Kirk Kleckner, CPA ABV MBA AM, joined ADG in 2009. But his business experience began a number of years earlier.

 

 

In 1981, Kirk joined a 40-person CPA firm and became a partner six years later. Kirk’s responsibilities grew to include the heading up business valuation and dealership services, and he became the firm’s chief operating officer. In 2000, kirk was named CFO for a growing dealership group with related leasing, collision repair, reinsurance and real estate operations (14 locations, 750 employees and $500M in revenue)

 

 

 

Considered by many as an industry visionary and thought leader, Kirk possesses a unique mix of expertise, professional accomplishments and hands-on dealership industry experience. His practical dealership industry experience includes executing over 30 buying, selling, merging, and integrating transactions; instituting process management and rationalization; implementing group business intelligence systems; and leading group and owner tax planning.

 

 

 

Kirk is a qualified expert witness with experience in complex dealership and business litigation. He received Accounting and Business Administration B.A. degrees from Wartburg College and a MBA from the University of Minnesota. He is accredited in business valuation by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (ABV) and the American Society of Appraisers (AM).

 

 

 

Academic and Professional Credentials

  • Master of Business Administration, Concentration Finance, University of Minnesota
  • Bachelor of Arts, Accounting and Business Administration, Wartburg College
  • Certified Public Accountant, State of Minnesota and Iowa
  • Accredited in Business Valuation, ASA and AICPA

 

Professional Affiliations

  • American Society of Appraisers, an Accredited Member (AM) – ASA is an organization of appraisal professionals.
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a Member and an Accredited in Business Valuation Member (ABV)

 

Positions and Experience

  • Partner and President – Automotive Development Group Capital and Consulting, LLC, Eden Prairie, MN (2009-Present) – Dealer industry firm specializing in:
    • Dealer profitability enhancement
    • Dealer risk reduction
    • Dealer capital utilization
  • Partner and President– ValuationUSA, LLC, Eden Prairie, MN (2007-Present) – Professional services consulting firm specializing in the areas of:
    • Business valuation and acquisition / merger transactions
    • Real estate appraisal, cost segregations and transactions
    • Succession planning, owner wealth accumulation, preservation and transfer planning
    • Litigation economic loss / damage analysis and independent opinions
    • Business and business owner tax reduction management
  • Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer- Walser Automotive Group, Minneapolis, MN (2000–2007) – Automobile dealership group with related leasing, collision repair, reinsurance and real estate operations ($500,000,000 revenues, fourteen locations and 750 employees)
  • Shareholder, Chief Operating Officer, Consulting Department Head- Wilkerson, Guthmann + Johnson, Ltd., St. Paul, MN (1981 – 2000) – Public accounting firm with 40 members and offices in St. Paul, Blaine and Minneapolis. Industries served auto dealership, casualty insurance, manufacturing, construction, insurance, service, non-profit, bank, retail, trucking and warehouse.

 

Professional Affiliations

  • American Society of Appraisers, an Accredited Member (AM) – ASA is an organization of appraisal professionals. 
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a Member and an Accredited in Business Valuation Member (ABV)

 

Positions and Experience

  • Partner and President – Automotive Development Group Capital and Consulting, LLC, Eden Prairie, MN (2009-Present) – Dealer industry firm specializing in:
    • Dealer profitability enhancement
    • Dealer risk reduction
    • Dealer capital utilization
  • Partner and President – ValuationUSA, LLC, Eden Prairie, MN (2007-Present) – Professional services consulting firm specializing in the areas of:
    • Business valuation and acquisition / merger transactions
    • Real estate appraisal, cost segregations and transactions
    • Succession planning, owner wealth accumulation, preservation and transfer planning
    • Litigation economic loss / damage analysis and independent opinions
    • Business and business owner tax reduction management
  • Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer – Walser Automotive Group, Minneapolis, MN (2000–2007) – Automobile dealership group with related leasing, collision repair, reinsurance and real estate operations ($500,000,000 revenues, fourteen locations and 750 employees)
  • Shareholder, Chief Operating Officer, Consulting Department Head – Wilkerson, Guthmann + Johnson, Ltd., St. Paul, MN (1981 – 2000) – Public accounting firm with 40 members and offices in St. Paul, Blaine and Minneapolis. Industries served auto dealership, casualty insurance, manufacturing, construction, insurance, service, non-profit, bank, retail, trucking and warehouse.