Acquisitions in Kansas in 2021

EVERSANA has completed its acquisition of Intouch Group, a global full-service agency network serving the pharmaceutical industry. The deal integrates Intouch’s creative, media, enterprise solutions and data analytics into EVERSANA’s commercialization services platform to expand capabilities and accelerate digital-first commercialization for life sciences clients.

Paragon Energy Solutions, a Windjammer Capital portfolio company, has acquired Rock Creek Innovations, LLC, a developer and licensor of the Highly Integrated Protection System (HIPS) used in nuclear safety-related instrumentation and control systems. The acquisition brings Rock Creek's HIPS platform and engineering team into Paragon to expand its safety I&C capabilities for commercial nuclear power plants and small modular reactors; terms were not disclosed.

Gen4 Dental Partners, a doctor-centric Dental Service Organization (DSO) based in Tempe, Arizona, has acquired Accelerate Dental, a multi-practice dental platform led by Dr. Marvin Heinbach with locations throughout Kansas. The deal brings Accelerate's clinical leadership into Gen4's platform to expand Gen4's footprint and provide Accelerate's teams with Gen4's operational, clinical, HR and financial support.

Discovery Behavioral Health has acquired Awakenings KC Clinical Neuroscience Institute in Prairie Village, Kansas. The clinic — led by Dr. Maria Cristina Davila and offering outpatient behavioral-health services including TMS and ketamine infusion therapy — will join Discovery’s nationwide network to expand its outpatient and neuromodulation treatment capabilities in the Kansas City area.

Main Street Capital Corporation led a $42.2 million financing package (first-lien senior secured term debt plus a direct equity investment) to recapitalize Valley Veterinary Clinic, LLC d/b/a Valley Vet Supply. The transaction included a revolving credit facility from Main Street and co-investors to support Valley Vet Supply's growth initiatives and working capital needs.

Waterlogic Americas (Waterlogic) has acquired Boresow's Water Company, a commercial point-of-use water provider with locations in Overland Park, Kansas and Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The acquisition expands Waterlogic's regional density in Kansas and Pennsylvania and brings the local customer base and operations of founder Larry Boresow into Waterlogic's service network.

Relation Insurance Services, a PE-backed national insurance brokerage, acquired the assets of Kansas-based Truck Insurance Mart. The acquisition brings transportation-focused insurance expertise and expands Relation's Central Region footprint; Truck CEO Lucy Harrity will remain in place.

Platinum Equity (through its portfolio company Petmate) has acquired Cosmic Pet, a Wichita, Kansas-based designer, marketer and distributor of pet hard goods, toys, chews and treats. Cosmic Pet will be combined with Petmate to create a larger pet-products platform; financial terms were not disclosed and Guardian Capital Partners was the seller.

Procore Technologies has acquired LaborChart, a workforce management software provider for specialty contractors and self-performing general contractors, to expand its construction management platform with real-time workforce scheduling, forecasting, and communication tools. LaborChart’s 40+ employees will join Procore and its nearly 300 contractor customers will gain tighter integration with Procore’s Field Productivity and broader project data; financial terms were not disclosed.

Los Angeles-based private equity firm Vance Street Capital acquired McFarlane Aviation, a Baldwin City, Kansas manufacturer and distributor of FAA-PMA aftermarket parts for general aviation. The McFarlane family will retain a meaningful ownership stake alongside Vance Street as the firm positions McFarlane as a platform investment to accelerate growth in the aerospace aftermarket.

High Street Capital, alongside Wells Fargo Strategic Capital, has invested in Tramec LLC in a management-led recapitalization to support organic growth, new product and market introductions, and operational improvement. Tramec, headquartered in Iola, Kansas, manufactures and distributes engineered components to heavy-duty truck and trailer OEM and aftermarket channels.

LightEdge, a GI Partners-backed hybrid cloud and colocation provider, has acquired Cavern Technologies, a Lenexa (Kansas City) underground colocation and data center provider. The deal expands LightEdge's footprint into the Kansas City market and adds Cavern's underground, enterprise-grade colocation capacity and managed connectivity offerings to LightEdge's hybrid-IT platform.

