Pepperdine University's Private Capital Markets Project (PPCMP) and the Graziadio School of Business and Management have just partnered with Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. to develop research on the national economy as well as private capital access for small and medium sized businesses, according to a news release. In just a couple of weeks, the partnership plans to publish a national annual economic forecast, based on continuing research by Dr. John K. Paglia (PPCMP and the Graziadio School).  After that, it will create a new, monthly Private Capital Access (PCA) Index, designed to measure the health and activity of private capital markets. "We expect to give small and medium size business owners … an opportunity to share their challenges and successes in finding capital from a variety of sources and then benefit from the aggregate data," Paglia says.

Also new from Pepperdine and Paglia: the Certificate in Private Capital markets, a three-day curriculum-based training program centered on PPCMP research. The next offering is April 18-20 in Malibu, Calif.; for more information, click here.

Paglia & Slee up for M&A award. To cap off his busy year, Paglia—along with Robert Slee(Robertson & Foley)—are among the five finalists for the third annual Middle Market Thought Leader Award. The award, given by The Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors and Grant Thornton, honors “individuals who have made a meaningful contribution to middle market M&A,” says a recent release, which also names the remaining three nominees.