Founded in 1970, Taylor Electric is a leading provider of construction services for electrical utility infrastructure throughout the Southeast. Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, the Company has established a strong reputation providing premier services for its customers, especially on Redstone Arsenal.

“We are very excited for this next chapter,” said Todd Taylor, President of Taylor Electric. “This partnership will allow us to take the business to the next level. We’re thrilled to partner with the Sole Source team, and we believe our shared vision will help us achieve our goal of becoming a premier service provider throughout the Southeast.”

“Taylor Electric is a strong, established company defined by a unique culture and an intrinsic understanding of its clients’ needs. It was a pleasure working with the management team, and we look forward to seeing Taylor Electric prosper in this new partnership with Sole Source,” said Evan Klisares, Managing Director at Founders Advisors.

Founders Advisors served as financial advisor and Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP acted as legal counsel to Taylor Electric. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal counsel to Sole Source.

About Taylor Electric, Inc.

Taylor Electric, Inc. is a client-focused provider of construction and maintenance services for electrical infrastructure serving government, utility, and industrial customers. Core service offerings include Blue Sky MSA work, Distribution Infrastructure Construction, and Storm Response and Restoration. Founded in 1970, the Company operates across the Southern US. For more information visit www.taylorelectricutility.com.

About Sole Source Capital

Founded in 2016 by David Fredston, Sole Source Capital is a private equity firm that invests thematically in industrial and business services sectors. The firm targets fragmented, high-growth markets shaped by secular trends and partners with founder-led businesses to build scaled consolidators. Leveraging operational expertise and disciplined M&A, Sole Source Capital creates market leaders that deliver lasting value. Headquartered in Dallas, the firm also maintains an office in Santa Monica. For more information visit www.solesourcecapital.com.

About Founders Advisors

Founders Advisors brings deep sector expertise in Power and Infrastructure Services, supported by broader experience across Industrial, Technology, Healthcare, and Consumer markets. We provide insight into industry trends, competitive dynamics, and positioning strategies that drive meaningful investor engagement. If you are exploring a potential sale or evaluating strategic options in the Power and Infrastructure Services sector, please feel free to reach out to our team.

To provide securities-related services, certain principals of Founders Advisors, LLC are licensed with Founders M&A Advisory, LLC, member FINRA and SiPC. Founders M&A Advisory, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Founders Advisors, LLC. Neither Founders Advisors nor Founders M & A Advisory provide investment advice. For more information, please visit www.foundersib.com.

Over four generations, the Love family has built a decades-long reputation as a trusted supplier of high-quality envelopes. The company’s deep-rooted expertise, established customer relationships, and commitment to service excellence have made it a cornerstone of the envelope printing and converting industry.

The combination of United Envelope and Love Envelopes creates a geographically diverse platform capable of serving customers across a significantly broader footprint. By uniting United Envelope’s established operations in the Northeast with Love Envelopes’ strong presence in Texas and the Midwest, the combined company is well-positioned to deliver enhanced service, expanded product offerings, and greater operational capabilities to clients nationwide.

“Selecting an advisor to help us sell our family business, which was founded in 1958, was one of the most important decisions we have ever made,” said Michael Love, President and Co-Owner of Love Envelopes. “From our very first meeting, Founders Advisors distinguished themselves through their professionalism, market knowledge, and genuine understanding of what this company, our employees, and our customers mean to our family. Throughout the process, they provided thoughtful guidance, disciplined execution, and unwavering support. Looking back, we are 100% confident that choosing Founders Advisors was the right decision. Their leadership helped us navigate a complex transaction with confidence and ultimately find the right long-term partner to carry our company’s legacy forward.”

Daniel Love, Vice President and Co-Owner of Love Envelopes, added, “The team at Founders took care of us from start to finish. They were very open and honest throughout the entire process, including very accurate expectations of the sales price. Honestly, I felt like we became friends along the way. I would compare it to a professional sports team. Each one of their team members is uniquely qualified for their role and is as good as it gets. They cared about winning, but they cared about our well-being and the company’s well-being most of all. I would work with them any day of the week and have already recommended them to multiple friends. You’d be hard pressed to find a better group to work with.”

