Professional Services Acquisitions

The Vertex Companies, LLC ("Vertex"), a portfolio company of Wind Point Partners, acquired CBBG Group Construction Expert Services, Ltd ("CBBG"), a construction expert services firm specializing in disputes, arbitration, and technical consulting. The acquisition expands Vertex’s forensic consulting and expert testimony capabilities and extends its presence across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

ToxStrategies, a scientific consulting firm and portfolio company of Renovus Capital Partners, acquired Suttons Creek, a consultancy focused on combination product development services across the pharmaceutical product lifecycle. The deal expands ToxStrategies’ capabilities in areas such as regulatory, quality, and human factors/usability engineering for drug, biologic, and device-related development and commercialization. Transaction terms were not disclosed, and Suttons Creek will continue to be led by founder Steven Badelt as a division of ToxStrategies.

Security Services Holdings LLC ("Protos"), backed by Southfield Capital, has completed the acquisition of Summit Off Duty Services, an off-duty police officer security provider. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Summit expands Protos’ off-duty law enforcement offering and represents Protos’ tenth acquisition since partnering with Southfield Capital.

Corridor Capital announced an investment in Association Headquarters, LLC in collaboration with management to support the company’s expansion and development of additional value-added services. The investment represents Corridor Capital’s seventh platform investment from Corridor Capital III, L.P., and its entry into the association management services sector, with current leadership retaining roles and maintaining ownership.

Dave Cantin Group (DCG) received a significant minority investment from Kaltroco, a private investment company backed by the family of Steve Koltes. The investment is intended to support DCG’s next phase of growth, including geographic expansion and broader advisory offerings across adjacent automotive-related verticals. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Seneca Partners acquired Wyoming Corporate Services (WCS), a corporate formation and registered agent services provider headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming. White Wolf Private Credit Management and Source Capital partnered on the transaction by providing a combination of senior secured debt and equity financing; financial terms were not disclosed.

MRE Partners, in partnership with Stonehenge Partners, completed an investment in Curated Events, an event services provider in the Eastern United States. MRE led the transaction and was joined by Blue Marlin Partners, Cohesive Capital, and UMB Financial as investment partners. Deal terms were not disclosed.

Labrador, a global communications firm specializing in corporate disclosures, has acquired and integrated Argyle, an investor communications advisory, design, and ESG firm. The combination expands Labrador’s U.S. presence and enhances its capabilities in advisory services, design, and ESG reporting frameworks.

E78 Partners acquired Outliers LLC, a Michigan-based finance and accounting services firm focused on private equity portfolio companies. Outliers will operate within E78’s Leadership & Transaction Services business unit to expand E78’s interim CFO and transaction-related capabilities. Financial terms were not disclosed.

PRA, a business event management firm, acquired Hawai‘i-based destination management company Weil & Associates to expand its talent and reach in the Hawaiian incentive and events market. Weil & Associates founder Debbie Weil-Manuma will lead the rebranded PRA Hawai‘i. The deal is PRA’s first acquisition since being acquired by private equity firm EagleTree Capital in February 2023.

GovExec acquired The Advanced Technology Academic Research Center (ATARC), a nonprofit convening organization that brings together federal government, academia, and industry to address emerging technology challenges. The transaction was completed with financial support from Growth Catalyst Partners, and ATARC will operate as an independent division led by founder and CEO Tom Suder. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Edanz Inc. announced it has acquired Scribendi, an ISO 9001:2015-certified online editing and proofreading company. The combination is intended to create a global, full-service language and publication solutions provider for researchers, authors, publishers, institutions, and companies, leveraging complementary geographies and capabilities.

EagleTree Capital acquired PRA, a U.S.-based business events management firm, through its private equity fund EagleTree Partners V. The company was purchased from CI Capital Partners, which had invested in PRA in 2017, and PRA’s management team will continue to lead the business. Financial terms were not disclosed.

HKW-backed Culture Partners acquired Paradigm Learning to expand its business solutions offering with customizable, instructor-led, game-based leadership development simulations. Paradigm Learning, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Seminole, Florida, will add its leadership training simulations to Culture Partners’ Culture Equation Journey; financial terms were not disclosed.

Stonehenge Partners announced a partnership with The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) to provide growth capital to fuel SFC’s expansion in sports tourism, recreation, and community facility development/management. The transaction brings Stonehenge in as a capital partner while SFC’s existing executive team retains a significant ownership stake and continues to lead the business.

Audax Private Equity has acquired DISA Global Solutions, an outsourced provider of employee screening and compliance management services, from Court Square Capital Partners. DISA, founded in 1986 and headquartered in Houston, provides services such as drug and alcohol testing, background screening, occupational medicine testing, safety training, and transportation compliance. Following the closing, Audax and DISA plan to pursue add-on acquisitions to expand geography, enter new end-markets, and broaden service offerings.

Propio Language Services, a technology-enabled interpreting and translation service provider, announced the acquisition of Telelanguage, an enterprise language services company specializing in remote interpreting. The deal expands Propio’s scale and geographic presence, making it one of the world’s five largest remote interpreting companies by volume and strengthening its ability to serve primarily healthcare clients.

Southfield Capital announced a partnership with Franchise FastLane, a leading franchise sales organization providing outsourced franchise development services to emerging franchisors. FastLane founders and owners Carey Gille and Ryan Zink will remain involved post-close, with Gille continuing as CEO and Zink serving as a board advisor. Twin Brook Capital Partners provided debt financing for the transaction.

BDV Solutions, a tech-enabled provider of labor solutions and employment-based immigration services, has acquired visa consulting firm Argo Visa. The combination expands BDV’s immigration service offering by adding Argo’s network of former U.S. consular officers who advise applicants on preparing for U.S. visa interviews.

