Max Home Inspection, Residential Inspector of America, PestNation, and The Inspectagator brands will share relationships, support systems, and best practices as part of Launchpad Home Group.
AUSTIN, TX (Feb. 28, 2023) – RFE Investment Partners (“RFE”), a Connecticut-based private equity firm, today announced the formation of LaunchPad Home Group (“LaunchPad”), a family of home inspection and residential services brands sharing relationships, support systems, and best practices.
LaunchPad’s mission is to create lifelong customer relationships by simplifying home ownership at every stage of the journey. Built on a “people first” foundation, LaunchPad is committed to being the “employer of choice” in the home inspection and pest control industries with full alignment and buy-in at all levels of the company.
LaunchPad serves as the parent company under which RFE’s original 2022 investments in Florida-based Max Home Inspections, All Year Pest Control, and Logix Home Services will reside alongside future brand partners.
In conjunction with the announcement, LaunchPad has welcomed Residential Inspector of America (“RIA”), PestNation, All-Pro Home Inspections (“API”), Step By Step Inspections (“SBS”), HomePro Inspections (“HPI”), and The Inspectagator as new partners in the family of companies.
“We are excited to introduce our new organization and mission statement to the market, which reflects our plans to partner with and invest in leading home services brands,” said LaunchPad CEO Scott Swayze. “Our Austin-based ‘home team’ will provide support, tools, resources, training, new services, and capital to help our partner brands thrive in their regional markets. We are very pleased to welcome RIA, PestNation, API, SBS, HPI, and The Inspectagator to our family of companies.”
Residential Inspector of America (RIA) and PestNation
RIA is the largest and most prominent home inspection provider in the Atlanta area, while PestNation provides a full breadth of pest control and extermination services. Founded in 1989, RIA has developed a culture built on a growth mindset focused on technical excellence and exceptional client service. Over the past several years, RIA has partnered with three inspection companies in Nashville (API), Charleston (SBS), and Jacksonville (HPI) to expand its services in these markets and broaden its geographic reach.
“We quickly identified that the LaunchPad team ‘walks the talk,’ puts in the work, fits our culture, is trustworthy, and is committed to seeing the team win big,” said Rob and Cat Lemoine, owners and leaders of RIA and PestNation. “Our new LaunchPad family is helping us build the infrastructure and talented team that we will need to scale past what anybody thought to be possible in the home inspection industry — all while providing massive opportunities and a bigger future for our team members.”
As part of LaunchPad Home Group, RIA is positioned to extend and accelerate its geographic growth providing exceptional home inspection services to new markets. Rob and Catherine Lemoine will continue to lead the RIA and PestNation brands while serving on the LaunchPad Board of Directors as significant shareholders of the parent company alongside RFE.
“We are especially excited to welcome Rob and Cat to our leadership ranks. Both bring an impressive amount of industry knowledge and highly personalized customer relationships that will complement LaunchPad’s strong growth trajectory throughout the Southeast,” Swayze added.
The Inspectagator
The Inspectagator is a provider of home and commercial inspections serving the greater Orlando region for over 25 years. Jon and Bobbi Lynn Bolton, founders and owners of The Inspectagator, have joined the LaunchPad leadership team as Directors of Inspector Training and Human Resources.
“When we recognized the opportunity in LaunchPad and the fortuitous prospect of venturing side by side with giants in the industry where we absolutely could accomplish far more than we were able with our own limited funds and schedule, it was just a ‘mic drop’ moment for us,” the Boltons said.
About LaunchPad Home Group
LaunchPad Home Group is a family of regional home inspection and services brands sharing relationships, support systems, best practices, and capital base for the mutual growth of our brands. LaunchPad’s mission is to create lifelong relationships by simplifying home ownership at every stage of the journey, from inspections to remodeling to day-to-day safekeeping and maintenance. For more information, visit www.launchpadhomegroup.com.
