DENA JALBERT

FOUNDER & CEO, ALIGN BUSINESS ADVISORY SERVICES, WINTER PARK

Align is a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory firm that brings Wall Street resources to the lower-middle market. Align has facilitated transactions valued at more than $2.5 billion and was named the best mid-market M&A consultancy in the Southeast in 2019-2023. Founder Jalbert was named one of the top 25 women in Mid-Market M&A in 2021.

EDUCATION: Illinois Wesleyan University (BS), Florida State University (MBA)

IF I WERE GOVERNOR: Transportation infrastructure is critical to the success of our state. The population growth has been exceptional, but the infrastructure is not adequate to support the growth. To continue to grow our state, we need fast solutions to this problem.

MENTOR: Dick Batchelor is the chairman of our advisory board and a dear friend and mentor. He is a true connector and relationship-builder, and those skills have been instrumental for myself and our firm as we continue to expand across the state. He demonstrates daily how personal connection and relationships are the keys to successful, long-term business relationships.

READING: Our firm has a quarterly employee book club, and we recently read The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success, by Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan. It’s a great read that helps individuals put things into perspective, and I always love when a book applies to life at home and at work.

MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA
“What got you to where you are, won’t take you to where you want to go.”