Awesome Motive has acquired Sandhills Development’s entire suite of WordPress products and services, along with the associated product teams, including AffiliateWP, Easy Digital Downloads, Sugar Calendar, WP Simple Pay, and the Payouts Service. The acquisition transfers stewardship of the products and team to Awesome Motive so Sandhills founder Pippin Williamson can step away from WordPress and focus on conservation efforts.

PLS Logistics Services, a technology-driven third-party logistics provider based in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, has acquired D&L Transport, a freight brokerage headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas. D&L will operate as an independent subsidiary with Brian DeFrain remaining president, and PLS expects the transaction to increase its annual revenue run rate to $950 million (with a projected ~$1.2 billion in 2022).

Agiliti, Inc. (NYSE: AGTI) has agreed to acquire Sizewise Rentals, LLC, a manufacturer and distributor of specialty hospital beds, surfaces and patient handling equipment, in a stock purchase valued at $230 million (approximately 7.7x Adjusted EBITDA). The deal expands Agiliti's equipment solutions capabilities and nationwide service footprint; the transaction was financed with cash and debt (including a $150M incremental Term Loan B) and completed in Q4 2021.

L Catterton-backed Airxcel sold its RV Group to THOR Industries for an all-cash purchase price of $750 million. The transaction separates Airxcel's RV business (transferred to THOR) from its specialty HVAC business, which will remain supported by L Catterton as AirX Climate Solutions.

Hub International Limited has acquired the assets of Dissinger Reed, LLC, a Kansas-based specialty insurance agency focused on collegiate and high-school athletic programs. The acquisition expands Hub's Sports & Entertainment Specialty capabilities and brings Christian Reed and the Dissinger Reed team into Hub Mid-America.

Lone Wolf Technologies has acquired Terradatum to integrate its real estate data analytics tools into the Lone Wolf Broker Cloud. The deal brings Terradatum's BrokerMetrics and other market-intelligence capabilities into Lone Wolf's suite to expand predictive business intelligence for brokers, MLSs, and associations across North America. Terms were not disclosed.

RFPIO, a leader in response management software, acquired RFP360 on August 3, 2021 to expand its product portfolio to cover the full RFP lifecycle and strategic sourcing. The transaction was financed with participation from K1 Investment Management, RFPIO’s institutional investor, and is intended to broaden RFPIO’s offering and customer reach across market segments.

VSE Corporation (NASDAQ: VSEC) acquired privately held Global Parts Group, Inc. in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $38 million. The deal brings Global Parts' airframe-focused distribution and hydraulics/pneumatics MRO capabilities in Augusta, Kansas into VSE Aviation, expanding VSE's product and repair offerings to the business & general aviation market and adding access to more than 3,000 B&GA customers and ~ $65 million of 2020 revenue.

Denver-based Flagship Food Group, majority owned by CREO Capital Partners, has acquired a majority stake in Tortilla King, a Moundridge, Kansas-based maker of tortillas and tortilla chips. Management remains in place with co-founder Juan Guardiola staying on as President and a shareholder; terms were not disclosed and the deal closed in mid-July 2021.

NFI Corp., a New Bedford, Massachusetts-based producer of custom printed graphic solutions, has acquired PPS Inc., a printed-graphics and printed-electronics manufacturer headquartered in Olathe, Kansas. NFI will relocate PPS's manufacturing to its New Bedford facility while maintaining a sales and administrative office in Kansas; the acquisition is intended to expand NFI's capabilities and customer base in the U.S.

CBRE Caledon Capital Management Inc. has completed the previously announced acquisition of WANRack LLC, a fiber operator and developer that provides broadband connectivity (primarily to K-12 school districts) across the United States. The seller was Grain Management, which had been the controlling investor; WANRack's founder and CEO Rob Oyler and management retain an equity stake and will continue to lead the company.

Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI) has acquired SierraTrax, a provider of aircraft maintenance tracking software, to add digital maintenance-tracking capabilities to its suite of business aviation services. The move expands JSSI’s software offerings and combines SierraTrax’s modern platform with JSSI’s extensive maintenance data and program coverage; GTCR is the majority investor in JSSI.

