L&L Insider: Landscaping news from last month

ExperiGreen, Turf Masters Brands merge

The Wind Point Partners acquisition unites two of the industry’s Top 100 businesses under the Turf Masters Brands corporate name.

Wind Point Partners has acquired Turf Masters Brands, and effective immediately, the company will be combined with Wind Point’s existing portfolio company, ExperiGreen Lawn Care.

The move unites two of the industry’s Top 100 businesses under the Turf Masters Brands corporate name. CenterOak Partners, a Dallas-based private equity firm, sold Turf Masters and terms of the deal were not disclosed.

For its part, ExperiGreen received an investment from Wind Point Partners earlier this year. ExperiGreen ranks No. 50 on Lawn & Landscape’s Top 100 list. Turf Masters ranks No. 25 on the same list.

The merged company will employ more than 1,800 team members and serve nearly 400,000 residential customers across 16 states and two Canadian provinces, with significant presence in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast markets.

Similar to ExperiGreen, TMB is a provider of fertilization, weed control, aeration, seeding, tree and shrub care and exterior pest services, principally focused on residential homeowners.

Luis Orbegoso, current ExperiGreen CEO, will serve as CEO of the combined company. “By uniting two strong, complementary organizations, we are creating a platform for exceptional service across North America,” Orbegoso says. “Our combined capabilities, talent and market reach give us a powerful foundation for continued growth and expanded opportunities for our teams.”

In recent years, the combined company has completed multiple acquisitions.

During CenterOak’s investment, Turf Masters more than doubled its customer base and branch network, growing to over 40 locations and more than 1,100 employees.

“Teaming with CenterOak was one of the most important decisions we made for our family-owned business,” says Andy Kadrich, founder of Turf Masters Brands and CenterOak Operating Partner. “They shared our core values, they cared deeply about our legacy, and they made it clear from day one that they wanted to build a business with us. Together, we mapped out priorities and executed a growth plan that allowed us to triple earnings and surpass our goals.”

“Lawn care is a large, attractive market with a strong value proposition, that is only increasing with consumer demographic changes and ability to leverage technology to further enhance the service offering and delivery,” says Alex Washington, managing director at Wind Point Partners. “Our vision for TMB is clear — to lead the industry — and we will achieve that by continuing to build and invest in a best-in-class organization.”

Court Carruthers and David Alexander continue to serve as board co-chairs of the combined company. Carruthers is the retired CEO of TricorBraun, a board advisor to Wind Point portfolio company SmartCare and a longstanding member of Wind Point’s executive advisor partner program. Alexander is the former CEO of TruGreen (ranked No. 3 on Lawn & Landscape’s Top 100) and has been board co-chair for ExperiGreen since 2022.

Strathmore acquires Royal Tree Service in Montreal

Alexander Nicholson, founder of Royal Tree Service, and his team will join Strathmore immediately.

Strathmore has acquired Royal Tree Service, which has offered residential tree care on Montreal’s West Island and surrounding areas for over 15 years.

Located in the Baie-d’Urfé industrial park, Royal Tree Service’s facilities will enable faster response times and greater operational efficiency. By combining fleets, crews and scheduling, Strathmore aims to deliver better service and productivity to homeowners throughout the West Island and Off-Island communities.

Alexander Nicholson, founder of Royal Tree Service, and his team will join Strathmore immediately.

“This acquisition is a perfect alignment of values and vision,” says Jessica Milligan, president of Strathmore. “Royal Tree Service has built an outstanding reputation through the same dedication to quality, safety and client trust that lies at the heart of Strathmore. Together, we are creating the strongest, most responsive arboriculture team in the region and taking a major step toward our goal of becoming Canada’s undisputed leader in snow removal, landscaping and tree care.”

Unity Partners forms platform under Yardmaster brand

The move combines four companies in three Midwestern states: Yardmaster, Big Lakes Lawncare, Good Guys Lawn and Landscape and Kunco Landscape.

