Acquisitions in Nebraska in 2022

Velocity Clinical Research, a GHO-backed integrated research site organization, has acquired Meridian Clinical Research for an undisclosed amount. The deal creates the largest dedicated clinical research site organization globally (about 80 sites), expands Velocity's U.S. footprint to 25 states and adds Meridian's network of 35+ sites and experienced investigators and staff.

SNH Capital Partners has made a strategic growth investment in Five Nines, a Midwest-focused managed IT services provider. The partnership will provide Five Nines with capital and operational resources to scale its managed IT, cybersecurity, and compliance offerings and expand further into regulated end markets such as healthcare.

Bowlero Corp. (NYSE: BOWL) completed the acquisition of The Mark, a large family entertainment center in Elkhorn, Nebraska, expanding its footprint in the Omaha market. The location is a state-of-the-art, 85,000+ sq. ft. facility with 40 bowling lanes, courts, an arcade, full-service kitchen and sports bar; this is Bowlero's second completed Omaha-area acquisition in 2022.

H.I.G. Capital (through an affiliate) completed the acquisition of Celerion Holdings, Inc., a global clinical research organization headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Celerion provides end-to-end early-stage clinical trial and bioanalytical services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients; H.I.G. said the investment expands its pharma services platform and supports Celerion's growth plans.

Aurora Capital Partners has acquired Universal Pure Holdings, LLC, the largest independent provider of high-pressure processing (HPP) and cold-chain food safety services in North America, from Tilia Holdings. Universal Pure, headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, operates ~20 HPP machines across eight U.S. facilities (1.1 million sq. ft.) and ~800 employees; terms were not disclosed.

DirectMed Parts & Service, a portfolio company of NMS Capital, has acquired ScanMed LLC, an Omaha-based designer, manufacturer and repairer of OEM-certified MRI coils. The add-on deal expands DirectMed's MRI coil manufacturing and repair capabilities and supports ScanMed's planned expansion into Europe via DirectMed's Danish subsidiary LBN Medical.

Viterra Limited has closed its purchase of the grain and ingredients business of Gavilon Agriculture Investment, Inc. from Marubeni America Corporation for US$1.125 billion plus working capital and customary adjustments. The acquisition adds Gavilon's origination, storage and distribution footprint across major U.S. growing regions to Viterra's global agriculture network and will be integrated under the Viterra brand.

TSG (The Strawhecker Group), a payments-focused analytics and consulting firm, has acquired Global NetWatch, a SaaS provider of web, network infrastructure, and card transaction performance monitoring. The acquisition—closed September 30, 2022—brings Global NetWatch's synthetic-traffic monitoring platform and global node footprint into TSG's service offering, with the Global NetWatch team joining TSG's Omaha office.

One Equity Partners (OEP) has completed the acquisition of Prime Time Healthcare, a Nebraska-based healthcare staffing provider specializing in travel nursing and placement services for RNs, LPNs, CNAs and allied clinicians across the U.S. Financial terms were not disclosed; OEP said it will support Prime Time's growth through complementary acquisitions and expanded service offerings. Coker Capital served as exclusive financial advisor to Prime Time Healthcare.

Health Technologies Inc. (Dining RD) has acquired Columbus, Nebraska-based EZ Nutrition Consulting, PC, a provider of registered dietitian and dietary manager consulting to senior living communities and critical access hospitals. The acquisition will expand Dining RD's Registered Dietitian consulting services and allow integration of EZ Nutrition's clients with Dining RD's menu and software programs; Dining RD is PE-backed by Evolution Capital Partners.

BlackRock Long Term Private Capital (LTPC) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority interest in Paradigm Oral Health from shareholders including InTandem Capital Partners. The investment will partner with Paradigm's executive team, led by founder and CEO Dr. David Rallis, to support platform expansion, technology adoption and continued growth of the company's oral surgery and digital dentistry platform.

Calgary-based headversity has acquired the assets of Health Improvement Solutions to integrate HIS's evidence-based health risk assessment methodology and program services into headversity's workforce mental health and resilience platform. The deal expands headversity's capability to assess employee health risks and build bespoke employer mental health and wellbeing programs.