“It was a privilege serving the Love family in this process with United Envelope and I believe this partnership represents a compelling strategic combination creating a premier platform in the envelope manufacturing industry,” said Neal England, Managing Director at Founders Advisors. “We are excited for this transaction to advance the Love Envelopes legacy that has endured for more than 60 years.”

Chris Jenkins, Vice President at Founders Advisors added, “We are excited to see Love Envelopes and United Envelope come together through this transaction and look forward to watching their combined success as they continue to deliver industry leading services. The Love family has spent generations building what became an industry leader through unwavering commitment to quality, customer relationships, and operational excellence. It was a privilege to represent them in this milestone transaction, and we are confident that United Envelope is the ideal partner to carry that legacy forward and accelerate the next chapter of growth.”

About Love Envelopes

Love Envelopes is a fourth-generation, family-owned envelope printing and converting company with facilities in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Dallas, Texas.

About United Envelope

United Envelope is a leading manufacturer and distributor of envelopes and related paper products, serving customers primarily in the northeast United States. As a portfolio company of CenterGate Capital, United Envelope continues to grow through strategic acquisitions and organic investment.

About CenterGate Capital

CenterGate Capital is an Austin, TX-based private equity firm managing over $750 million. CenterGate partners with middle market companies to achieve their next stage of growth. By bringing together a balance of transactional and operational experience and resources, the CenterGate team works with management to execute valuation creation strategies enabling growth and unlocking value. For more information, visit www.centergatecapital.com.

About Founders Advisors

Founders is a merger, acquisition, and strategic advisory firm serving middle-market companies. Founders focuses on helping companies across technology, business services, consumer, energy, industrial, and healthcare industries. Founders’ skilled professionals, proven expertise, and process-based solutions help companies access growth capital, pursue acquisitions, and/or prepare for and execute liquidity events to achieve specific financial goals. In order to provide securities-related services, certain principals of Founders Advisors, LLC are licensed with Founders M&A Advisory, LLC, member FINRA and SIPC. Founders M&A Advisory, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Founders Advisors, LLC. Founders Advisors, LLC does not provide investment advice. For more information, please visit www.foundersib.com.

Turing Analytics developed EVA in partnership with McDaniel & Associates, one of Canada’s leading reservoir engineering firms. EVA provides well-level forecasts, technical analysis, and engineering insight across Canadian basins and is embedded in evaluation workflows across operators, investors, and advisory firms. The EVA platform is used by clients representing over 50% of Canada’s oil and gas production.

Together, Novi and Turing support operators and institutional investors managing tens of billions of dollars in annual upstream capital deployment across the region. The integrated platform enables customers to assess assets across U.S. and Canadian basins using a unified dataset and modeling framework, without switching systems or reconciling separate outputs. This enables direct comparability across regions, improves prioritization of capital deployment, and increases confidence in cross-border investment decisions.

“EVA began out of necessity,” said Brian Hamm, CEO of Turing Analytics. “Modern well design and the multivariate analysis it demands had outgrown traditional tools, and we needed a better way. That challenge led Turing and McDaniel to build EVA and usher in a new era of reservoir and asset evaluation. From a standing start, we’ve grown to nearly 40 team members in five years, and thanks to this exceptional team, EVA is now trusted by clients operating more than 50% of Canada’s production. We’re excited to take the next step with Novi Labs, combining the strengths of both companies to set a new standard for North American upstream analytics.”

“Novi was founded on the belief that the best capital decisions come from forecasts built upon proprietary data and AI-driven models,” said Scott Sherwood, CEO of Novi Labs. “For a decade, we’ve proven that in the U.S. market. Turing has proven it in Canada. Together, we close the last major gap in North American upstream intelligence and give investors on both sides of the border the ability to quickly evaluate opportunities.”

“Founders Advisors was an outstanding partner throughout the transaction process,” said Brian Hamm, CEO of Turing Analytics. “Their team brought deep market knowledge, ran an efficient and thoughtful process, and provided steady guidance from start to finish. We’re grateful for their support in helping us find the right strategic fit with Novi Labs.”

“The Turing Analytics team embodies the exact combination of technical depth and commercial instinct that characterizes category-defining companies,” said Brad Johnson, Managing Director at Founders Advisors. “Brian’s vision for the EVA platform resulted in a loyal customer base, an impressive reputation, and a solution that became the analytical standard for the Canadian energy sector. We are grateful for the trust the Turing team placed in us and excited to watch what Turing and Novi accomplish together.”

