Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect limited information reasonably necessary to operate and protect the website, respond to inquiries, evaluate potential business relationships, understand website performance, and comply with applicable obligations.

Information you provide

When you submit a Confidential Review or otherwise communicate with Sterling Concord, you may provide:

• Your name.
• Your email address.
• Your telephone number.
• Your relationship to the inquiry.
• A general industry.
• A general location.
• The nature of your inquiry.
• Information included in an optional message.
• Information provided through subsequent communications.

The Confidential Review form does not require:

• A company name.
• A company website.
• Financial statements.
• Tax returns.
• Revenue or earnings information.
• Valuation expectations.
• Transaction-size information.
• Customer or supplier information.
• Detailed acquisition criteria.
• Confidential documents.

Please do not submit financial statements, tax returns, customer lists, contracts, privileged communications, trade secrets, government identification numbers, payment information, health information, or other sensitive material through the website.

Information concerning another person or company

If you provide information concerning another person, owner, company, client, or prospective transaction, you represent that you have appropriate authority to provide that information or make the introduction.

Please provide only the limited information reasonably necessary for the initial inquiry.

Technical and security information

Sterling Concord and its technical service providers may automatically process information necessary to deliver, maintain, and protect the website, including:

• Internet Protocol address.
• Browser and device type.
• Operating system.
• Date and time of a request.
• Pages or resources requested.
• Referring website or source.
• Error, server, and security-log information.
• Information used to detect spam, automated activity, misuse, or security threats.

This information may be processed through Cloudflare services used for website delivery, security, form processing, bot detection, and traffic and performance measurement.

Analytics information

Sterling Concord uses Cloudflare Web Analytics to understand aggregate website traffic and performance.

It is not configured to receive Confidential Review form values or inquiry information, and Sterling Concord does not use it for individualized advertising or behavioral profiling.

Campaign and referral information

Technical referral information may be processed in connection with ordinary website delivery and aggregate performance measurement.

Sterling Concord does not maintain campaign-attribution data with Confidential Review inquiries.

2. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The website uses technologies needed to deliver and protect the website, process requested interactions, and understand aggregate website performance.

Essential technologies

Browser and device technologies may be used in connection with website delivery, security, Cloudflare Turnstile, requested interactions, and essential website functionality.

Your browser may allow you to restrict or delete cookies. Restricting essential technologies may prevent portions of the website or Confidential Review form from operating correctly.

Advertising technologies

Sterling Concord does not currently use the website for targeted advertising, remarketing, session replay, or cross-site behavioral tracking.

3. How We Use Information

Sterling Concord may use information to:

• Operate and maintain the website.
• Deliver requested website content.
• Review and respond to inquiries.
• Determine whether an introductory conversation may be appropriate.
• Evaluate potential advisory engagements.
• Evaluate buyer and acquisition interests.
• Evaluate professional referrals and other business relationships.
• Communicate with owners, company representatives, prospective buyers, advisers, and other authorized persons.
• Arrange meetings and follow-up communications.
• Maintain appropriate records of inquiries and business communications.
• Consider buyer interests in connection with appropriate present or future opportunities.
• Understand aggregate website traffic and performance.
• Improve website navigation, performance, content, and inquiry processes.
• Detect and prevent spam, fraud, misuse, and security incidents.
• Diagnose technical errors.
• Maintain the security and integrity of systems and records.
• Comply with legal, regulatory, judicial, contractual, insurance, or professional obligations.
• Establish, exercise, or defend legal rights.
• Enforce website terms, agreements, and internal policies.

Submitting an inquiry does not create an advisory, fiduciary, confidentiality, brokerage, legal, tax, accounting, or other professional relationship.

Formal services begin only under an applicable written agreement.

Sterling Concord will not add you to a general promotional mailing list solely because you submitted a Confidential Review inquiry unless you separately request or consent to those communications.

4. Confidential Review Inquiries

Sterling Concord’s Confidential Review form is designed to collect only limited preliminary information.

Initial inquiries are reviewed to determine whether further communication may be appropriate.

The form processes inquiries through the website. Cloudflare Turnstile is used to help protect the form from abuse, and submitted information is transmitted through our existing business email system to Sterling Concord.

The website application does not maintain an inquiry database. After delivery, the resulting inquiry may be retained in Sterling Concord’s ordinary business communications.

