Brickman Acquires Ohio-Based GroundMasters

Brickman hopes to increase its presence in southern Ohio with the acquisition of Cincinnati-based GroundMasters.

Brickman, which serves commercial clients in 23 states with maintenance, landscape architecture and construction services, is taking over GroundMasters, the Ohio Valley’s largest provider of commercial landscape installation, maintenance and irrigation services, with seven locations throughout the tri-state region. GroundMasters owner Mike Rorie will remain with the company as a vice president, as will the existing management team.

“I first met Mike Rorie 10 to 12 years ago at an ALCA (Associated Landscape Contractors of America) event,” said Brickman President and CEO Scott Brickman. “We ended up golfing together and had seen each other over the years and kept in touch. We decided our two organizations can do a lot together as opposed to competing.”

Rorie and his leadership team, including Chris Hayes and Gary Kuykendall, will continue to oversee the Cincinnati, Dayton and Louisville markets. Their branches will be known at first as GroundMasters Division of Brickman and transition into the Brickman name in the next year or two.

“Having developed GroundMasters into a regional leader in the Ohio Valley and Kentucky over the past 27 years, I’m always focused on the future of our organization,” explained GroundMasters President, Mike Rorie. “The opportunity to continue growing our business has just taken a quantum leap by joining Brickman. Becoming part of the nation’s leading commercial landscape provider is a tremendous achievement for our management teams, staff and clients. The values and cultures of our two organizations are parallel. We are all very excited for this tremendous opportunity.”

Brickman said the company doesn’t perform many acquisitions, but echoed Rorie’s comment that the two companies’ cultures are similar, which will help create a smooth transition.

“For both of us, our primary focus is on landscape maintenance management, long-term customer relationship and we have highly tenured employees,” he said. “We see things very similarly.”

For more information, visit www.brickmangroup.com