Unity Partners has formed a new Midwestern landscaping platform spanning three states with completed investments in Yardmaster of Columbus, Big Lakes Lawncare of Detroit, Good Guys Lawn and Landscape of Ann Arbor and Kunco Landscape of Erie, Pennsylvania.

Terms of the private transactions were not disclosed. The combined business will be led by Yardmaster CEO Mike Montenaro. All four businesses will be integrated and operate under the Yardmaster brand.

All four companies provide a range of landscaping services including landscape maintenance, lawn care, enhancement and installation, as well as snow management services to clients in the commercial, multi-family, HOA, office, industrial and retail end markets.

“We are thrilled to launch this partnership with Unity,” Montenaro says. “Our teams are excited about the strong alignment with Unity around our shared values, ambitious goals for the business and our passion for serving our teammates and clients.”

“Each of these businesses represents the type of partnership Unity seeks: ambitious leaders with deep roots in their markets, exceptional service quality, impressive track records of long-term growth, and clear growth opportunities,” says Brett Stoehr, vice president of investments at Unity Partners. “Our partnership is an ideal result of our investment thesis around commercial landscaping, and we’re excited to support the continued expansion and combined vision for a leading regional landscaping platform.”

Yardmaster will be implementing an employee purpose plan that provides all of its employees with a stake in the firm’s financial success and capital events.

“Since our first interactions, the teams at Yardmaster, Big Lakes, Good Guys and Kunco have all expressed enthusiasm in partnering to be part of something larger,” says Jim Sharpe, partner and head of propel at Unity Partners. “We’re excited to contribute to value acceleration across key operational levers, including technology, sales and marketing, talent development and platform integration.”

“We’re thrilled about the strength and scale that this combination brings,” says Chester Buczynski, founder of Big Lakes Lawncare and current president of Yardmaster. “Partnering with Yardmaster allows us to leverage additional resources, talent and expertise to better serve our clients and accelerate growth. Our team is energized about the opportunities ahead.”

Connell Foley served as legal advisor to Yardmaster on the transaction. Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisor to Unity Partners. 3PG Advisors served as financial advisor to Yardmaster and Big Lakes.

Agellus Capital acquires HighGrove Partners

Founded in 1989, HighGrove provides commercial landscape maintenance, irrigation, arbor care and enhancement services from its four locations across the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Agellus Capital announced the acquisition of HighGrove Partners. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, HighGrove is a provider of commercial landscaping services across the Southeastern United States.

Founded in 1989, HighGrove provides commercial landscape maintenance, irrigation, arbor care and enhancement services from its four locations across the Atlanta, Georgia, metropolitan area.

“We saw strong alignment with Agellus’ entrepreneurial mindset and growth-oriented approach to scaling our business in a way that honors our people and core values,” says Jim and Erin McCutcheon, CEO and CFO, respectively, of HighGrove Partners.

“We’re excited to partner with Jim and Erin and the HighGrove team to build on the impressive momentum they’ve created and expand their success across the Southeast region. HighGrove provides a solid foundation on which to build our landscaping services platform. We look forward to supporting their continued growth and identifying complementary partners that share their commitment to excellence and customer service," says Agellus Capital Co-founder and Managing Partner Jeff Aiello.

CCG Advisors, an Atlanta based investment banking firm focused on the green industry, acted as the exclusive sell side advisor to High Grove in the transaction. Piper Sandler acted as financial advisor and Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP served as legal counsel to Agellus Capital.

Chapel Valley president retires; 4 take on new roles

Following Bill Fiester’s retirement, Lucas Castor, Josh Richman, Tammy Fisher and Brian Hoffman have all received promotions.

Chapel Valley Landscape Company President Bill Fiester has retired after more than a decade of leadership to the organization. Since joining the company in 2014, Fiester has led the company’s growth.

As Chapel Valley enters this next chapter, the company has advanced several long-tenured team members into expanded leadership roles.

Lucas Castor has been promoted to president. A Chapel Valley leader since 2014, Castor has shaped key areas of the business including strategic growth, business development, marketing and operations. In his new role as president, Castor will continue to oversee the business development team, ensuring continuity in the strategic areas he has helped strengthen over the past decade.