To view the full transaction announcement, please visit: Novi Labs Acquired Turing Analytics

About Turing Analytics

Turing Analytics is a Calgary-based technology company and developer of EVA, a cloud-based upstream analytics platform built in partnership with McDaniel Research. EVA integrates geological, engineering, and production data to support decision-making across the Canadian energy sector. https://www.turinganalytics.net/

About Novi Labs

Novi Labs is the leading AI-driven energy analytics platform redefining how energy operators and investors make high-stakes capital decisions. Built on proprietary machine learning, exclusive datasets, and deep reservoir expertise, Novi delivers the industry’s most accurate well-level forecasts and development insights. Many leading E&P operators and mineral owners rely on Novi, with billions in monthly capital decisions flowing through the platform. Novi is headquartered in Austin, Texas. www.novilabs.com

About Founders Advisors

Founders is a merger, acquisition, & strategic advisory firm serving middle-market companies. Founders focuses on helping companies across technology, business services, consumer, energy, industrial, and healthcare industries. Founders’ skilled professionals, proven expertise, and process-based solutions help companies access growth capital, pursue acquisitions, and/or prepare for and execute liquidity events to achieve specific financial goals. In order to provide securities-related services, certain principals of Founders Advisors, LLC are licensed with Founders M&A Advisory, LLC, member FINRA and SIPC. Founders M&A Advisory, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Founders Advisors, LLC. Founders Advisors, LLC does not provide investment advice. For more information, please visit www.foundersib.com.

Founded in 1975, Associate Roofing is a leading provider of residential retail re-roofing and repair solutions. The Company operates across coastal New England, serving high-end clientele who prioritize quality, high level service, and expert craftsmanship.

Mike Lynch, owner of Associate Roofing, stated, “Working with the Founders Advisors team was an absolute game-changer. From our first meeting, I was blown away by their professionalism and the genuine care they brought to understanding the legacy my grandfather, my father, and I built together at Associate Roofing. I am grateful beyond words to have had them in our corner. We are excited to be partnering with Valor and look forward to the growth ahead. Valor’s commitment to preserving our culture and investing in our team made them the ideal partner, and joining a platform of this caliber is something we have been excited about from day one. From the moment we started talking, it was clear that Valor shares the same values and dedication to quality that Associate Roofing was built on.”

The Founders Advisors team said, “From our first meeting with Mike, it was evident that Associate Roofing was something truly extraordinary – A legacy of roofing excellence spanning three generations back to 1932 doesn’t happen by accident. Mike and his team have carried that tradition forward, building one of the most impressive, elite service businesses we have ever seen. It was an honor to advise him on this milestone transaction, and we are excited to see what he and the Associate Roofing team build with Valor Exterior Partners in this next chapter together!”

This partnership with Valor positions Associate to accelerate expansion in existing markets, pursue additional strategic acquisitions, and expand into new geographies across the U.S. Valor representative, Kurt Schwab, stated, “We are excited to welcome Associate Roofing to the Valor platform. The company’s strong reputation, built on decades of delivering best-in-class service to its customers, and complementary service offering make it a natural fit, enhancing Valor’s regional presence, operational capabilities, and cross-selling opportunities. We look forward to supporting Associate’s continued growth while expanding our footprint across southern Massachusetts and the surrounding coastal markets. We would also like to thank the Founders Advisors team for their disciplined execution in achieving a strong outcome for both sides of the transaction.”

About Valor Exterior Partners

Valor Exterior Partners is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based platform company led by CEO Jerry Arteaga, targeting the highly fragmented, family-owned roofing services market driven by aging U.S. housing stock and multi-billion-dollar annual recurring demand. Since its launch in September 2024, Valor has been actively acquiring regional exterior home services providers and continues to expand its footprint across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest.

About Osceola Capital Management

Osceola Capital Management invests across the U.S. in the facility services, residential services, healthcare services, and professional services sectors acquiring high-quality, sub-scale services businesses and rapidly transforming them into cohesive, fully-integrated, institutional-caliber platforms. In 2024, Osceola created Valor Exterior Partners as a platform company to consolidate residential roofing and exterior home services businesses across the U.S., offering roofing, siding, window, door, skylight, insulation, and decking solutions to its customers.