Merger will expand PureRED’s capabilities in design, copy & content, animation, digital delivery and analytics
Fairfield, CT– February 27, 2023 – Today, leading marketing, data, and technology partner PureRED and global creative agency Haddad & Partners (“H&P”) announced that effective immediately, the companies will merge to form a larger, more comprehensive offering. PureRED CEO Brian Cohen will oversee the newly formed company, with H&P Founder and Chief Creative Officer DJ Haddad remaining in his current role to oversee legacy H&P clients.
PureRED and H&P retain their individual brand identities and client rosters. The combined leadership team aligns under a centralized P&L delivering a broader suite of integrated and strategic solutions for clients. Both agencies will retain their headcount with an eye towards growth and innovation in the future.
For existing PureRED clients such as Kroger, Rite Aid, New Jersey Lottery, and Sanofi, and H&P clients including Charter, Microsoft, and TD Bank, the merger opens up new possibilities including an increased global reach. The newly combined network of over 600 employees offers clients robust strategy, creative, and veteran expertise with a deeper integrated marketing service, technology, and creative offerings.
“This is a great day and we are energized about the possibilities this new partnership affords our clients and teammates,” said Brian Cohen, CEO at PureRED and H&P. “H&P’s expertise in content creation, innovation and digital delivery complements PureRED’s technology, data, and creative offerings seamlessly. DJ and his team have built an impressive company, and their culture aligns perfectly with ours. The future is bright for all of us.”
Building on PureRED’s corporate growth strategy, this merger elevates PureRED’s creative and digital capabilities for current and future clients. For H&P, it brings together parallel corporate cultures and top-notch talents and skill sets.
“This is the next evolutionary step for H&P and we’re beyond excited to be taking it with PureRED. This move expands our talent pool and capabilities, and it also provides our clients with plenty of new offerings, while giving our global team some amazing opportunities for growth,” said DJ Haddad. “We look forward to the exchange of cultures and ideas between our two companies and the benefits it’ll bring to all of our clients.”
PureRED is a portfolio company of RFE Investment Partners (“RFE”), Caymus Equity Partners and Starboard Capital Partners. G2 Capital Partners acted as advisor to PureRED.
About PureRED
PureRED is a leading marketing, data and technology partner delivering digital content at scale. With over 50 years experience, PureRED works with 14 of the largest 25 retailers in the country, and provides fully integrated marketing and advertising capabilities for Fortune 500 brands across retail, consumer packaged goods, financial services and specialty brands.
PureRED is an award winning, 600+ associate, PE-owned advertising, marketing and technology company that creates and distributes digital content at scale for 14 of the largest 25 retailers in the US, and also provides Fully Integrated Advertising and Marketing solutions for Fortune 500 Consumer and Retail brands. For more information, visit www.purered.net.
About Haddad & Partners (H&P)
Haddad & Partners is a full-service, global creative agency made up of a veteran team of problem solvers, designers, copywriters, animators, developers, video producers and all-around doers. Since 2007, they’ve worked tirelessly for some of the world’s biggest brands such as Microsoft, Amazon, TD Bank, Fannie Mae and Total Wine & More in generating innovative and measurable creative campaigns, while never losing sight of the importance of maintaining a highly collaborative remote working environment. For more information, visit www.haddadandpartners.com.
ZRG closes significant investment from new and existing shareholders to accelerate growth of global talent advisory platform
ZRG, a global talent advisory firm and portfolio company of RFE Investment Partners, today announced that it has secured a new secondary equity investment from a consortium of new and existing institutional investors led by Timber Bay Partners.
ZRG currently is a market leader in the global executive recruiting marketplace, and also provides interim/on demand talent solutions, human capital consulting services, and recruitment process outsourcing (“RPO”).
This new capital will accelerate ZRG’s acquisition and hiring efforts as the company continues to build-out a full suite of offerings to help clients solve people problems.
In line with this strategic fundraising, ZRG announced on December 6 that is acquired Hub Recruiting, a Tech Enabled RPO provider to address volume hiring needs globally.
The new equity round included increased support from existing investors as well as a number of new institutions. RFE will manage the new equity consortium and will maintain a control equity position.