Ambassador Supply, an investment and holding company focused on building-industry roll-ups, has acquired Astro Buildings, a post-frame builder based in Mead, Nebraska. The deal is an add-on to Ambassador's existing portfolio and is intended to expand geographic coverage and create operational synergies in the Iowa–Nebraska agricultural market.

Summit Fire Protection, a subsidiary of SFP Holding, Inc. (Summit Companies), has acquired General Fire & Safety Equipment Company of Lincoln, Nebraska, effective July 12, 2022. The acquisition expands Summit's presence in Nebraska and adds local fire alarm, suppression, kitchen suppression and extinguisher installation, service and maintenance capabilities to its branch network.

Simplicity Group has acquired Element Insurance Partners, an independent insurance brokerage based in Omaha, Nebraska. Element's principal, Troy Woods, will join Simplicity as a partner and continue to run day-to-day operations while the business transitions to the Simplicity brand as part of Simplicity’s ongoing roll-up of distribution businesses.

Certified Power Solutions has acquired Skarda Equipment Company and its affiliate Controlled Motion Dynamics, expanding CPS's geographic footprint into the Midwest and strengthening its industrial and mobile fluid power capabilities. Skarda will retain its name and locations and approximately 50 employees will join Certified Power, while customers and vendors should see no service interruptions.

Millennium Trust Company, LLC has acquired PayFlex Holdings, Inc. from CVS Health, adding health savings accounts (HSAs) and other consumer-directed benefits administration capabilities to its retirement and custody platform. The deal expands Millennium Trust's combined reach to roughly five million individual accounts and $47 billion in assets under administration and includes a long-term commercial relationship keeping PayFlex as a preferred provider for Aetna.

LGT Transport, LLC (Omaha, NE) has acquired Jason Thomas Trucking (Hastings, NE) to expand into liquid fertilizer transportation and deepen its presence in the agricultural logistics market. As part of the deal, Jason Thomas Trucking drivers and operational employees joined LGT and LGT acquired 8 tractors and 11 trailers while operations will continue to run out of Hastings, Nebraska.

Southfield Capital has entered a strategic partnership with Franchise FastLane, an Omaha-based franchise sales organization, providing private equity capital to support the company's growth while founders Carey Gille and Ryan Zink remain involved (Gille as CEO, Zink as board advisor). The investment will fund expansion of FastLane's core franchise sales offering and new services for franchisors; Twin Brook Capital Partners provided debt financing and Boxwood Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Franchise FastLane.

Kubat HealthCare has acquired Hilltop Drugs Etc, a community pharmacy in Neligh, Nebraska. The acquisition expands Kubat's network into an underserved Midwest community and will enable Hilltop to offer additional services such as respiratory care, compounding, infusion, and home medical equipment while the incumbent pharmacist-in-charge will remain on staff.

Alpine Air Express, a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners, has acquired Suburban Air Freight, a Part-135 regional air cargo carrier headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. The add-on expands Alpine’s regional fleet and capabilities and strengthens its contract relationships with parcel and postal customers such as DHL.

Tickets For Less has acquired Ticket Express, a long-running Omaha, Nebraska ticket reseller, and will operate the business under the Tickets For Less brand. Ticket Express founder Chad Carr will join Tickets For Less as Nebraska Area Manager as the buyer expands its local footprint across Nebraska and western Iowa.

Spire Capital Partners completed a controlling platform investment in PenLink, a Lincoln, Nebraska-based provider of communications surveillance and investigative software for federal, state and local law enforcement. Spire will partner with PenLink's management to accelerate growth, expand product capabilities and further penetrate the U.S. government marketplace; Madison Capital Funding provided senior debt financing.

IDEX Corporation has acquired KZValve, a Greenwood, Nebraska–based manufacturer of waterproof motorized valves, manifolds, controllers and related precision farming components. KZValve will join IDEX's Agriculture group within the Fluid & Metering Technologies segment, complementing Banjo Corporation and expanding IDEX's agricultural and industrial fluid-management product portfolio.