Versar, Inc. acquired the environmental services business unit (BVESB) from Black & Veatch to strengthen its Environmental Services Group and expand capabilities in remediation, investigation, assessment and design for U.S. Federal customers. The deal adds experienced engineers and scientists focused on EPA, USACE and Department of Defense work and aligns with Versar’s strategy to broaden federal environmental remediation and site restoration offerings.

In April 2021 VSS Capital Partners completed a recapitalization of Barrier Companies alongside Lincolnshire Management, WP Global Partners and GarMark Partners. The transaction positions Lenexa-based Barrier — a provider of fire and life safety compliance, inspections and repairs for hospital systems nationwide — for accelerated growth and a roll-up/add-on acquisition strategy.

TT Capital Partners has made a growth equity investment in Propio Language Services to accelerate development of Propio’s Propio ONE platform, expand strategic hiring, and scale its interpretation, translation, and localization services—particularly in healthcare where ~70% of Propio’s business resides. The funding is Propio’s first external investment and will support product innovation, broader adoption of remote language services, and continued company growth.

ECS / My IT completed an add-on acquisition of Network Technologies, a Kansas City–based managed services provider with ~30 employees, expanding ECS / My IT's presence in Kansas City and the broader Midwest. The deal, announced June 8, 2021, follows ECS / My IT's partnership with investors Kian Capital and ParkSouth Ventures and strengthens the platform's capabilities—particularly in the financial services vertical.

Insight Partners has acquired CivicPlus from BV Investment Partners in a transaction that provides significant growth capital to the govtech software provider. CivicPlus, a Manhattan, Kansas‑based provider of integrated SaaS solutions for local governments used by thousands of municipalities, will leverage Insight’s resources to accelerate product development, M&A and market expansion.

Creative Planning, an independent wealth management firm based in McLean, Virginia, acquired Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney (SBSB), a Overland Park-based advisory firm with over $5 billion in assets under management. The deal brings more than 60 SBSB team members to Creative Planning and expands its capabilities and presence in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Macquarie Asset Management completed its acquisition of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc., retaining the asset management business and adding approximately $76 billion in AUM. Concurrently, Macquarie sold Waddell & Reed's wealth management platform to LPL Financial, and the firms entered a long-term strategic partnership.

Responsive Data, LLC (Mesa, Arizona) has acquired MLMLeads.com and related assets from MLM Leads, LLC (Manhattan, Kansas) in an undisclosed all-cash transaction. The deal transfers MLMLeads.com, MyHomeBusiness.com, the customer database, affiliate network and other web assets to Responsive Data as the founder Enrique Garibay retires.

Lincolnshire Management and VSS Capital Partners completed a recapitalization of Barrier Companies, a Lenexa, Kansas-based provider of fire and life safety (FLS) and containment services. Barrier's management (Kirk Kaiser, Jaye Sieland and Michael Haverty) reinvested and retained significant equity while the new capital will support accelerated organic growth and an add-on acquisition strategy.

Netreo has acquired Stackify to combine Stackify's developer-focused APM and observability tools with Netreo's enterprise IT operations monitoring, creating a unified Dev + Ops observability platform. The acquisition integrates Stackify products (Retrace, Prefix) into Netreo's platform to expand capabilities for both small developer teams and large enterprise IT operations.

ECS / My IT, a PE-backed managed services platform, completed the add-on acquisition of The Purple Guys, a Kansas City-based managed service provider. The deal expands ECS / My IT's geographic presence into Kansas City and the broader Midwest, adding TPG's ~35 employees and 175+ clients to the combined organization.

Anthem Sports & Entertainment has acquired Invicta Fighting Championships, the world's premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion founded by Shannon Knapp. The deal brings Invicta's events (including the Phoenix Series) into Anthem's broadcast portfolio, with shows set to air on AXS TV and Fight Network and Knapp joining Anthem's Sports Media Group as a senior executive and shareholder.