Concurrent with the new equity investment in the Company, ZRG also announced the closing of a new and expanded senior credit facility led by Truist Bank. Proceeds will be used to refinance existing debt and provide additional capital for future growth.
“We see tremendous opportunity to acquire great businesses in the recruiting and talent advisory areas that will augment our organic growth across all of our business lines. The new equity capital and expanded credit facility provide ample dry powder for our organic and acquisition growth plans,” said Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG. “Additionally, we will continue to invest in our disruptive Zi technology platform and grow our interim and consulting businesses in tandem with our core executive recruiting deliverables.”
Michael Rubel, Managing Director at RFE, commented: “ZRG has an exceptional track record of supporting and growing acquired companies that have all thrived under ZRG’s resources and unique culture. This new capital accelerates our strategy of partnering with great new human capital people and brands.”
Atlantic-Pacific Capital served as exclusive global financial advisor and placement agent. Truist Bank served as the sole lead arranger for the new credit facility. Specific financial terms are not disclosed.
About ZRG:
ZRG is a global talent advisory firm that is changing the way companies hire and manage talent. ZRG’s data-driven approach to executive and professional search has been changing the way clients think about how to find top talent. The company’s digital Zi platform combines talent intelligence, candidate insights, and process improvement to dramatically deliver executive searches quicker and with proven better results.
About RFE Investment Partners:
RFE Investment Partners is a private equity firm focused on making control investments in established small market companies located in the United States. RFE is a long-standing firm founded in 1980 with over 40 years of experience investing in the lower middle market. RFE’s investment strategy is to transform its portfolio companies from the lower end of the market to fully professionalized and market-leading middle-market companies. RFE is currently investing out of Fund IX. For more information, visit www.rfeip.com.
About Timber Bay Partners:
Timber Bay Partners is an independent private equity firm focused on General Partner-led secondary transactions. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, the firm’s investment professionals have worked with general partners for more than a decade to structure unique and creative solutions to liquidity issues faced by mature private equity funds.
About Truist:
Truist Financial Corporation is a purpose-driven financial services company committed to inspiring and building better lives and communities. Truist has leading market share in many high-growth markets in the country, and offers a wide range of services including retail, small business and commercial banking; asset management; capital markets; commercial real estate; corporate and institutional banking; insurance; mortgage; payments; specialized lending; and wealth management. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Truist is a top 10 U.S. commercial bank with total assets of $544 billion as of March 31, 2022. Truist Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at Truist.com.
About Atlantic Pacific:
Atlantic-Pacific Capital is the largest independently owned global placement agent and advisory firm dedicated to raising capital for alternative investments. Since its founding in 1995, Atlantic-Pacific has organically grown into a global organization with an established brand in the private equity community. Over the last two decades, the firm has executed on over 110 capital raising assignments aggregating over $75 billion for an extraordinary group of alternative asset managers.
Amy Reach transitions to president; Cohen is a former C-Level Executive at The Match Marketing Group, Epsilon and Catapult Marketing
Atlanta, GA – Recently leading advertising, marketing, and technology partner PureRED announced Brian Cohen as Chief Executive Officer. Brian has served as an advisor to PureRED and its Board of Directors since January of 2022, and will follow Amy Reach as CEO. Amy will continue in her role as president.
For the past two years, Amy has served a dual role as president and CEO, successfully guiding the company through the pandemic. During that time, Amy also played an instrumental role as a member of the company’s Board of Directors in recruiting Brian as her successor and preparing for the transition. Amy will retain her role as President and focus her attention on leading and nurturing the company’s impressive roster of Retail-specific clients.
Brian joins PureRED after more than two decades as a business and marketing executive, board advisor and business builder. Previously, Brian was the CEO of the Match Marketing Group, where he led the company through a period of repositioning and growth during the height of the Covid pandemic. Additionally, he served as President and Managing Director of Catapult Marketing before successfully merging the company with The Epsilon Agency in 2017, where he then held the title of Chief Operating Officer.
