School of Management launches a one-of-a-kind immersive learning experience thanks to a generous gift from UB alumnus Abraham “Avi” Mirman

BUFFALO, N.Y. — At the UB School of Management, ambition is a virtue and tenacity is a given, with discovery happening everywhere from the classroom to the boardroom. Thanks to a generous donation of both time and treasure by UB alumnus Abraham “Avi” Mirman, BA ’98, a multidisciplinary team of students will apply their business acumen beyond campus walls to acquire a company — a real one. With real people. And real money.

Focusing on mergers and acquisitions, the Operation Inspire Experiential Learning Fund will guide students through the process of executing an actual M&A transaction, including: 

• Strategic planning and industry research 
• Target company identification and valuation (marketed and nonmarketed — public and private)
• Deal negotiation and deal structuring 
• Capital source identification 
• Marketing and pitch deck formation
• Capital raising, closing mechanics and post-merger integration 

Specialized teams consisting of three to five students from numerous majors — finance, law, accounting, marketing and more — will be responsible for collaborating on each aspect of the project to structure and close the business deal. All members of Operation Inspire, in addition to the law student members, will be exposed to the legal documents and diligence required for completing an M&A deal, including:

• Nondisclosure agreements, memorandums of understanding and letters of intent for deal terms
• Rigorous diligence checklist (financial, operations, corporate, contracts, litigation, compliance, regulatory, etc.)
• Financing documents (credit documents, preferred documents, common stock, etc.) 
• Acquisition documents (stock purchase or asset purchase agreements)
• Contracts and all other documentation required for a successful closing

While there’s risk involved in a real-world business venture, this experience, with Mirman’s dedicated oversight, will give UB students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see how business happens and how to manage the challenges in a proactive manner. The School of Management isn’t just for big thinkers. It’s for big doers. And no other university has ever accomplished anything quite like this. 

“Thanks to Avi’s generosity and vision, our undergraduate and graduate students will gain immersive, hands-on experience in mergers and acquisitions that is unparalleled by virtually any other business school, preparing them to enter the workforce with a significant competitive edge,” said Ananth Iyer, dean of the UB School of Management. “Operation Inspire directly aligns with the School of Management’s vision to develop agile, transformational leaders who roll up their sleeves and change society for the better.”

Operation Inspire is Mirman’s brainchild, born from his own experiences as an MBA student at the University of Tulsa, his passion for inspiring students and his desire to work with the brightest minds to make a real-world impact. While he acknowledged that there are numerous factors involved with the project, students’ fresh perspective at the start of their professional journey is an exciting opportunity.

“Experience is overrated. Hunger. Drive. A deep and obsessive passion for learning on the fly. That’s what matters, and I’ll be a resource to them throughout. Why pretend when you can get real?” Mirman said. “These students have mastered so many incredible tools that we never dreamed of 30 years ago when I first entered the business. They will prove readiness for any employer in their respective fields beyond anything seen before, once the deal is complete.”

With Mirman’s extensive industry experience, the philanthropic partnership will create opportunities for collaboration and mentorship that lead to a high return on investment — and drive the rankings by Bloomberg Businessweek, Entrepreneur, Financial Times, Forbes and U.S. News & World Report — all of importance to the school that is known for high marks. 

Michael Brace, MBA ’94, clinical assistant professor of finance, MS Finance Program Director and faculty advisor for Operation Inspire, who prior to joining UB, spent his career as a wealth advisor and investment consultant advising on $2.5 billion in firm client assets domestically and offshore in Bermuda and Grand Cayman said, “With Avi’s guidance, each student group will draw on their varied expertise to research target companies, perform analyses, develop a strategy, consider legal implications and present investors with a deal structure and proposed purchase price based on the team’s valuation work and a plan to raise capital. Once an acquisition has been completed, students will have the potential opportunity to work for that company in addition to the invaluable experience they will have gained being part of this groundbreaking, transformative project.”

Mirman hopes that long term, the project, which was launched on July 24, will accomplish three goals:

• Encourage other UB alumni, donors and friends to give time and resources in service of students. Interested donors can contribute to the Operation Inspire Experiential Learning Fund or the UB Fund for the School of Management. 
• Generate excitement with industry professionals who might provide capital for the M&A, while forging relationships that strengthen the workforce pipeline.
• Create employment opportunities for School of Management graduates, especially those on visas with limited time to find employment in the U.S. 

Christopher D’Amato II, an MBA student in the first cohort, expressed excitement and gratitude for being trusted with a project of such consequence, citing Mirman as an example of perseverance, raw transparency and purposeful drive that will be an inspiration throughout Operation Inspire and beyond.

“We’ll gain essential professional insights on our road to success together, surely, but we’ll also, undoubtedly more importantly, learn what it means to truly exemplify servant leadership across relationships, from our classmates to our children,” D’Amato II said. 

Brace added, “In addition to the caliber of our programming, this initiative speaks to the strength of our alumni network and the willingness of our graduates to elevate opportunities for students past, present and future. The School of Management will be on the map even more prominently with Operation Inspire.”

For UB alumni who would like to contribute to this groundbreaking initiative in any manner, contact Michael Brace at mbrace@buffalo.edu. Come be a part of history.