Acquisition Simulation

REVIEW SUMMARY
Businesses. METI, Sarasota; CAE Inc., Montreal
Industry. Health care, technology
Key. Finding an acquisition partner could be a long-term process that requires sensitivity.

The $130 million sale of one of Sarasota's most successful homegrown companies began with a stealthy phone call.

The president of the company, Mike Bernstein of Medical Education Technologies Inc., METI, called the head of the health care division at Montreal-based CAE Inc. in early summer 2010. CAE is a $1.63 billion firm with a focus in aviation simulators and training.