Master Certifications

Mergers & Acquisition Master Intermediary^®

The Professional Standard in Middle Market Transactions

Successful completion of the M&AMI requirements significantly distinguishes M&A professionals within their field.  The Master designation is the only one to require both educational credits and the successful completion of multiple transactions. As such, it provides a distinct competitive advantage when engaging with clients and prospects.

Merger & Acquisition Master Intermediary (M&AMI)

Primary Intermediary involved in the M&A deal-making process and/or management of the M&A deal-making process.

Initial Certification Requirements

• Membership in M&A Source.
• Completion of the Master Certification Application.
• Proof of 3 years full time M&A deal maker experience in the past 10 years
• Hold the Certified Business Intermediary® (CBI®) designation plus 20 Credit Hours of M&A Source Sponsored Coursework* or 40 Credit Hours for Non-CBIs*, or completion of the Certified Mergers & Acquisitions Professional (CM&AP) program
• Attend 2 M&A Source Conferences
• Submit 3 M&A transactions for which each must have a total of $5 million USD or greater value (For the value of transactions completed, the real estate value will be considered part of the transaction value as long as the real estate is an essential part of the business. Submit one M&AMI Transaction Submittal Form for each transaction.). 

The approval process can take three weeks from the initial application for credit verification and committee review.

*Conference credit hours do not count toward education hours for initial certification

Recertification Requirements

Every M&AMI must meet the following recertification requirements by the following third anniversary of the award and each three years thereafter.

• Maintain an active membership in the M&A Source
• Pay an annual maintenance fee
• Attend at least one M&A Source conference [16 credits]
• Earn a minimum of 36 credit hours. Attendance at 1 required M&A Source Conference is worth 16 credits. The remaining 20 credits may be earned in any of the following ways.
  • Educational Experiences:

    1. Attendance at an additional M&A Source or IBBA Conference [16 credits]

    2. Speaker, workshop instructor, or panel moderator at an M&A Source Conference [4 credits]

    3. Attend or instruct M&A Source courses [attendees receive course credit; instructors receive 1.5 x course credits]

    4. Complete the CM&AP program [40 credits]

    5. Outside education courses [1 credit/course hour; 8 credits max]. Submit the Outside Education Approval Form for each course.

    6. Lead Subject Matter Expert for an M&A Source Course [4 credits/course hour]

  • M&A Source Activities:

    1. Office or Governor of M&A Source [12 credits/year]

    2. M&A Source committee chair [8 credits/year]

    3. M&A Source committee participation [4 credits/year]

    4. Contribute to M&A Source publications [1 credit/submissions; max 4 credits]

    5. Submit to HQ a published article that mentions M&A Source [2 credits/article; max 4 credits]

  • Business Transactions:

    1. Submit proof of M&A transactions in which the total transaction value is $5 million USD or greater [10 credits/transaction]. Submit the Master Transaction Submittal Form for each transaction.

A one-year extension may be requested if these requirements will not be met. Failure to complete these requirements in the recertification period will result in the revocation of the designation. It is possible to reinstate the designation after it has been lost.

Please refer to the Policy page to review the full designation requirements and contact [email protected] if you have any questions.