OUR TEAM
Cory Mertz
M&AMI – Managing Partner
Cory Mertz, M&AMI, is a managing partner of Mertz Taggart. Cory has a track record of successful transactions within the rapidly changing healthcare industry. Coupled with a wide variety of business experience including business development and operations management, Cory’s skill set has helped many healthcare entrepreneurs realize their exit planning goals.
Cory is a speaker at regional and national healthcare conferences on topics ranging from maximizing value for your company to the processes and pitfalls of selling a healthcare company.
He currently lives in Fort Myers, FL, with his wife and two children.
Kevin Taggart
CM&AP – Managing Partner
Kevin Taggart, CM&AP, is a Managing Partner and co-founder at Mertz Taggart. Previously, he founded a land development and home building company, where he gained invaluable experience running all aspects of the business, including putting together and executing a marketing plan.
He was also co-owner of a home care company, and after successfully selling to a large publicly-traded company in 2010, he has been guiding other healthcare companies through the sales process. Kevin has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, and invited to speak at several national and regional healthcare conferences with topics ranging from the process of selling a healthcare company to maximizing value before a sale.
He currently lives in the Atlanta area with his wife and three children.
Bruce Vanderlaan
JD – Managing Director
Bruce Vanderlaan, JD, literally grew up in the health care business. For 25 years his mother was the Director of Nursing at a nursing home in Ludington, Michigan where he often accompanied her to work. After he became a practicing attorney, his mother and her business partner consulted with him about on legal issues in the Home Health Care field.
He has represented businesses and health care practices for 26 years in negotiations and transactions, and as the closing agent in closing the deal. He doesn’t just hold a law degree, he built a successful long standing practice in the field.
He lives in Fort Myers, FL with his wife and daughter.
Sandra Zervoudakis
MS, LMHC, CAP – Managing Director
Sandra Zervoudakis, LMHC, CAP, is an industry expert in the mental health/substance abuse market. She has worked as an operator of numerous hospitals and behavioral health treatment facilities, including ones owned/operated by HCA, Psychiatric Solutions and UHS.
Sandra has proven to be a leader not only in the inpatient hospital settings and in residential treatment facilities, but also in the not-for-profit and community services spectrum. Sandra has always exemplified the commitment to serve clients and families in need with professionalism and empathy.
Sandra lives in Boca Raton, FL with her husband and three children.
Peter Thiessen
MBA – Managing Director
Since beginning his healthcare career in 2004 by acquiring behavioral health facilities for Horizon Health, Peter has been involved in nearly 40 transactions, overseeing the acquisition of over 200 locations at companies such as Humana and BayMark Health Services.
Prior to healthcare, Peter held several leadership positions including Controller and CFO. This experience provided him diverse knowledge including public company reporting. It also provided significant experience with respect to the financial considerations needed when undertaking a growth strategy through acquisitions.
Peter holds an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Originally from Toronto, Peter currently lives in the Dallas area.
Anke Stugk
Ph.D. – Senior Financial Analyst
Anke Stugk, Ph.D. joined Mertz Taggart as a Financial Analyst in February 2020. Prior to joining the firm, Dr. Stugk gained experience as Head of Research at a public business development firm and as Program Chair for business and finance at a private University.
She is an accomplished researcher and analyst offering a rich mixture of experience involving critical thinking, research ability, leadership, financial analysis, and strategic planning. Throughout her career she focused on identifying new growth opportunities in public and private sectors across multiple industries.
Dr. Stugk lives in Fort Myers, FL.
Eduardo Tavel
CFA, CAIA – Associate
Eduardo Tavel, CFA, CAIA works as an Associatet at Mertz Taggart, a role that allows him to capitalize on his corporate finance experience involving financial modeling, financial analysis and M&A exposure.
Born and raised in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Eduardo moved to the United States after receiving the Latin America-Caribbean Scholarship for excellent academic performance. He enrolled at Florida Gulf Coast University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Finance and in Economics. He later obtained the CFA charter from the CFA Institute and the CAIA charter from the CAIA Association.
Eduardo spends his free time watching soccer matches, Formula 1, football, investing, and performing fitness activities. He lives in Bonita Springs, Florida, with his wife and goldendoodle.
Michael Lloyd
M&A Associate
Michael brings a wealth of knowledge of the Home Health and Hospice market to Mertz Taggart. Michael’s career began as a Patient Care Representative for a large national provider, where he learned how Home Care agencies operated daily. His passion for patient care led him to the vendor side of Home Care, where he was the first employee of a start-up data company where CMS data was utilized to drive agency growth and improve outcomes.
Before joining Mertz Taggart as the lead M&A Associate in the Home Care Division, Michael provided clinical and financial services to clients at an industry-leading consulting firm. All these experiences have allowed Michael to build an extensive network of industry leaders to whom he brings value throughout their exit planning strategy.
Michael lives in Charlotte, NC, with his wife and two children.
Crystal Schmandt
Administrator
Crystal Schmandt joined Mertz Taggart in 2015 and leads the inside business development efforts at the firm.
Since joining the firm, Crystal has been a key team member and has played an integral role in the growth of the firm. Her expertise is monitoring industry-wide shifts, managing CRM databases and leading market research initiatives. With her entrepreneurial approach Crystal expanded her role to in- and out-bound sales and has initiated multiple successful transactions for Mertz Taggart. Crystal is a licensed Real Estate agent in Florida and holds a degree from Ridgewater College.
She lives in Fort Myers, FL, with her daughter.