Brian will work closely with Amy and the broader team to help guide PureRED into the company’s next phase of growth, leveraging their proprietary PR1 platform, fueling further investment, and growing the already impressive consumer advertising and marketing discipline.
“PureRED has such an impressive collection of talented individuals and a suite of long-standing, top-tier clients. It’s an honor to be a part of this team, and to help shape our future as we continue to expand our capabilities and become even more influential in driving growth for our clients.” said Brian Cohen, CEO, PureRED.
“In working with Brian over the past few months, it quickly became clear he was the perfect successor as PureRED CEO,” said Amy Reach, President, PureRED. “I’m honored to have served as CEO and President for the last two years, some of the toughest for our industry. I know Brian will continue the strong trajectory of PureRED, and I will have a front row seat as President.”
Brian Cohen and Amy Reach assume their new positions effective immediately.
About PureRED
PureRED designs, produces and implements consumer marketing programs and content for large national retailers. The Company delivers strategy, creative, design, layout, data management and photography across digital, social, ecommerce, paper and in-store physical media systems. RFE partnered with management to purchase the Company from the ESOP owner. Since our acquisition, we have helped PureRED expand their digital agency capabilities into new shopper marketing service offerings and broaden the customer base with new national retailer accounts. RFE also helped PureRED complete one strategic add-on acquisition. For more information, visit www.purered.net
About RFE Investment Partners
RFE Investment Partners is a private equity firm focused on making control investments in established small market companies located in the United States. RFE is a long-standing firm founded in 1980 with over 40 years of experience investing in the lower middle market. RFE’s investment strategy is to transform its portfolio companies from the lower end of the market to fully professionalized and market-leading middle-market companies. RFE is currently investing out of Fund IX. For more information, visit www.rfeip.com.
RFE Investment Partners (“RFE”), a Connecticut-based private equity firm, announced today it has completed a recapitalization investment in Sales Empowerment Group (“SEG”), a leading provider of outsourced sales and marketing services to help companies accelerate their revenue growth. The company will continue to be led by Brian O’Neil and the existing management team, who will remain a significant part of the ownership structure.
Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Chicago, IL, SEG has helped more than 500 companies across various end markets accelerate revenue growth through its unique hands-on approach. SEG offers a full suite of services including outsourced business development and marketing resources, talent acquisition, sales training, sales technology, sales DNA assessments and marketing services, as well as consulting services through fractional CROs and CMOs.
“We are excited to partner with RFE because they allow us to have the resources and capital to grow our model even faster,” said Brian O’Neil, CEO and founder of SEG. “We conducted a very thorough process to find a partner that understood our industry and how the SEG model is differentiated in the market. RFE’s team, knowledge and approach impressed us the most.”
“Brian and the SEG team have built an exceptional business with a unique value proposition in the industry. We are excited to partner with them during their next phase of growth,” said Paul Schilpp, Managing Director of RFE.
“SEG has a long track record of driving revenue growth across a wide range of industries,” added Bill Bronander, Principal at RFE. “The team’s experience and proven, systematic approach to sales and marketing help take the guesswork out of setting and achieving its clients’ revenue goals.”
About Sales Empowerment Group
SEG is a sales and marketing execution firm providing services that drive revenue growth. The Company uses a strategic, time-tested approach, and works with its clients to create a sales-focused culture that helps grow revenue faster. SEG serves a variety of middle-market and larger companies in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, technology, professional services, and other sectors. For more information, visit https://www.salesempowermentgroup.com/.
About RFE Investment Partners
RFE Investment Partners is a private equity firm focused on making control investments in established small market companies located in the United States. RFE is a long-standing firm founded in 1980 with over 40 years of experience investing in the lower middle market. RFE’s investment strategy is to transform its portfolio companies from the lower end of the market to fully professionalized and market-leading middle-market companies. RFE is currently investing out of Fund IX. For more information, visit www.rfeip.com.