Submitting the form:

• Does not obligate Sterling Concord to accept an engagement.
• Does not obligate the person submitting the inquiry to proceed.
• Does not create a confidentiality agreement.
• Does not create an advisory or other professional relationship.
• Does not authorize disclosure of company or transaction information.
• Does not represent that a transaction can or will occur.

Sterling Concord intends to handle preliminary inquiries with discretion. Formal confidentiality obligations arise only through an applicable written agreement or other established legal duty.

More detailed information should be provided only after Sterling Concord requests it through an appropriate channel.

5. Buyer and Acquisition Inquiries

Private-equity firms, strategic buyers, family offices, and other qualified parties may submit general acquisition interests through the website.

Buyer information may be considered in connection with appropriate present or future opportunities.

Submission of a buyer inquiry:

• Does not indicate that a particular company is available.
• Does not create a right to receive transaction information.
• Does not create a buy-side advisory relationship.
• Does not obligate Sterling Concord to provide an introduction or opportunity.
• Does not authorize Sterling Concord to identify an owner, company, engagement, or prospective transaction.

Sterling Concord will disclose information concerning a company or transaction only where authorized and subject to appropriate confidentiality and process requirements.

6. How We Disclose Information

Sterling Concord does not disclose personal information except as described in this Privacy Policy, as authorized by the person concerned, or as otherwise permitted or required by law.

Technical and service providers

We may disclose or make information available to service providers that assist with:

• Website hosting and delivery.
• Website security.
• Form processing.
• Bot and spam prevention.
• Transactional email delivery.
• Information technology.
• Website traffic and performance measurement.
• Professional and administrative support.

The website uses Cloudflare services for website delivery, security, form protection and processing, and aggregate traffic and performance measurement.

The application does not operate an inquiry database, inquiry-management portal, or customer relationship management system. Delivered inquiries may be retained in Sterling Concord’s ordinary business communications.

Service providers may process information only for authorized purposes and subject to applicable contractual terms, privacy requirements, and security controls.

Professional advisers

We may disclose information to attorneys, accountants, consultants, auditors, insurers, cybersecurity specialists, or other professional advisers where reasonably necessary for:

• Legal advice.
• Compliance.
• Accounting.
• Insurance.
• Security.
• Risk management.
• Dispute resolution.
• Business operations.

With authorization

We may disclose information when you:

• Direct us to do so.
• Authorize an introduction.
• Ask us to communicate with another person.
• Request that information be shared.
• Otherwise consent to a disclosure.

Submitting an initial inquiry does not, by itself, authorize Sterling Concord to identify a company or disclose transaction information to prospective buyers.

Legal and protective purposes

We may disclose information where reasonably necessary to:

• Comply with applicable law or regulation.
• Respond to a subpoena, court order, or lawful governmental request.
• Protect the rights, property, safety, or security of Sterling Concord or another person.
• Investigate fraud, misuse, security incidents, or unlawful conduct.
• Enforce contractual rights or website terms.
• Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

Business transactions

Information may be disclosed or transferred in connection with a merger, restructuring, financing, sale of assets, reorganization, succession, or other business transaction involving Sterling Concord, subject to applicable law and appropriate protections.

7. Sale, Targeted Advertising, and Profiling

Sterling Concord does not sell personal information.

Sterling Concord does not disclose personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising or targeted advertising.

Sterling Concord does not use personal information obtained through the website to make decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects through automated profiling.

Cloudflare Web Analytics is used for aggregate website traffic and performance measurement.

This Privacy Policy will be updated if Sterling Concord implements materially different practices.

8. Data Retention

Sterling Concord retains information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to respond to inquiries, maintain appropriate business records, protect systems, comply with obligations, resolve disputes, and establish or defend legal rights.

Website inquiries

The website application does not maintain an inquiry database.

After an inquiry is delivered, the resulting business communication may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary for legitimate business, legal, compliance, or recordkeeping purposes.

Technical and security records

Technical providers may retain request logs, security data, error information, and operational records according to their systems, contractual terms, and security requirements.

Sterling Concord may retain limited technical records for as long as reasonably necessary to maintain security, diagnose incidents, enforce restrictions, and comply with applicable obligations.

9. Information Security

Sterling Concord uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

The website uses technical safeguards and abuse-prevention measures, including Cloudflare security services and Turnstile.

No website, transmission system, email system, or storage method can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

For that reason:

• Submit only the limited preliminary information requested.
• Do not send confidential company documents through the form.
• Do not send sensitive personal information unless Sterling Concord specifically requests it through an appropriate channel.