About Founders Advisors

Founders Advisors brings deep sector expertise in Residential Services, supported by broader experience across Industrial, Technology, Healthcare, and Consumer markets. We provide insight into industry trends, competitive dynamics, and positioning strategies that drive meaningful investor engagement. If you are exploring a potential sale or evaluating strategic options in the Residential Services sector, please feel free to reach out to our team.

To provide securities-related services, certain principals of Founders Advisors, LLC are licensed with Founders M&A Advisory, LLC, member FINRA and SiPC. Founders M&A Advisory, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Founders Advisors, LLC. Neither Founders Advisors nor Founders M&A Advisory provide investment advice. For more information, please visit www.foundersib.com.

Pump & Process, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, has built a strong reputation as a trusted manufacturer’s representative in the municipal and industrial water and wastewater markets. Legacy Environmental, based in Leeds, Alabama, specializes in the design and supply of packaged wastewater treatment systems and advanced process solutions. Together, the companies bring expanded engineering expertise, innovative treatment solutions, and strong manufacturer relationships that enhance CITCO Water’s ability to support customers across the full water and wastewater lifecycle.

Jimmy Mulvaney, President at Pump & Process, shared, “We are thrilled to partner with CITCO Water and begin this next chapter of growth for Pump & Process and Legacy Environmental. The Founders Advisors team was an outstanding partner throughout the process, providing thoughtful guidance and deep industry expertise at every step as we identified the right long-term home for the business.”

Evan Klisares, Managing Director at Founders Advisors, said, “It was a pleasure to work alongside the Pump & Process and Legacy Environmental teams on this transaction. Both organizations have built strong, relationship-driven platforms with differentiated capabilities across the water and wastewater ecosystem, and we are excited to see their continued growth as part of CITCO Water’s expanding platform.”

About Pump & Process Equipment, Inc.

Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Pump & Process specializes in providing industry-leading process treatment equipment, pumping systems, controls and related water and wastewater equipment to a broad range of customers. Over its 30+ year history, Pump & Process has grown into a premier, turnkey provider in the Southeast, combining exclusive manufacturer relationships with in-house fabrication and service capabilities to deliver high-quality, customized solutions amid increasing infrastructure investment driven by regulatory, population, and water scarcity tailwinds. For more information, visit www.pumpandprocessequipmentinc.com.

About Legacy Environmental Process, LLC

Founded in 2006 and based in Leeds, AL, Legacy Environmental is a leading provider of wastewater treatment package plants and equipment. Legacy has developed innovative systems utilizing technologies such as filtration systems, clarifiers, and lift stations to help communities and industrial customers manage increasingly complex water treatment challenges. For more information, visit www.legacyenvpro.com.

About CITCO Water

Founded in 1931 in Huntington, WV by Charles Irving Thornburg, CITCO has been family-operated since Web Morrison purchased the company in 1958. The organization has grown into a regional leader employing more than 190 people across West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. Today, CITCO Water offers six sub-brands providing customers with comprehensive waterworks solutions including chemical, smart meter, integrated technology, hardware, inventory, and repair services. For more information, visit www.citcowater.com.

About Founders Advisors

Founders Advisors brings deep sector expertise in Power and Infrastructure Services, supported by broader experience across Industrial, Technology, Healthcare, and Consumer markets. We provide insight into industry trends, competitive dynamics, and positioning strategies that drive meaningful investor engagement. If you are exploring a potential sale or evaluating strategic options in the Power and Infrastructure Services sector, please feel free to reach out to our team.

To provide securities-related services, certain principals of Founders Advisors, LLC are licensed with Founders M&A Advisory, LLC, member FINRA and SiPC. Founders M&A Advisory, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Founders Advisors, LLC. Neither Founders Advisors nor Founders M & A Advisory provide investment advice. For more information, please visit www.foundersib.com.

HRI, Inc. is a diversified construction company with expertise in highways, airports, bridges, water and wastewater treatment facilities, asphalt paving and site development across central and western Pennsylvania and surrounding markets. The company runs six hot-mix asphalt plants that support its paving and construction operations. As part of GOH, the combined entity expands capabilities and deepens its regional presence while continuing the standards of performance that have long defined both businesses. 

