About Us

Trinity Transaction Advisory, LLC, formally, The Trinity Group, is a transaction advisory firm focused on assisting owners of privately held companies, with sales over $500,000 in planning and executing defined exit strategies.

The company was formed with one concept in mind: providing superior options over the traditional business brokerage model and implementing solid exit solutions for business owners, at or below what other firms currently charge.

Business owners need real answers and their expectations are for their company to be professionally represented. They are not interested in being another dot on the wall to see if they stick. With that in mind, we surround each of our clients with the best team of transaction professionals available.

Meet Our Team

Gerald Kong - Principal, Senior Advisor

With a diverse background in business, Gerald Kong brings knowledge, experience and success to the Trinity Executive team. Mr. Kong began his management career with the start-up Franchisor, T.J Applebee's (Later changing its name to Applebee's International) team from 1985 ' 1988. He later joined Fidelity Pension Service, where after a run as top producer for the company, was promoted in 1992 to Regional Manager, leading 3 fledging offices back to profitability within 1 year.

Later that year, Mr. Kong started a Pension Investment Company called Regional Partners Inc. Shortly after the formation, the company signed a contract with Philadelphia Life, a subsidiary of Life Partners Group, owned by Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers proprietor Tom Hicks, to distribute a line of proprietary life insurance and annuity pension products. Regional Partners quickly grew to become one of the largest retirement and pension plans agencies in Texas catering to the Public School Market, with 7 regional offices and established accounts in over 350 school districts.

By 1996, Regional Partners successful run became the envy of the industry, being targeted by several insurance companies. In February 1997, a deal was completed between Regional Partners and College Life, a subsidiary of Americo Life, one of the largest independently owned insurance conglomerates in the United States.

Mr. Kong agreed to serve for 2 years in a senior management capacity with Americo/College. After completing his obligations with Americo, and being heavily recruited by multiple companies, Mr. Kong took a senior management position with Dallas based AIM (Association Insurance Management), a privately held multi lines insurance company actively licensed in over 40 states, to head up their pension sales division.

In 2002, Mr. Kong founded The Trinity Group, a business transaction firm focused on assisting small to middle market companies in divestitures and exit strategies. Mr. Kong has helped clients ranging from small "mom and pop" retail establishments to multi-million dollar corporations.

Mr. Kong received his BBA in Marketing with a Finance emphasis from the Melcher College of Business at the University of Houston.

Monty Walker, Tax Analysis and Exit Planning

Monty W. Walker supports Entrepreneurial Clients throughout the country and is recognized as one of the foremost innovative advisors to Small Business Owners in the areas of Business Transactions, Business Structuring & Design, and Business Exit Planning. Having come from an entrepreneurial family, Monty has a comprehensive business background spanning over 24 years which includes experience in both startups and established entities. Monty spent a significant portion of his career as an industry CFO in the private sector and he has owned and operated several of his own businesses.  Thus, his experience comes from being directly in the trenches.

A few points of interest...;

A comprehensive business background spanning over 24 years which includes experience in both startups and established entities

An approved instructor for the International Business Brokers Association, the Texas Association of Business Brokers, and the Texas Real Estate Commission.

Authored a tax course on the "Tax Implications of the Business Transfer" which he instructs for these organizations.

Member of the ERISA Fiduciary Guild™ (EFG). EFG™ is a non-profit organization consisting of nationally recognized Pension Fiduciary practitioners who independently serve as trustees or committee members of qualified retirement plans.

Developed and assists business owners throughout the country with a unique holistic comprehensive planning program called "Business Owner Life Planning".

Works with clients throughout the country rendering support for Business Transactions, Business Exit Strategies, Tax Planning and Business Transition Planning.