Nolan Capital, the family office of Peter Nolan, has acquired a majority stake in Water Engineering, Inc., a Omaha-based provider of industrial water treatment solutions, chemicals and services. Nolan Capital’s Southern California portfolio company, Apollo Technologies, will join the combined Water Engineering platform as the investor and management team intend to pursue further acquisitions to build a national water treatment platform.

ToolWatch has acquired Safety-Reports.com, Inc. (Safety Reports), a provider of mobile safety and compliance management SaaS for construction, manufacturing and related industries. The acquisition is an add-on to ToolWatch's platform and is backed by majority investor The Riverside Company to expand ToolWatch's operations-management offering with safety and compliance capabilities and create cross-sell opportunities.

American Equipment Holdings, a Rotunda Capital Partners portfolio company, has acquired Kistler Crane & Hoist, a Midwest provider of overhead crane systems and MRO field services based in Omaha, Nebraska. The deal expands American Equipment's geographic footprint into the Midwest and strengthens its quoting, engineering, parts and field service capabilities as an add-on to its consolidating platform.

Health Catalyst has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire KPI Ninja, a Lincoln, Nebraska-based provider of interoperability solutions and population health analytics. The acquisition is intended to expand Health Catalyst's data processing and interoperability capabilities to accelerate delivery of analytics and clinical, financial, and operational solutions for healthcare customers.

Market Maker Agriculture has made a majority investment in Dehy Alfalfa Mills, an Arlington, Nebraska-based supplier of dehydrated alfalfa and forage ingredients to the pet and animal nutrition sectors. J.P. Rhea will remain president with the existing management team, and Kirchner Group acted as M&A advisor to the selling Rhea family.

Harbour Point Capital completed a recapitalization investment in Midwest Medical Transport (MMT), partnering with healthcare veteran Kevin Ketzel. Prior investors Panorama Point Partners, Dixon Midland Company and ORIX Private Equity Solutions sold their interests; the transaction will provide capital and strategic support to accelerate MMT's geographic expansion and growth across health systems.

LLR Partners has completed a growth investment in Quantum Workplace, an Omaha-based employee engagement and performance SaaS provider, as McCarthy Capital sold its interest. The investment is intended to support continued product and commercial expansion of Quantum Workplace’s HR technology platform.

LLR Partners made a growth equity investment in Quantum Workplace to accelerate the employee experience platform’s product development, data science capabilities, and sales and marketing efforts while enabling strategic M&A. The capital will support expansion of Quantum Workplace’s SaaS platform and exploration of acquisition opportunities to scale its employee engagement and people analytics solutions.

Inflow, a Portland-based contact center consulting and managed services provider (and portfolio company of Renovus Capital Partners), has acquired Omaha-based EPIC Connections. The acquisition expands Inflow's consulting, outsourcing and professional services capabilities for contact center operations and customer experience technology implementations.

Great Plains Communications (GPC), a Midwestern fiber operator backed by Grain Management, completed the acquisition of the 10.6-mile Wood River Network from Fiber Nebraska, LLC. The purchase extends GPC's fiber footprint into Wood River, Nebraska, enabling fiber-to-the-home and business services for roughly 500 homes and 60 businesses; financial terms were not disclosed.

Manna Pro Products, a St. Louis-based manufacturer of pet care and nutrition products (owned by funds managed by Carlyle), has acquired Oxbow Animal Health, a 30-year-old small-animal wellness brand known for premium hay, foods, supplements and supplies. Cascadia Capital served as exclusive financial advisor to Oxbow; the acquisition expands Manna Pro's portfolio into the small-pet category and strengthens its offerings across companion animal segments.

Los Angeles-based private equity firm LightBay Capital made a growth investment in Burton (Burton Plumbing Services, LLC), a Omaha-headquartered provider of residential and commercial HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. The investment will support Burton's organic growth and continued add-on acquisition strategy; ShoreView, the prior sponsor, exited its investment as part of the transaction.

Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service Corporation has acquired Ameritex Services, an Omaha-based healthcare laundry and linen provider owned by Mark and Brad Goldstrom. The acquisition expands Ecotex's regional footprint and capacity in the Midwest and will fund a multimillion-dollar plan to modernize and expand Ameritex's Omaha laundry plant.