Hunter Creech, Colas Inc. Vice President – Mergers & Acquisitions, shared, “Working with Founders Advisors was a valuable experience from start to finish. They added expertise and insights throughout the process, and they kept focus on our strategic objectives. We’re pleased to have found the right partner in Glenn O. Hawbaker to carry forward the legacy of HRI.” 

Dennis Coker, Managing Director at Founders Advisors, remarked, “It was a privilege to advise Colas on this transaction. HRI has built a strong reputation for quality, safety, and reliability in the infrastructure markets it serves. We’re proud to have helped facilitate this next chapter with Glenn O. Hawbaker, a company that shares those same values and brings the resources and vision to take both divisions to new heights.” 

About HRI, Inc. HRI, Inc. is an established provider of heavy civil construction and infrastructure services, serving public and private sector customers across Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. Its capabilities span highway and bridge construction, asphalt paving, site development, and related infrastructure services. HRI is known for their commitment to safety, quality, and long-term customer relationships. HRI is headquartered in State College, PA. 

About Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. is a leading heavy and highway contractor with over 70 years of experience, serving both private and public sector customers across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, and southern New York. Founded in 1952 by Glenn and Thelma Hawbaker in State College, PA, GOH provides a wide range of services including site development, highway and bridge construction, asphalt paving, aggregate production, concrete work, and engineering design services. The company operates more than 24 quarries and 8 asphalt production facilities and employs over 1,000 professionals. GOH is headquartered in State College, PA. 

About Founders Founders Advisors brings deep sector expertise in Construction Materials and Building Products, supported by broader experience across Industrial, Technology, Healthcare, and Consumer markets. If you are exploring a potential sale or evaluating strategic options, please feel free to reach out to our team. 

To provide securities-related services, certain principals of Founders Advisors, LLC are licensed with Founders M&A Advisory, LLC, member FINRA and SiPC. Founders M&A Advisory, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Founders Advisors, LLC. Neither Founders Advisors nor Founders M&A Advisory provide investment advice. For more information, please visit www.foundersib.com. 

Founded in 1923, Dent Moses has built a long-standing reputation for high-quality client service and deep partner engagement across the greater Birmingham market. The firm serves privately held businesses, high-net-worth individuals, and governmental entities across industries including construction, real estate, manufacturing, distribution, and professional services. In addition to its core tax and assurance practices, Dent Moses operates Impact Technology Group, a full-service managed and co-managed IT services platform.

The transaction expands Doeren Mayhew’s footprint into Alabama and strengthens its presence across the Southeast. The combination adds nine principals and approximately 65 professionals to the Doeren Mayhew platform. Dent Moses partners will continue in leadership roles, ensuring continuity for clients and employees. Impact Technology Group will continue to operate as “A Doeren Mayhew Company,” preserving its brand while gaining access to expanded resources and national scale.

“We could not be more pleased with our decision to engage Founders Advisors to lead us through this important transaction. From start to finish, the team was thoughtful, strategic, and fully aligned with our priorities. The process was seamless, and the result exceeded our expectations. We are grateful for Founders’ partnership and would highly recommend them to any firm considering a transaction,” commented Lee Willoughby, Partner at Dent Moses.

“We are proud to have advised Dent Moses in this strategic partnership,” said Neal England, Managing Director at Founders Advisors. Chris Jenkins, Vice President at Founders Advisors, added, “Dent Moses built a strong regional platform rooted in long-term relationships and disciplined growth. This partnership positions the firm for continued expansion and enhanced service capabilities.”

About Dent Moses
Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Dent Moses is a full-service accounting and advisory firm providing audit, tax, accounting, and IT managed services to individuals, private companies, and public entities across Alabama.

About Doeren Mayhew
Doeren Mayhew is a national tax, accounting, and advisory firm serving clients across the United States. Backed by Audax Private Equity, the firm provides assurance, tax, advisory, and consulting services and continues to expand through strategic acquisitions.