Media Contacts: John Mooney, 908-720-6057, [email protected]
Scott Swayze is elevated to CEO and Co-Founders Silvia and Shawn Rossbach and Mitch Feinglas remain on Board of Directors and significant shareholders.
WESTPORT, CT and DAVIE, FL (June 21, 2022) – RFE Investment Partners (“RFE”), a Connecticut-based private equity firm, announced today it has completed a recapitalization investment in Max Home Inspections (“Max Home”), a leading provider of home inspections and ancillary post-close services in the Florida and Texas markets.
Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Davie, FL, Max Home has become one of the fastest-growing home inspection providers in the United States. In addition to the traditional inspection service offering, the company provides a suite of post-close services to support the new homeowner, including pest control, repair and renovation, and preventative maintenance services.
In connection with the investment, Scott Swayze will assume the role of CEO, while co-founder Silvia Rossbach will continue to guide the company in an advisory role as a board member. Shawn and Silvia Rossbach and Mitch Feinglas maintain a significant ownership interest in the company alongside RFE. The company headquarters will relocate to Austin, TX with Scott and the executive team as Max Home continues to strengthen its presence in Texas.
“I am excited to partner with RFE given their long successful track record of growing home service companies through both organic avenues as well as the execution of an aggressive add-on acquisition campaign,” Swayze said. “I believe this partnership will enable Max Home to transform the home inspection landscape by becoming the ‘employer of choice’ for new hires as well as the ‘partner of choice’ for all inspection companies who see the value in joining the Max Home family to enjoy our tools, technology, suite of offerings, capital base, and employee-first culture.”
Rossbach added: “We believe this partnership is a strong strategic fit for Max Home. Our organization is excited to leverage the knowledge and expertise of RFE to help guide and support the continued growth ahead for the company.”
“The fragmented nature of the home inspection industry presents exciting opportunities, and Max Home has built a unique approach to the market through a diversified and scalable model,” said Michael Rubel, Managing Director at RFE.
“With additional growth capital from RFE, Max Home is well-positioned to capitalize on the Golden Moment of the home inspection to continue to build out its ancillary services offering while creating long-term relationships with homeowners,” Sean Gillick, Principal at RFE, added.
About Max Home:
Max Home Inspections is a leading provider of home inspection and ancillary residential services currently serving the major metropolitan markets in Florida and Texas. Max Home has created an efficient, scalable model for inspections that ensures a superior outcome for the customer and greater quality control to simplify the real estate experience. Max Home has built a high-quality, customer-centric team to ease the home buying experience and support homeowners throughout the duration of their ownership. For more information, visit www.maxhomeinspections.com.
About RFE:
RFE Investment Partners is a private equity firm focused on making control investments in established small market companies located in the United States. RFE is a long-standing firm founded in 1980 with over 40 years of experience investing in the lower middle market. RFE’s investment strategy is to transform its portfolio companies from the lower end of the market to fully professionalized and market-leading middle-market companies. RFE is currently investing out of Fund IX. For more information, visit www.rfeip.com.
Veransa group, Inc, a leader in transforming green waste into beneficial re-use products, appoints environmental sector veteran, Dean Kattler, to its board.
Sarasota, Florida –Veransa Group, Inc, a leader in transforming green waste into beneficial re-use products on an industrial scale through vertical integration of waste collection centers and manufacturing facilities, announces the appointment of Dean Kattler, to its Board of Directors.
“We are excited to add Dean Kattler to our Board of Directors. He brings long tenured operational and direct regional experience to our Board that will be invaluable as we continue to execute on our growth strategy,” said Marc Owensby, CEO, of Veransa Group.
With over 25 years of environmental industry experience, Dean brings a wealth of operational and recycling knowledge to the Veransa board.
Most recently, Dean was the CEO of Orion Waste Solutions. Prior to Orion, Dean led EnviroSolutions Inc. (ESI), a private equity-backed vertically integrated solid waste company based in the Mid-Atlantic. Prior to ESI, Dean spent 14 years in a variety of senior management positions throughout WM’s North American operations and running his own solid waste company (acquired by WM in the late 1990’s), including collection operations, transfer stations and material recovery facilities.