If Sterling Concord becomes aware of a security incident involving personal information, it will evaluate and address the incident in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances of the incident.

10. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your residence and applicable law, you may have the right to request that Sterling Concord:

• Confirm whether it processes personal information concerning you.
• Provide access to certain personal information.
• Correct inaccurate personal information.
• Delete certain personal information.
• Provide certain information in a portable format.
• Identify categories of information collected, used, or disclosed.
• Restrict or object to certain processing.
• Opt out of a sale of personal information.
• Opt out of targeted advertising.
• Opt out of certain forms of profiling.
• Appeal a decision concerning a privacy request.
• Receive equal service and treatment when exercising applicable rights.

Sterling Concord does not currently sell personal information or use it for targeted advertising.

Privacy rights are not absolute and may be subject to:

• Verification requirements.
• Legal exemptions.
• Record-retention obligations.
• Protection of another person’s rights.
• Security and fraud-prevention requirements.
• Confidentiality and privilege.
• Applicable professional or contractual obligations.

Submitting a request

Privacy requests may be submitted to:

Email: JLL@SterlingConcord.com

Please use the subject line:

Privacy Request

Include sufficient information to allow Sterling Concord to understand and reasonably verify the request.

We may request additional information to confirm:

• Your identity.
• Your authority.
• Your relationship to the relevant records.
• The scope of the request.

Authorized agents may submit requests where permitted by applicable law. Sterling Concord may require evidence of the agent’s authority and may request direct verification from the person concerned.

Where applicable law provides an appeal right, an appeal may be submitted through the same email address with the subject line:

Privacy Request Appeal

Sterling Concord will respond within the period required by applicable law.

11. Communications

Sterling Concord may use the contact information you provide to:

• Respond to your inquiry.
• Request additional information.
• Arrange an introductory conversation.
• Conduct appropriate follow-up.
• Address a privacy or security matter.
• Provide legally required notices.

You may request that nonessential communications cease by replying to the communication or contacting Sterling Concord.

A request to stop communications will not prevent Sterling Concord from sending messages reasonably necessary to:

• Complete a requested interaction.
• Respond to an active inquiry.
• Provide a legally required notice.
• Protect security.
• Maintain business or legal records.
• Enforce an agreement or legal right.

Submitting a Confidential Review inquiry does not subscribe you to a newsletter or general promotional mailing list.

12. Children’s Privacy

The website is intended for business owners, company representatives, prospective buyers, professional advisers, and other adults engaged in commercial matters.

It is not directed to children, and Sterling Concord does not knowingly solicit personal information from children under 13 through the website.

If you believe a child has submitted personal information, please contact Sterling Concord so the information can be reviewed and, where appropriate, deleted.

13. International Visitors

Sterling Concord is based in the United States.

Information submitted through the website may be processed and stored in the United States or in other locations where Sterling Concord’s service providers maintain facilities or infrastructure.

Privacy and data-protection laws in the United States may differ from those in your jurisdiction.

Visitors outside the United States should:

• Submit only the limited information necessary to request an introductory conversation.
• Avoid sending confidential documents through the website.
• Contact Sterling Concord with questions about applicable privacy rights.

Where applicable law requires additional protections, Sterling Concord will address privacy requests and cross-border processing obligations in accordance with the relevant requirements.

14. Third-Party Websites

The website may contain links to websites or services operated by third parties.

Sterling Concord does not control and is not responsible for the:

• Privacy practices.
• Security practices.
• Content.
• Availability.
• Data collection.
• Terms of use.

of third-party websites.

A link does not constitute an endorsement of the third party’s privacy or security practices.

You should review the privacy policy and terms applicable to any third-party website you visit.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Sterling Concord may revise this Privacy Policy as its website, service providers, information practices, business operations, security practices, or legal obligations change.

The revised policy will be posted on this page with an updated Last Updated date.

Where required by applicable law, material changes may also be communicated through another reasonable method or may require a new consent choice.

16. Contact Sterling Concord

Questions, concerns, and privacy requests may be directed to:

Sterling Concord Partners
Houston, Texas

Email: JLL@SterlingConcord.com

Please do not send confidential company documents, financial statements, privileged communications, trade secrets, government identification information, or other sensitive material to this email address unless Sterling Concord specifically requests the information through an appropriate channel.