Mr. McDermott specializes in business turnaround, crisis management, financial restructuring and capital markets transactions. He is recognized for providing leading-edge strategic, financial, operational and risk management advice throughout the insurance sector.

Mr. McDermott brings more than 30 years of management experience, including more than two decades of advising/managing financially and operationally challenged companies. Throughout his career, he has advised boards of directors on complex accounting and actuarial issues, SEC investigations, related party transactions and matters involving shareholder derivative actions. Mr. McDermott has led or been an integral part of the acquisition or disposition of 25 operating companies and public capital markets transactions exceeding $3.4 billion.

Prior to joining A&M, Mr. McDermott was Managing Director of the Eagle Rock Group, a business advisory firm he co-founded. He advised or took on management roles with clients such as Genworth Financial Group, RSL Communications and the World Black Belt Association. He also served as President and CEO of AF&L, Inc., a privately held specialty insurer focused on the senior marketplace, where he helped develop and implement a turnaround plan.

Previously, Mr. McDermott was Chief Financial Officer of PennCorp Financial Group, a $6 billion financial services firm, where he helped lead an operational stabilization, debt reduction and recapitalization plan that was ultimately completed through the Chapter 11 process. He began his career with a Big Eight accounting firm, where he specialized in serving clients in the insurance, consumer retail and telecom industries.

Mr. McDermott earned a bachelor's degree in business administration (concentration in accounting, actuarial science and quantitative analysis) from the University of Wisconsin. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in the state of Georgia. He has been admitted and testified as an expert in U.S. Federal District Court on acquisition due diligence matters.