“I am thrilled to be partnering with Veransa’s leadership team as the Company continues to rapidly scale. I believe that my experience in multiple recycling businesses will be helpful to Veransa in achieving their strategic goals”, said Dean Kattler.
Dean earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Western Governors University.
About Veransa
Veransa specializes in transforming urban wood and yard waste into valuable commodities on an industrial scale. Veransa vertically integrates green waste collection centers with commodities manufacturing facilities to achieve highest-value use, waste-to-organic commodities production. Veransa aggregates green waste and transforms it, using electrically powered processing equipment, into useful products on an industrial scale, including soil-regenerating, OMRI Listed®, organic compost and blended soils, that are free of biosolids or manure. It also processes wood waste into the feedstock for decorative mulch and renewable energy. Veransa is an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) portfolio company of RFE Investment Partners, based in the Tampa-bay region of Florida.
About RFE
RFE Investment Partners is a private equity firm focused on making control investments in established small market companies located in the United States. RFE is a long-standing Connecticut-based firm founded in 1980 with over 40 years of experience investing in the lower middle market. RFE’s investment strategy is to transform its portfolio companies from the lower end of the market to fully professionalized and market leading middle market companies. RFE is currently investing out of Fund IX. For more information, please visit www.rfeip.com.
Telecommunications Industry Expert to Aid in SQUAN’s Continued Strategic Growth and Development
Carlstadt, NJ — Network infrastructure solutions and services provider, SQUAN, today announced the appointment of Sandra K. (Sandy) Howe to its board of directors. Howe brings extensive experience in the global telecommunications, media, and technology industries to enhance SQUAN’s plans for strategic growth and development advancements.
With over 25 years of industry experience, Howe currently serves as a board director and past-chair, special committee of Minim (NASDAQ: MINM), a smart home solutions provider of hardware and AI-driven software products sold under the Motorola brand. She has held leadership roles at technology companies such as ARRIS, Cisco and Technetix. At ARRIS, a $6.7B telecommunications equipment company, Howe spent over a decade in senior leadership positions, playing a key role in building their leading market position in the broadband industry. Her global roles included time as Senior Vice President of Strategic Market Development, Global Marketing and, later, Senior Vice President and GM of their global retail business.
“Sandy brings a great depth of experience and understanding of the sector, which we believe adds material value to SQUAN,” said Chris Roach, CEO of SQUAN. “We are honored to have her join our board of directors.”
A well-known and highly respected industry executive, Howe also serves on the board of directors of NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, which represents the largest cable and media industry companies in all legislative and regulatory matters. For more than a decade, she has also served on the board of The WICT Network and is current chairperson. Within these roles, she serves as an advocate for diversity in the workplace and a role model for STEM.
“SQUAN’s market position and growth potential were key factors in my decision to join the Board,” said Howe regarding the new role. “I see tremendous value in bridging complementary relationships and industry experience to further the company’s strategic growth.”
About SQUAN
SQUAN combines its unique and in-depth knowledge of network engineering and fiber construction to solve complex and evolving telecommunications problems around macro networks, small-cell, DAS, 5G, IoT and smart cities for wireless, wireline and enterprise customers. SQUAN is focused on the evolution of communications networks of all types and how new technologies are changing the landscape of infrastructure. SQUAN provides design/build and advisory services for backhaul, small-cells, C-RAN, fiber, Right-of-Way, technical installs, and maintenance. For more information visit: http://www.squan.com.
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About RFE
RFE Investment Partners is a private equity firm focused on making control investments in established small market companies located in the United States. RFE is a long-standing Connecticut-based firm founded in 1980 with over 40 years of experience investing in the lower middle market. RFE’s investment strategy is to transform its portfolio companies from the lower end of the market to fully professionalized and market leading middle market companies. RFE is currently investing out of Fund IX. For more information, please visit www.rfeip.com.