This year, Evergreen Advisors celebrated a series of strategic promotions within its investment banking team, Evergreen Advisors Capital—a reflection of the firm’s ongoing growth, expanding industry presence, and dedication to delivering high-impact results. Among those promoted, Justin Horsman was named Managing Director. Justin shares his insights on how Evergreen’s practice has evolved and what’s ahead for the team.
Q: Justin, congratulations on your promotion this year to Managing Director! Let’s start with your journey—how long have you been with Evergreen Advisors, and what has your progression within the firm looked like?
Justin:
I’ve been with Evergreen Advisors for over 12 years. I started in our valuation group, which gave me exposure to a wide variety of businesses across different industries and provided a strong foundation in financial modeling and valuation theory. After a few years in the valuation group, I made the move to the investment banking team. Since then, I have been fortunate enough to have multiple roles on the team with increasing responsibility before stepping into my current position as Managing Director. Evergreen has been very supportive every step of the way, and it has been highly rewarding to see the growth of the firm during my tenure.
Q: The team here is known for its deep industry expertise in sectors like government contracting, industrial services, cybersecurity, and IT services. What sectors are you personally most energized to work in right now, and why?
Justin:
I’m excited by the momentum in the government contracting and industrial services sectors—two areas where we’ve developed strong expertise. I’m also drawn to the broader tech-enabled services space, where innovative companies are finding ways to leverage new technologies such as AI to enhance, not replace, the services provided by their workforce. There is a lot of activity in these sectors, and we’re well-positioned to help business owners navigate strategic growth or exit opportunities.
Q: What’s your approach when it comes to mentoring the next generation of investment bankers?
Justin:
We have developed a highly collaborative environment where every team member has a voice, regardless of title. We encourage our team members to step outside of their comfort zones and provide them with exposure to every step of a transaction early in their career. We have found that this approach greatly accelerates the pace of career and personal development, and it’s a big part of the culture we’ve built at Evergreen.
Q: What trends are you keeping a close eye on in the middle market currently?
Justin:
We continue to see significant private equity interest in the lower middle market as new platform companies are acquired, and legacy platforms scale through add-on acquisitions. We expect this trend to continue as private equity funds work to deploy over $1 trillion of capital. Additionally, we are keeping a close eye on how AI and automation are reshaping multiple sectors and how buyers and sellers are navigating this new reality.
Q: Finally, what motivates you most in this next chapter as Managing Director? What kind of legacy do you hope to build at Evergreen Advisors Capital?
Justin:
I continue to be motivated by my desire to achieve transformative outcomes for our clients. These transactions can have an incredible impact on both the business owners and the region broadly, and being trusted to help guide that process is highly motivating. As Managing Director, I want to continue building a client-first, high-performing culture that delivers great results while developing the next generation of leaders.
Securities transactions conducted through Evergreen Advisors Capital/Member FINRA/SIPC
