Shape the Future of Connex: Join the 2021-22 Connex Board of Directors

Collaborate with FM Leaders & Game Changers by Joining the Connex Board of Directors

Now Accepting Board of Director Nominations & Applications
Nominations Due: November 13 | Applications Due: November 20

The landscape of being an FM is changing daily as we forge through one of the toughest years our industry has experienced. Collaborating with the influencers of our industry will empower and equip you to forge new paths and get a jumpstart on the challenges none of us predicted. Joining the Connex Board of Directors is truly one of the most impactful choices you could make to influencing not only the future of Connex, but the FM industry overall.

Connex is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are career professionals working in the industry, selling to and/or servicing retail and multi-site facilities. Connex is now accepting nominations and applications for consideration for the 2021-22 Board of Directors. Submit a nomination by November 13 or submit an application by November 20.

Self-Nominations and Colleague Nominations Encouraged 


CoolSys Acquires Carolina Refrigeration

CoolSys™, the parent of market-leading refrigeration and HVAC services companies nationwide, announced it has acquired Carolina Refrigeration Services Inc, a commercial HVAC and refrigeration company, which serves customers in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. With this acquisition, CoolSys further expands its foothold into the southeast, establishing a thorough presence in the area.

 

“This is a very strategic acquisition for CoolSys. While we currently perform work in the states they cover, acquiring Carolina Refrigeration Services gives us the critical mass required to provide our current customers the support and resources they deserve and to offer our entire solutions portfolio to new customers,” comments Adam Coffey, CEO of CoolSys. “Carolina Refrigeration’s excellent service has earned them an outstanding reputation that will serve as a critical part of our growth strategy in the Carolinas and the southeast,” he adds.

 

Carolina Refrigeration services and installs commercial HVAC and refrigeration equipment in supermarket chains, industrial processing plants, convenience stores, wholesale clubs and restaurants. Headquartered in Lexington, South Carolina, it has one additional branch in South Carolina as well as one in Tennessee.

 

“Our business was founded on treating each employee and customer as if they were our only one. Our commitment to our people is the backbone of how we do business at Carolina Refrigeration,” comments Chris Hutnyak, founder of Carolina Refrigeration. “I am excited to become part of the CoolSys family of businesses, who share this same commitment to customers and employees.”

 

About CoolSys

CoolSys is the market-leading refrigeration and HVAC services company, specializing in a full spectrum of best-in-class service experiences and solutions for customers in the retail, foodservice, commercial and industrial market segments. CoolSys and its operating businesses cover every stage of mission-critical systems from engineering and design, to installation, service and maintenance, and energy optimization. Headquartered in Southern California, CoolSys has more than 3,000 employees nationwide, serving the daily needs of more than 45,000 customer locations across North America. For additional information, please visit www.coolsys.com.

 

About Carolina Refrigeration

Based in Lexington, South Carolina, Carolina Refrigeration provides refrigeration and commercial and industrial HVAC services 24 hours a day, seven days a week to customers in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, southern Virginia and Tennessee. Carolina Refrigeration serves customers ranging from industrial processing plants to wholesale shopping clubs and supermarket grocers to convenience stores.

MC Group/Icon Changes Name to Stratus

Leaders in national brand implementation programs including signage,  site refresh & remodel, repair & maintenance, and energy solutions   

  

MC Group | Icon, one of the leading brand implementation companies in the United States, announced today that it has changed its name to Stratus.  The rebranding comes one year after MC Group and Icon joined forces to expand their services and become one of the largest players in the facility services industry.  

Trusted by some of the most well-known, blue chip companies in the country, Stratus builds better brands nationwide by offering signage, site refresh & remodel, repair & maintenance, and energy solutions such as lighting and electrical.  Their extensive program management experience maximizes efficiency for their customers while drastically reducing the day-to-day hassles of managing locations across large geographies.    

“Stratus conveys our commitment to take brands and people to the next level,” said Tim Eippert, Stratus’ Chief Executive Officer, who acquired MC Group more than 25 years ago.  

“In a world of infinite possibilities, we deliver ideal solutions,” he added. “Stratus represents how we bring clarity and vision to the complex challenges customers face, providing peace of mind that all their bases are covered. Yet we go further to take every interaction, solution and experience to the next level.”  

Stratus, a private-equity-owned company, employs over 700 people. The company has headquarters in Mentor, Ohio and Rolling Meadows, Illinois; operations centers in Ohio, Florida and New Jersey; and manufacturing facilities in Illinois, South Carolina and Virginia.    

“As Stratus, we are operating under one name, with aligned teams and product lines to better serve and assist customers,” said Kurt Ripkey, Stratus’ President and Chief Revenue Officer. “Our new name, and what it stands for, looks towards the future while also drawing from our past.  Stratus is committed to offering the most extensive brand management solutions nationwide, helping our customers to grow while also growing ourselves as a leader in our industry.  It is our mission to continue to offer the most extensive brand management solutions nationwide.”  

  

Eippert will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer, supported by Ripkey as President and Chief Revenue Officer and Dave Walters as President and Chief Operating Officer. The three executives bring with them nearly 100 years of combined industry leadership experience.  

  

 About Stratus

Stratus is a leading provider of brand implementation solutions including signage, site refresh/remodel, energy,  and repair & maintenance programs nationwide.