Due to his background in the area of business planning and business transfers he is often referred to by his clients and colleagues as a --- "Business Transition CPA"

Is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Texas Association of Certified Public Accountants, the International Business Brokers association, and the Texas Association of Business Brokers

Certified Public Accountant, Certified Business Intermediary, Board Certified Broker, Master Pension Fiduciary

As an affiliate team member, Mr. Walker provides transaction support to Trinity clients through tax analysis of business transfers, advanced planning of tax implications of the transfer process, negotiation and structuring support, long range family planning and exit strategy formation.

Gene Choi, Transaction Advisor

Gene Choi is a seasoned business professional, owning and operating several successful businesses throughout his career. Mr. Choi brings exceptional operational depth and knowledge in the machining, manufacturing and fabrication arena. Having owned a machining business catering to the energy sector, Mr. Choi boasts a keen sense for likely targets and broad understanding of operating ratios and margins. He possesses a strong understanding of petroleum and chemical storage solutions as well, employing his talents in the valve manufacturing field. He also touts a mechanical design and manufacturing perspective to the machining industry. Mr. Choi continues to maintain a wide range of contacts, both in machining and manufacturing as well as vendor and distribution networks, throughout Southeast Texas.

Mr. Choi has been successfully helping owners in the private sector divest from their businesses since 2003. He has extensively represented, matched and sold businesses in multiple sectors, including: automotive, printing, machining and manufacturing, health care and IT Solutions, to name a few. As a valuable member of the Trinity Transaction team we are proud to have Mr. Choi employ his expertise with our client engagements.

Please contact Mr. Choi today to provide a confidential evaluation of your business.

Brian A. Wendler, Principal Valuation

With over 22 years of professional experience in business valuation, mergers and acquisitions, analysis and structuring of traditional and non-traditional private placement investments, Brian Wendler is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and is Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV), Certified Merger & Acquisitions, (CM&A), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Master Certified Business Counselor (MCBC - one of only seven people to be honored with this designation by the Institute of Certified Business Counselors), and is a Board Certified Broker (BCB).

He also holds General Securities, Financial & Operations, and Municipal Securities Principal licenses, as well as a Texas real estate brokers license, and is a Candidate Member in the American Society of Appraisers.

Mr. Wendler has participated as an instructor at national and state business broker conferences, and has trained and provided valuation, mergers & acquisitions, transaction and deal structuring advisory services on an on-going basis to over 1,000 business intermediaries, SBA lenders, and professionals represented by all fifty states.

His experience extends across a wide variety of industries and company sizes including but not limited to manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, construction, hi-tech, retail, as well as in professional practices, financial services, and in hospital-based and stand alone medical practices and specialties. He has been involved in over 13,000 business valuations, and assisted in over 15,000 transactions. He is currently the Secretary/Treasurer for the Dallas Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFSP).

As an affiliate team member, Mr. Wendler provides Business Appraisals of privately held businesses, justification of purchase structuring and overall exit plan guidance. His expertise and value to Trinity is immeasurable. No one is more qualified in assessing the fair market value of your business than Brian Wendler.

David C. Larsen, Transaction Advisor 

David Larsen brings to Trinity a portfolio of technical depth, transaction experience and entrepreneurial spirit. Mr. Larsen's transaction experience spans over an international platform, owning and operating a successful Ukrainian Real Estate and Business Brokerage. David holds a Texas real estate brokers license, is a registered Realtor®, and has practiced in the Texas area for the past 10 years. As a previous owner and manager of a successful restaurant and nightclub, David understands the importance of converting sacrifice and investment into monetary value. Philosophically, he believes the most important thing to most business owners is getting a deal across the finish line

David also brings with him a high level of technical knowledge gained from 20 years as a professional Systems Analyst, Systems Consultant and Account Manager for a number of large computer manufacturing firms, such as Compaq Computer Corporation, Digital Equipment Corporation, and Harris Computer Systems. Prior to consulting, he played an important engineering role as software manager, designer, application programmer, and systems programmer.

David provides a well rounded, educated and structured approach to the divestiture arena and is an invaluable asset to our clients exit plans.

David invites you for a free confidential evaluation of your business.