national footprint. ?

Donker previously served as finance manager, leading the finance department behind the chief financial officer at Tampa-based Cascade Residential Services, a $100 million-plus-revenue company with 500 employees. Other experience includes corporate financial planning and analysis, managing deal transactions, managing deal portfolios, and mediating conflicts and negotiations between buyers and sellers.

He earned a Master of Science degree in Finance from Florida State University and, later, a Master of Science degree from the University of South Florida in Exercise Science. He also completed Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Real Estate, both at Florida State University.

“Donker brings additional finance strength to our corporate development strategy,” Westphal said. “We look forward to working with him to build our deal flow and elevate our M&A efforts and acquisition growth trajectory. “

For more information about The HFW Companies, contact Daniel Bates, MPPM, at 412.310.3167 or via email at [email protected].