SJ Partners, LLC, alongside operating partner Aaron Kleinhandler and co-investors ASLK Investments LLC, Northcreek Mezzanine, and Everside Capital Partners, LLC, made an equity investment in CentralBDC, LLC. CentralBDC, based in Boca Raton, Florida, provides outsourced business development and lead management services to auto dealerships nationwide and will be renamed CentralBDC, Enterprises, LLC. Founder Benjamin Shamsizadeh will remain President, while Aaron Kleinhandler will become CEO; Enterprise Bank & Trust provided a senior term loan.

GME Supply Co., a portfolio company of Platte River Equity, has acquired TEAM-1 Academy. Headquartered in Burlington, Ontario, TEAM-1 provides safety and rescue training, consultative services, and related equipment to customers in wind and renewable energy, telecommunications, and hazardous material management. The acquisition expands GME’s presence in Canada and strengthens its offering for at-height worker training and safety equipment.

VRC Investigations acquired insurance defense investigations firms Woodall & Broome and Prime Source Investigations to expand its national investigative and anti-fraud capabilities. The deal increases VRC’s local investigator coverage across 20 states, strengthening rural and regional reach and enhancing services for insurance carriers and related clients.

Iron Creek Partners LLC acquired Credential Check Corporation (CredentialCheck), a provider of employment background screening and drug testing services. Iron Creek led an investment group that included Main Street Capital Corporation, and the transaction closed in August 2021 with proceeds providing growth capital to CredentialCheck’s balance sheet.

Curion Holdings LLC announced it will acquire Ravel (formerly Smith Dahmer Associates), a consumer research firm with qualitative and quantitative research and ideation expertise. The acquisition is intended to broaden Curion’s consumer insights capabilities beyond sensory testing and provide clients a more holistic research offering across the customer journey.

Tecum Capital Partners announced a growth investment in JD Palatine LLC, a technology-enabled business process outsourcing provider focused on background and employment screening services. The financing included equity/mezzanine capital from Tecum and senior debt financing from First Commonwealth Bank to support JD Palatine’s continued growth.

E78 Partners announced the acquisition of Seattle-based NextLevel, an executive services firm providing interim C-suite executive services. The deal supports E78’s strategy to expand its C-level interim and consulting offerings for privately owned and private equity-backed mid-market companies; financial terms were not disclosed.

E78 Partners has completed the acquisition of Agile Fund Solutions, a U.S.-based provider of outsourced CFO, COO and CCO services for alternative investment managers. The combined firm serves more than 125 alternative investment fund managers and supports over $30 billion in assets under management. Transaction terms were not disclosed.

Boston Trade Interior Solutions, together with its partner Blackford Capital, acquired the assets of Design Environments Corporation (DEI), an interior design and interior architecture firm based in Marietta, Georgia. DEI will join Boston Trade as a division of Hospitality Consolidation Company (HCC), a Blackford Capital portfolio company, expanding Boston Trade’s national footprint and service offering across hospitality and adjacent residential markets.

ZRG announced the acquisition of Sucherman Group, a leading advisory and executive search firm focused on media and entertainment companies. Sucherman founder Stuart Sucherman and CEO Erik Sorenson will continue to lead the business as it adopts ZRG’s tech-enabled, data-driven approach to search and advisory services.

Levine Leichtman Capital Partners (LLCP) announced that it has invested in Prime Global Medical Communications Ltd. in partnership with the company’s founder and management team. Prime Global is a global medical communications and market access group serving biotech, pharmaceutical, and healthcare clients, and will continue to be led by Founder and CEO Graeme Peterson.

Enlightenment Capital partnered with and invested in Artlin Consulting to support the company’s next phase of growth. The investment was made through Enlightenment’s Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program fund, with terms not disclosed. Vienna, Virginia-headquartered Artlin plans to use the capital in part to pursue acquisitions.

WestView Capital Partners has completed the sale of Mintz Group, a global provider of investigative and enterprise risk management services, to private equity firm ICV Partners. Mintz Group’s management team will retain a substantial ownership stake in the business going forward.

Diversified Search, a portfolio company of ShoreView, has acquired Storbeck Search and Associates ("Storbeck"). The deal represents the third add-on acquisition since ShoreView’s initial investment in Diversified Search twelve months prior and strengthens Diversified Search’s presence in higher education executive search.

Funds managed by Morgan Stanley Capital Partners (MSCP) completed an investment in World 50, Inc., partnering with the company’s existing management team led by CEO David Wilkie, who will remain in his role. World 50, headquartered in Atlanta, provides invitation-only private peer communities for senior executives, and plans to continue organic growth and acquisitions with MSCP’s support.

Surge Private Equity LLC acquired Norris Training Systems Inc. and Reyes Cleaning Services Corp. in late December 2019 and early January 2020. The Norris transaction was financed by Modern Bank, N.A., with sellers David and Linda Norris retaining a minority stake and continuing to operate the business. Separately, Surge portfolio company Busy Bee Cleaning Services LLC acquired competitor RCS with financing from Harvest Capital Credit Corporation.

Silver Lake signed a definitive agreement to acquire First Advantage, a global provider of background screening and drug testing solutions. The company is being acquired from Symphony Technology Group (STG), and First Advantage’s senior management team will remain in place and retain meaningful equity ownership. Financial terms were not disclosed and the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020, subject to customary conditions.

Veracity Research Company (VRC), a professional investigative services firm and portfolio company of Trinity Hunt Partners, announced the acquisition of Probe Information Services. Probe provides surveillance, background, and field investigations as well as SIU fraud abatement and compliance services, expanding VRC’s footprint in the Western United States. Probe’s executive management team will remain with the business following the transaction.