Your Trusted Advisor for
We bring clarity, experience, and real-world expertise to the decisions that shape your business and protect your assets.
The McLean Group brings together more than three decades of financial advisory experience with DLS Marine’s nearly six decades of marine surveying and appraisal expertise. Together, we provide investment banking, business valuation, financial consulting, and marine survey and appraisal services to corporations, private equity investors, business owners, financial institutions, insurers, and government organizations.
Our team includes highly experienced investment banking professionals, CPAs, NAMS-CMS surveyors, and ASA-certified marine appraisers. Our senior team averages over 15 years with The McLean Group and over 25 years of industry experience.
By connecting financial insight with real-world operational expertise, we provide clear, practical, and defensible guidance. Clients rely on our precision, responsiveness, and integrity to protect assets, evaluate opportunities, and move forward with confidence.
Every challenge deserves expert attention, regardless of its size.
Our clients operate in sectors where performance, reliability, and precision are essential. They rely on trusted advisors who understand both the financial and operational dynamics of their industries. The McLean Group is committed to delivering the same standard of excellence and professionalism our clients bring to their missions every day.
Business OwnersSell-side M&A, ESOP and 409A valuations, and capital raises for founder-led companies — including the government contractors, defense and services firms we have advised for three decades.Owner Advisory →
Lenders & InsurersBusiness and collateral valuations, vessel and equipment appraisals, and independent surveys that support credit decisions, underwriting and claims.Lenders & Insurers →
Private EquityProprietary deal flow, portfolio company valuations, and asset-level survey diligence on marine and heavy equipment before you sign.Sponsor Coverage →
Marine & Vessel OwnersCondition and appraisal surveys, hull and machinery casualty work, and fleet valuations that hold up with lenders, underwriters and buyers.Marine Practice →
The scale behind the advice
How We Help Our Clients
For more than 50 years, we have been in the relationship business. Our clients trust us not only for individual services, but for consistent expertise throughout the entire lifecycle of their process.
Advisory Support
Survey & Appraisal
Market Report · Oct 2026Q3 2026 Mergers & Acquisitions Market UpdateThe McLean Group's Q3 2026 M&A Insider Report tracks deal activity across Defense, Government & Intelligence, Physical & Cyber Security, Critical Infrastructure, and Maritime. Defense, Government & Intelligence recorded 66 transactions in the quarter, headlined [...]Read More →
Market Report · Oct 2026SBA 7(a) Change-of-Ownership Loans Now Require an Independent Quality of Earnings ReportEffective October 1, 2026, SBA 7(a) lenders must obtain an independent quality of earnings (QoE) report for certain change-of-ownership loans with a business purchase price of $3 million or more, and must underwrite repayment on [...]Read More →
Market Report · Sep 2026Fairness Opinions: What Boards Should Know Before They SignBoards are judged on the decision and on how they reached it. A fairness opinion speaks to the second question, and in a market where deal structures keep getting more complicated, that question is getting [...]Read More →
Market Report · Aug 2026August 2026 M&A Insider ReportThe McLean Group's August 2026 M&A Insider Report tracks deal activity across Defense, Government & Intelligence, Physical & Cyber Security, Critical Infrastructure, and Maritime, alongside EBITDA valuation multiples, notable contract awards, and macro developments shaping [...]Read More →
Market Report · Aug 2026Backlog as a Diligence KPI: Funded, Unfunded, and What Buyers Actually UnderwriteBacklog is the bridge between historical performance and management's forecast — but only the funded portion carries the certainty a buyer will actually underwrite.Read More →
Press Release · Aug 2026The McLean Group Advises Syntasa on Its Strategic Investment by Verix Equity PartnersThe McLean Group served as exclusive financial advisor to Syntasa on its strategic investment from Verix Equity Partners, a private equity firm focused on founder-owned businesses across the national security and technology ecosystems.Read More →
Start with a conversation, not a proposal
Tell us what you own or what you are trying to do. We will tell you which of our teams should be in the room.