Telecommunications Acquisitions in Maryland

Northrim Horizon, a Mesa, Arizona-based permanent capital investment firm, has acquired ACG Systems, a Maryland-based systems integrator and technical service provider for mission-critical wireless communication systems. Northrim named Thomas Montalbano as CEO and said ACG will serve as a platform for additional organic growth and acquisitions in the wireless communication services industry.

Becklar, a Graham Partners portfolio company, has acquired Dynamark Monitoring, a wholesale alarm and critical event monitoring provider headquartered in Hagerstown, Maryland. The add-on expands Becklar's monitoring footprint and capabilities on the U.S. East Coast, bringing approximately 145,000 end subscribers and additional dealer relationships into Becklar's platform.

IQ Fiber, a Jacksonville-based 100% fiber-optic internet provider, has completed the acquisition of Maryland-based ThinkBig Networks, expanding IQ Fiber's footprint into Charles, Kent, Queen Anne's and Harford counties. The deal is supported by additional equity funding from SDC Capital Partners and will see ThinkBig leadership integrated into IQ Fiber as the business is rebranded in 2025 to accelerate network expansion in the Chesapeake region.

Balance Point Capital Advisors provided debt financing to John Staurulakis, LLC (JSI), a portfolio company of Stone-Goff Partners, to refinance existing credit facilities, fund a shareholder distribution, and supply capital for future acquisitions. The financing supports JSI's continued growth as a full-service consulting provider to rural broadband and telecommunications operators nationwide.

Entities affiliated with Lee Equity Partners and Twin Point Capital agreed to acquire TESSCO Technologies Inc. for $9.00 per share in an all-cash transaction valuing the company at approximately $161.4 million. The buyer group — which also includes portfolio companies Alliance Corporation and GetWireless — plans to combine capabilities and maintain Tessco’s facilities to create a leading value-added telecommunications distributor in North America; the deal expected to close in Q3 2023 subject to customary approvals.

Xtel Communications has acquired Global Telecom (GTB), a Maryland-based CLEC and longstanding VoIP/UCaaS provider, expanding Xtel's footprint into the Baltimore–DC–VA region. The acquisition adds GTB's VoIP, UCaaS and managed security capabilities and customer relationships in healthcare, legal and government verticals to Xtel's telecom, cloud and cybersecurity portfolio.

Mobile Communications America (MCA) has acquired Communications Electronics, Inc. (CEI), a Timonium, Maryland-based full-service communications provider that supports public safety agencies, schools, hospitals and enterprises across the Mid-Atlantic. The transaction expands MCA’s service footprint in the Mid-Atlantic and adds CEI’s mission-critical communications capabilities and customer relationships to MCA’s portfolio.

Stone‑Goff Partners II CF, LP, a GP‑led continuation fund sponsored by Stone‑Goff Partners, acquired a majority interest in John Staurulakis, LLC (JSI) in a secondary/recapitalization transaction. Pantheon was the lead investor in the continuation fund and was joined by abrdn Private Equity and reinvesting Stone‑Goff LPs/GPs; the recapitalization provides capital for JSI to pursue additional acquisitions and organic growth.

Patriot Capital has made a growth capital investment in ThinkBig Networks, LLC, a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) internet service provider deploying broadband in four Maryland counties. The funding will help ThinkBig accelerate its network development to bring fiber connectivity to thousands of homes and businesses in underserved and unserved areas.

McCarthy Capital Fund VII completed a substantial minority growth investment in Smartlink, a national provider of asset inventory, network services, network real estate and IT staffing for the wireless infrastructure sector. The capital will support Smartlink’s expansion of services and geographic growth across the United States.

Luna Innovations Inc. acquired Maryland-based New Ridge Technologies LLC on November 2, 2020, adding advanced fiber-optic test and measurement equipment and optical subsystems to Luna's communications test portfolio. Founder and CEO Dr. Henry Yaffe will join Luna as Vice President of Technology for the Communications Test business unit, supporting Luna's capability expansion into polarization control, polarimetry and optical spectral analysis for telecom, 5G and datacenter customers.