St. Louis-based Manna Pro Products has acquired ZuPreem, the leading specialty companion bird brand based in Shawnee, Kansas. The acquisition expands Manna Pro’s pet care portfolio into the premium companion bird market and brings a veterinary-backed, consumer-trusted nutrition brand into Manna Pro’s PE-backed portfolio.

Risk Strategies, a national specialty insurance brokerage, acquired Specialty Insurance Solutions (SIS) to expand its student health capabilities. The deal brings SIS's expertise in comprehensive student health insurance programs, sport accident insurance and student travel insurance into Risk Strategies' national student health practice.

NPC International has closed the sale of substantially all of its assets to Flynn Restaurant Group and Wendy's (together with five current Wendy's franchisees) as part of its Chapter 11 restructuring. The transactions transfer ownership of NPC's Pizza Hut and Wendy's restaurant locations (over 1,300 restaurants) to the buyers while restaurants remain open under new ownership.

Thompson Street Capital Partners (TSCP) has acquired Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, the Wichita-based franchisor of fast-casual restaurants. TSCP said it will partner with Freddy's founders and management to accelerate franchise development, expand the brand geographically, and invest in marketing and technology to support growth across the U.S.

PPG Industries acquired VersaFlex, a Kansas City-based manufacturer of polyurea, epoxy and polyurethane coatings, from DalFort Capital Partners. VersaFlex generated over $70 million in revenue in 2020 and the acquisition expands PPG's protective coatings portfolio and capabilities in water/wastewater, flooring and infrastructure markets.

Buyers Edge Platform acquired RestaurantLink's group purchasing and beverage consulting divisions, including related customers and contracts, expanding its national GPO footprint and adding more than 2,000 restaurant members. As part of the transaction, RestaurantLink's back-office services (accounting, payroll, HR) were rebranded as Proairus.

Augeo, a St. Paul-based leader in loyalty and engagement platform solutions, acquired Wellington, an Overland Park, Kansas experiential design and community-building firm, effective February 1, 2021. The purchase expands Augeo's live and virtual meetings, events, community building and strategic gifting capabilities to support a broader experience engagement lifecycle.

Link Media Outdoor, a wholly owned subsidiary of Boston Omaha Corporation, purchased the outdoor advertising assets of Thomas Outdoor Advertising, Inc., acquiring 368 billboard faces located in Manhattan and central Kansas. The acquired inventory will be managed from Link's Kansas City office and expands Link's existing Kansas footprint; the sellers included Thomas Outdoor Advertising and family owners Bart Thomas, Layton Thomas and Jim Wells.

Nelnet Business Services, a division of Nelnet, Inc., has acquired Catholic Faith Technologies (CFT), an Overland Park, Kansas–based provider of a cloud-based learning management platform (also operating under the CD2 Learning brand). The acquisition expands Nelnet's church and faith-based technology offerings and brings CFT's SaaS learning platform and services into Nelnet's portfolio; CFT leadership will remain in place.

American Safety Council (an Orlando-based, Ridgemont Equity Partners-backed portfolio company) has acquired S/P2, a provider of online safety and professional training and the largest resume database for career-technical students. The deal expands ASC’s digital training catalog and credentialing capabilities across vocational end markets including automotive, heavy-duty/diesel, welding, construction, cosmetology and culinary; financial terms were not disclosed.

OneDigital Investment Advisors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of OneDigital, has acquired three offices of Vertical Financial Group in St. Louis, Overland Park and Chicago, expanding OneDigital's retirement and wealth capabilities. The move adds over 80 retirement plans (~$1B in plan assets) and wealth management for 400+ households to OneDigital's Retirement & Wealth vertical.

BoxUnion, a Santa Monica-based fitness boxing brand, has acquired TITLE Boxing Club, a franchise operator with about 166 clubs across the United States, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. The transaction was backed by the Kwanza Jones & José E. Feliciano SUPERCHARGED Initiative (KJSI) and other existing shareholders; leadership changes include Todd Wadler as CEO and Brooke Budke named president, franchise system, while TITLE’s ownership team remains equity holders.