About Founders Advisors
Founders is a middle-market investment banking and strategic advisory firm serving companies across technology, business services, consumer, energy, industrial, and healthcare industries. Founders helps companies access growth capital, pursue acquisitions, and execute liquidity events. To provide securities-related services, certain principals of Founders Advisors, LLC are licensed with Founders M&A Advisory, LLC, member FINRA and SIPC. Founders M&A Advisory, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Founders Advisors, LLC. Founders Advisors, LLC does not provide investment advice. For more information, please visit www.foundersib.com

Founded in 2023, Gridco is a leading provider of transmission, distribution, and substation services focused on serving investor-owned and cooperative utilities. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, the Company has established a strong reputation as an employee-first company, focused on providing unparalleled services for its utility customers.

“We believe this is only the beginning,” said Brad Weaver, CEO at Gridco. “This capital investment will allow us to continue to provide compelling growth opportunities for our team of 350+ people.  We’re excited to partner with the BayHawk team and believe their support and shared vision will play a key role as we work toward our goal of being a national provider of best-in-class utility services.”

“The Gridco team has created an exceptional company defined by a strong culture and a deep understanding of its client needs. It was a pleasure working with the management team, and we look forward to seeing Gridco prosper throughout this next chapter with BayHawk,” said Evan Klisares, Managing Director at Founders Advisors.

Founders Advisors served as financial advisor, and Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP acted as legal counsel to Gridco. Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to BayHawk.

About Gridco, Inc.

Gridco, Inc. is an employee-focused provider of power utility services, operating a platform that delivers distribution, transmission, substation, lighting, and engineering services. Founded in 2023, the Company operates across the Southern United States. For more information visit www.gridcompany.com.

About BayHawk Capital

BayHawk Capital is a Boston-based, growth-oriented private equity firm focused on investing in high-quality, founder-led businesses. The firm focuses on essential services and technology business headquartered in North America. For more information visit www.bayhawkcapital.com.

About Founders Advisors

Founders Advisors brings deep sector expertise in Power and Infrastructure Services, supported by broader experience across Industrial, Technology, Healthcare, and Consumer markets. We provide insight into industry trends, competitive dynamics, and positioning strategies that drive meaningful investor engagement. If you are exploring a potential sale or evaluating strategic options in the Power and Infrastructure Services sector, please feel free to reach out to our team.

To provide securities-related services, certain principals of Founders Advisors, LLC are licensed with Founders M&A Advisory, LLC, member FINRA and SiPC. Founders M&A Advisory, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Founders Advisors, LLC. Neither Founders Advisors nor Founders M & A Advisory provide investment advice. For more information, please visit www.foundersib.com.

The firm also announced a strategic reorganization designed to enhance client service and position the firm for continued growth.

As part of this reorganization, Founders has formed the Strategic Partnerships Group, led by Zane Tarence, Managing Partner. The Strategic Partnerships Group is responsible for driving and integrating all prospect-generating activities across the firm, including firm-wide business development, strategic partnerships, events, CEO networks, and centers of influence relationships. Mr. Tarence will report to Wesley Legg, Founders’ President.

Gene Bazemore, formerly Head of the Industrial Group, has been promoted to Head of Investment Banking. In this new role, Mr. Bazemore will oversee all investment banking groups, ensuring consistent delivery of gold-standard M&A advisory services, driving strategic sector coverage, and overseeing talent development across the firm’s deal execution capabilities. Mr. Bazemore will also report to Mr. Legg.

“This reorganization reflects our continued commitment to serving founders with excellence at every stage of their journey,” said Mr. Legg. “By forming the Strategic Partnerships Group under Zane’s leadership, and elevating Gene to lead our investment banking operations, we are strengthening our ability to build relationships, execute transactions, and deliver outstanding outcomes for the business owners who trust us with their legacy.”

The firm also announced several key leadership appointments within its industry groups. John Sullivan has been promoted to Head of the Industrial Group, succeeding Mr. Bazemore. Chris Weingartner has been promoted to Head of a newly formed Enterprise Group, which combines the firm’s Technology, Business Services, and Healthcare practices. Wayne Vacek will continue in his role as Head of the Consumer Group.

“These changes position Founders for our next phase of growth,” said Duane Donner, Founder and CEO of Founders Advisors. “We have an exceptional team of professionals, and expanding our partnership recognizes the contributions and leadership that have been instrumental to our success. In addition, our new organizational structure allows us to sharpen our focus on both adding value to business owners pre-transition and maintaining gold standard deal execution. We believe this will better serve the unique needs of family and founder-owned businesses – not only during their transaction, but in building the bridge to get there and in protecting their legacy long after.”

