JW Advisory Expands West, Tapping Finance Leader Morgan Stump to Guide Healthcare M&A

ATLANTA, GA – April 09, 2026 – JW Advisory (JWA), a boutique mergers and acquisitions firm specializing in healthcare, has announced a significant westward expansion, appointing veteran healthcare finance executive Morgan Stump to lead its new division. Based in Oregon, Stump will spearhead the firm’s push into the Western United States, a region experiencing a wave of consolidation among independent dental and veterinary practices.

The move signals JWA's ambition to build a national platform by providing institutional-grade advisory services to a market segment—small to mid-sized practice owners—that has often been underserved. Stump’s appointment is a strategic play, leveraging his extensive background in scaling one of the nation's largest healthcare lending platforms to guide entrepreneurs through what is often the most significant financial transaction of their lives.

A Market of Consolidation and Complexity

JWA’s expansion comes at a pivotal moment for healthcare practitioners. The landscape for independent dental and veterinary practices is being reshaped by powerful consolidation trends. In the dental sector, the rise of Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) is undeniable, with PE-backed groups acquiring local practices in “roll-up” strategies to achieve economies of scale. As of 2024, private equity was involved in over 130 dental deals, making it the most active subsector for PE investment in healthcare services. This has contributed to a steady decline in individual dentist ownership as nearly 40% of U.S. dental clinics are now affiliated with a DSO.

The veterinary market is experiencing a similar transformation. Corporate consolidators, many fueled by private equity, now account for over 50% of total hospital visits and revenue in the industry. For the first time in 2020, the number of practices sold to corporate buyers surpassed independent sales. This intense M&A activity is driven by the sector's recurring revenue and perceived recession-proof nature.

However, this wave of acquisitions has created a complex and often intimidating environment for practice owners looking to sell. Navigating deals with sophisticated corporate buyers requires a level of financial and legal expertise that goes beyond traditional brokerage. Furthermore, the entire healthcare M&A sector is facing increased regulatory scrutiny from federal and state agencies looking to curb anti-competitive practices, adding another layer of complexity to transactions.

A Calculated National Strategy

Since its founding in 2020 by John Wlodarek, JWA has focused on filling this advisory gap. The firm, which already has personnel in Atlanta, Boston, St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Cleveland, is executing a deliberate national growth plan. The addition of Stump to anchor a West Coast presence is described by the firm’s leadership as a crucial step.

“Morgan brings a rare combination of financial sophistication, relationship driven origination, and leadership,” said Dave Dahler, Managing Partner of JWA. “As we continue to build a national platform, expanding into the Western U.S. is a natural next step. There is a clear demand in these markets for elevated, client first advisory.”

This demand is precisely what JWA aims to meet. The firm’s stated goal is to professionalize the sale process for practice owners who might otherwise rely on fragmented or less experienced advice when facing large, well-funded buyers.

“Healthcare business owners, whether dentists, veterinarians, or other operators, deserve institutional quality representation when evaluating strategic options,” noted John Wlodarek, Founder of JWA. “Our goal is to deliver a level of execution, alignment, and outcome typically reserved for much larger transactions, while maintaining a highly personalized, relationship driven approach.”

The Architect of Growth

Morgan Stump’s career trajectory makes him uniquely suited for this role. Before joining JWA, he was a pivotal figure at Provide, a leading financial technology company focused on healthcare lending. Joining as the 18th employee and first outside sales hire in 2018, Stump was instrumental in building the company’s national origination platform from the ground up.

During his tenure, which saw him rise to Head of Sales, he personally sourced over $500 million in healthcare loans and was a key player in scaling Provide's loan portfolio from $50 million to over $5 billion. This experience gave him a granular understanding of the financial drivers, operational metrics, and growth potential of thousands of healthcare practices across the country. His professional path previously crossed with Wlodarek's at Provide, where Wlodarek helped the company enter the dental financing space.

Now, Stump transitions from financing practice growth to advising on their sale and transition. “I’ve spent my career helping healthcare operators access capital and grow,” said Stump. “Joining JWA allows me to take that a step further, advising clients through full lifecycle transactions and helping them maximize the value of what is often their largest asset. The firm’s infrastructure, relationships, and client first philosophy make this an incredibly compelling platform to build from.”

Redefining Advisory for Main Street Healthcare

JWA differentiates itself by combining a “high-touch” client philosophy with a “technology-enabled” backend. The firm has invested in internal analytics, marketing, and transaction support systems designed to streamline the M&A process. This infrastructure allows advisors like Stump to focus on client strategy and negotiation, rather than being bogged down by administrative tasks.

This model is designed to level the playing field. By conducting deep cash-flow analysis and leveraging extensive industry relationships, JWA works to secure multiple competitive offers, driving up valuation and improving deal terms for its clients. In a market where buyers are increasingly sophisticated—often employing their own M&A teams—this level of representation can be the difference between a good outcome and a life-changing one.

The firm's expansion into the dynamic Western U.S. market under Stump's leadership represents a significant test of this model's scalability. For countless healthcare entrepreneurs contemplating their future in an era of unprecedented change, the availability of such specialized guidance will be a welcome development.