Josh Richman has been promoted to chief operations officer, maintenance. Richman brings more than 20 years of Chapel Valley experience and extensive industry expertise to this role. He will focus on operations, enhancing the client experience and developing high-performing teams across the company’s maintenance operations. Over the past year as regional leader, Richman has led multiple Virginia markets.

Tammy Fisher has been promoted to vice president, human resources. Over the past 10 years, Fisher has helped shape Chapel Valley’s culture and talent strategy. In her expanded role, she will continue to help align people and business strategies to support Chapel Valley’s long-term success.

Brian Hoffman has been promoted to vice president, construction. A 32-year veteran of Chapel Valley, Hoffman leads construction operations across branches with a focus on elevating quality and schedule performance, strengthening safety and mentoring field and project leaders. He also works to enhance the client experience from pre-construction through project closeout.

NaturaLawn of America adds Schwartz, Medd to operations team

Pete Medd is the company's newest franchise business consultant, while Doug Schwartz has been hired as its new director of operations.

NaturaLawn of America has welcomed two new members to its operations team.

Doug Schwartz has been hired as its new director of operations. In this role, Schwartz will oversee day-to-day operational activities, implement strategic initiatives and drive performance improvements across the company’s national franchise network.

Schwartz is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in business growth, operational efficiency, strategic planning, and team development.

Schwartz most recently served as director of operations and integrator at Columbia Academy, a private school system in Columbia, Maryland. He played a key role in preparing the company for an acquisition in 2024.

Previously, Schwartz held senior roles at Kiddie Academy, one of the nation's fastest-growing childcare franchise systems. As director of operations, he led national expansion efforts and enhanced operational performance.

Meanwhile, Pete Medd has joined NaturaLawn of America as the company’s newest franchise business consultant. In this role, he will provide hands-on support to franchise owners and their teams, offering expertise in operations, business planning, performance management, agronomics and marketing.

Medd brings a wealth of multi-unit franchising and entrepreneurial experience to the NaturaLawn of America team. For the past decade, he served as co-founder and CEO of Mpower Interactive, an education and workforce development platform that partnered with national spa franchises including Hand & Stone and Massage Envy. In this role, Medd worked directly with corporate teams and franchisees, helping them strengthen staffing, training and operational execution. He has also led consulting engagements with franchise owners, a global sports apparel brand, and previously managed a professional soccer organization as president and general manager.

“We are thrilled to welcome both Pete and Doug to our growing team,” says Jesse Catron, senior vice president of NaturaLawn of America. “Their proven leadership and strong backgrounds in franchise operations will be instrumental as we enhance our processes and focus on continued national growth.”

Manitou Group names Boehler as North America president

An engineer by training, Brad Boehler has over 25 years experience in the construction and lifting equipment sector, holding high-level leadership positions.

Manitou Group is appointing Brad Boehler as president of the North America region and as a member of the executive committee.

Based in West Bend, Wisconsin, Boehler's mission will be to accelerate the market share growth for Manitou Group's product ranges and to enhance the customer experience through faster service. He will also be responsible for operational excellence at the two manufacturing sites located in Yankton and Madison, South Dakota. He will thus ensure alignment between commercial priorities and industrial performance, and the integration of a strong customer-centric culture throughout North America.

“I am proud and enthusiastic to join Manitou Group and take on this new challenge. We have highly committed employees and two strong value-added brands in Gehl and Manitou. I am eager to apply my extensive industry experience with both the sales and industrial teams to make the North American market a powerful growth engine for Manitou Group, by continually staying closer to our valued customers," says Boehler.

An engineer by training, Boehler has built a vast experience of over 25 years in the construction and lifting equipment sector, holding high-level leadership positions. Notably, he served as president of the Canadian group Skyjack for over eight years, a role he subsequently held at Morbark and, most recently, at Makinex USA, where he was responsible for business development and managing a dealer network across the entire United States.