The McLean Group Welcomes Joshua Butler as a Director in its Defense, Government and Intelligence (DGI) Team
MCLEAN, VA – March 9, 2024 – The McLean Group, a middle-market investment bank providing strategic and financial advice on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and business valuations, announced today that Josh Butler will be joining its Defense, Government, and Intelligence (DGI) M&A team as a Director. In recent years, he has supported over $1 Billion in completed transactions in the Government, Defense and Intelligence sectors.
Mr. Butler brings over 10+ years of M&A and corporate finance experience working with entrepreneurs, private equity, and public company clients. His background includes serving as an advisor at a Big 4 accounting firm, a Vice President at a bulge bracket investment bank in New York, and most recently, as a Director at Baird in Tysons Corner. As a CPA and MBA, Josh has advised businesses in every phase of their business lifecycle, from providing guidance on valuation and assessing value drivers, to providing a clear vision on exit alternatives.
Regarding this new role, Mr. Butler shares, “In the continuously thriving environment of Defense, Government, and Intel M&A, 2024 maintains its strength, displaying resilient activity despite a slight deceleration from previous years. While deal levels have moderated since the remarkable highs of 2021, the sector retains its vitality, with noteworthy activity persisting in the first half of 2024. At The McLean Group, our robust platform and exceptional team enable me to provide clients with premier services, delivering tailored solutions that ensure optimal outcomes in this dynamic landscape.”
Mitch Martin, Managing Director at The McLean Group, commented on the addition of Josh to the team, stating, “We’re thrilled to announce the addition of Josh to our investment banking team. His impressive background in both the Intel and Government sectors, coupled with a stellar track record of accomplishments, positions him as an excellent complement to our already formidable team. Josh’s internal leadership and his extensive network within the community will undoubtedly benefit our team for years to come.”
Mr. Butler graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Howard University and received his MBA from the Johnson School at Cornell University. Josh, who is a travel and fitness enthusiast, lives in Arlington, VA, with his wife and 2-year-old son. They’re excitedly expecting a second child in October.
Mr. Butler may be reached at 703.827.0008 or jbutler@mcleanllc.com
About The McLean Group
For over 30 years, The McLean Group has been providing investment banking and financial services offerings focused on the Defense, Government & Intelligence (DGI), Security, Critical Infrastructure, Maritime, Facility Services, Unmanned Systems, and Public Safety markets. Our 60+ professionals bring deep industry experience and relentless execution to every client engagement. We provide solutions that blend financial creativity with operational expertise. Whether we are providing transaction advisory, valuation opinions, or growth capital, our services are unmatched in these core markets. Learn more at www.McLeanLLC.com.
RECENT NEWS
Q1 2026 Mergers & Acquisitions Market Update
The McLean Group’s Q1 2026 M&A Insider Report tracks deal activity across Defense & Government, Physical & Cyber Security, Critical Infrastructure, and Maritime. Q1 was the strongest quarter on record for Defense M&A with 104 closed transactions, headlined by Arcline’s $2.2B acquisition of Novaria Holdings and VSE Corporation’s $2.15B acquisition of Precision Aviation Group. Cyber Security saw $57B+ in transaction value led by Google’s $32B acquisition of Wiz and Palo Alto Networks’ $24.6B acquisition of CyberArk Software, with Cyber/Technology EBITDA multiples reaching 41.3x LTM. Critical Infrastructure closed 48 transactions including Constellation Energy’s $28.9B acquisition of Calpine, while Maritime rebounded to 24 transactions in Q1. The full report includes sector commentary, EBITDA valuation multiples, public company benchmarks, and representative transaction data for each sector.[…]
What Is a 409A Valuation and When Does Your Company Need One?
A 409A valuation is an independent appraisal of your private company’s common stock, and if you’re issuing equity incentive awards to employees, it’s a legal requirement, not a formality. Get it wrong, and employees face immediate income recognition, a 20% federal penalty tax, and potential state penalties that can push effective tax rates well above 50%. In this article, The McLean Group’s Valuation Advisory team breaks down exactly how 409A valuations work, when your company needs one, which IRS safe harbor methods apply at each stage, and the common mistakes that create tax exposure at exactly the wrong time: during fundraising, M&A due diligence, or an IRS audit.
EBITDA Only Tells Part of the Story. Does Your QofE Provider Reveal the Rest?
Normalized EBITDA shows clean profitability, but it doesn’t tell you whether that profitability is built to last. For PE sponsors, the difference between a well-priced deal and a costly mistake often comes down to whether your Quality of Earnings provider goes beyond standard adjustments and into the operational KPIs that reveal true margin durability. The McLean Group’s Transaction Advisory team explores how the right diligence partner layers in gross margin by service type, resource utilization rates, and backlog conversion patterns to give buyers a sharper view of risk, a stronger basis for negotiation, and a head start on post-close execution. […]