About Founders Advisors

Founders is a merger, acquisition, & strategic advisory firm serving middle-market companies. Founders focuses on helping companies across technology, business services, consumer, energy, industrial, and healthcare industries. Founders’ skilled professionals, proven expertise, and process-based solutions help companies access growth capital, make acquisitions, and/or prepare for and execute liquidity events to achieve specific financial goals. In order to provide securities-related services discussed herein, certain principals of Founders Advisors, LLC are licensed with Founders M&A Advisory, LLC, member FINRA and SIPC. Founders M&A Advisory, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Founders Advisors, LLC. Founders Advisors, LLC does not provide investment advice. For more information, please visit www.foundersib.com.

Founded in 2018, GRO Marketing has become the leading digital marketing agency within the property sector, with a team of nearly 50 employees located in Nashville, Detroit, and Tuscaloosa. The company has consistently delivered best-in-class results while earning the trust of the largest property management companies and ownership groups across the country.

The acquisition strengthens OuterBox’s position as one of the leading independent performance marketing agencies, adding deep domain expertise and established credibility in serving residential community property management companies and ownership groups. Like OuterBox, GRO consistently earns high levels of client satisfaction and loyalty through its comprehensive offering, white-glove approach and ability to generate measurable improvements in marketing outcomes.

“Partnering with OuterBox marks an exciting next chapter for GRO and our clients,” said Matt Pavlick, Founder and CEO of GRO, who joins OuterBox as an investor and Senior Advisor. “At GRO, we have always prided ourselves on making sure we deliver on our promises. Joining OuterBox empowers us to unlock new levels of growth and performance that we can deliver to those we serve.”

“GRO’s specialized knowledge and history of driving incremental results for clients make this a highly strategic addition to the OuterBox platform,” said Jeff Allen, CEO of OuterBox. “The strong cultural alignment between OuterBox and GRO underscores the compelling opportunities this combination creates for clients, employees, and long-term growth.”

“Founders Advisors was an exceptional partner throughout the entire process,” added Matt Pavlick, Founder and CEO of GRO. “They brought clarity, discipline, and deep market knowledge to every step, while never losing sight of what mattered most to us as founders and to our team. Their guidance helped us navigate a complex transaction with confidence, and we’re incredibly grateful for their leadership and steady hand in helping us find the right long-term partner.”

“This outcome is a testament to the incredible team Matt put together coupled with years of first-class service delivery in a highly sought after vertical market,” said Brad Johnson, Managing Director at Founders Advisors. “GRO’s process-driven culture and client-first mentality led to unparalleled success, devoted customers, and a platform positioned for success well into the future. We are grateful to have played a part in the GRO journey and serve such a fantastic team.”

To view the full transaction announcement, please visit: OuterBox Acquires GRO Marketing

About GRO Marketing

GRO Marketing is a performance marketing agency dedicated to forging strategies that amplify brands, foster community connections, and bolster businesses. Since its inception in 2018, GRO has made a significant impact in the digital domain, particularly in the student housing, multifamily, and senior living sectors.

About OuterBox

Founded in 2004, OuterBox is a full-service performance marketing agency serving over 1,200 clients nationwide. The company drives measurable growth for clients through its core offerings of search / generative engine optimization (SEO / GEO), paid media, CRO / UX, website design and development, email marketing, AI services, and advanced analytics. OuterBox was recently recognized as the Best Large Integrated Search Agency at the 2025 US Search Awards.

About Founders Advisors

Founders is a merger, acquisition, and strategic advisory firm serving middle-market companies. Founders focuses on helping companies across technology, business services, consumer, energy, industrial, and healthcare industries. Founders’ skilled professionals, proven expertise, and process-based solutions help companies access growth capital, pursue acquisitions, and/or prepare for and execute liquidity events to achieve specific financial goals. In order to provide securities-related services, certain principals of Founders Advisors, LLC are licensed with Founders M&A Advisory, LLC, member FINRA and SIPC. Founders M&A Advisory, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Founders Advisors, LLC. Founders Advisors, LLC does not provide investment advice. For more information, please visit www.foundersib.com.