The Rise of Dark Stores – Share Your Experience with New Fulfillment Options

The recent article featured in Connex Weekly, “The Rise of Dark Stores,” reported, “More retailers are accommodating the shift of shopping from in-store to online by turning their physical locations into so-called “dark stores”-miniature warehouse-like spaces where online orders can be packed for pickup or delivery. Retail experts say this is just the start of a major trend.” The article described two different methods: 

– Dark Stores – only for Fulfillment 
– Semidark or Hybrid Approach – shoppers submit most of their order online but shoppers can still choose their own produce or deli items

Have you converted part or all of a store for fulfillment? What challenges have you found in this process? Share your experience on the Connex Community

National Dispatch Services is Now a Certified Woman-Owned Business

The owner and president of National Dispatch Services, Marissa Sidel, is proud to announce that the company has been officially certified as a Women Business Enterprise by WBE Canada.

 

“As a business leader, it’s important for me to own my place as an entrepreneur and to help other women become leaders as well. I have a deep belief that businesses have a duty to encourage and promote women, and by getting certified, we are staking our position as a proudly woman-owned-and-operated company,” Marissa Sidel said.

 

About National Dispatch Services
As Canada’s premier facilities maintenance company, National Dispatch Services covers retail, office, and general facilities maintenance in every city and town in Canada, coast-to-coast-to-coast. NDS offers one national rate per trade and never charges extra for overtime.

 

About WBE
WBE Canada (Women Business Enterprises Canada Council) is a Canadian non-profit organization whose mandate is to build connections between Canadian women-owned businesses and corporate/government buyers across North America.

CoolSys Partners with ECMC Education to Launch Online HVAC-R Technician Training Program

As it expands its growing team of HVAC-R technicians, CoolSys™, a parent of market-leading refrigeration and HVAC services companies nationwide, has partnered with ECMC Education to launch a multi-faceted, online training program for its technicians.  With courses scheduled to begin in September, technicians can enroll and attend interactive online courses and complete evaluations with a CoolSys senior-level technical training coach to ensure learning targets are accomplished.   

 

“CoolSys has always been dedicated to training and investing in employees so we’re excited to be taking our training initiatives to a new level through our partnership with ECMC Education,” comments Beth Goldstein, chief human resources officer at CoolSys.  “In launching this new online program, we can now make high quality, advanced training accessible to our new and current team members located anywhere in the country.“ 

 

As traditional classroom training has been impacted by limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the new online training program will enable CoolSys to continue to expand its training initiatives and meet the diverse needs of trainees with remote instruction.  Students will be able to access the online training at their own pace with each course lasting eight weeks with approximately five hours per week of coursework.  In tandem with the online training, experienced CoolSys technicians will serve as technical training coaches to evaluate the progress of each trainee in a hands-on environment with the proper social distancing measures in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.   

 

The CoolSys training program will be designed to deliver five levels of training based on the needs of each technician. Starting in September, the program will launch training geared to servicing convenience stores, small-box retail and supermarkets with single systems.  By the end of the year, CoolSys will deploy three additional levels of advanced training to provide all necessary services for supermarkets.  Another training module will launch in January 2021 to offer more foundational skills for technicians. 

 

“In today’s marketplace, it is more important than ever for industry and education to come together to efficiently and effectively meet the needs of the business while also setting employees on a track for career advancement and success,” said Todd Steele, president, ECMC Education. “By aligning our areas of expertise, we are effectively addressing CoolSys’ talent development needs, without the geographic or scheduling constraints associated with conventional training programs.” 

 

About CoolSys  

CoolSys is the market-leading refrigeration and HVAC services company, specializing in a full spectrum of best-in-class service experiences and solutions for customers in the retail, food service, commercial and industrial market segments. CoolSys and its operating businesses cover every stage of mission-critical systems from engineering and design, to installation, service and maintenance, and energy optimization. Headquartered in Southern California, CoolSys has more than 1,900 highly trained, field-based service and installation experts serving the daily needs of more than 4,000 customers across North America. For additional information, please visit www.coolsys.com

 

About ECMC Education 

ECMC Education is a nonprofit provider of educational solutions rooted in innovation, employer collaboration and industry stewardship. The organization offers a range of educational solutions through two entities:  Altierus Training Solutions, which assists employers in solving talent and skill gaps, and Altierus Career College, which provides accredited programming to new career seekers.  To learn more, visit www.ecmceducation.org/training-solutions

BrandPoint Services Named an Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Company

BrandPoint Services, a leading provider of facility services and solutions to multi-site commercial clients across North America, proudly announces its inclusion in the Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.

 

“Our tremendous growth has been the direct result of deepening our client relationships,” Steve Hearon, President of BrandPoint Services said. “Rather than simply being a supplier, we pride ourselves on being a true business partner for our clients.”

 

Prior to 2019 BrandPoint Services were separated into three main divisions: Maintenance, Refresh and Remodel. Through a merger with Legacy Retail Services in April 2019 and recent diversification, BrandPoint has expanded its services to include Construction, digital signage installation and maintenance, as well as merchandising offerings.

 

“The BrandPoint team really came together and rallied around our core values and commitment to customer satisfaction,” commented Mike Hersh, CEO of BrandPoint Services. “It’s because of our employees and our great vendor network that we can deliver a great experience and high-quality work for our clients,”
BrandPoint provides custom facility solutions, acting as an extension of our clients, bringing consistency and a high-level of quality to brands that span North America. Learn more at www.brandpointservices.com.

 

About Inc. Media
The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

 

About Brand Point Services
BrandPoint Services provides Facility Maintenance & Repair, Refresh & Remodeling Project and Construction Services across the US and Canada. BrandPoint works with over a third of the Top 100 National Retailers, as well as restaurant, healthcare and banking brands to improve their spaces and experiences. Its vast vendor network allows BrandPoint to get qualified trades out to client locations across North America to address their facility needs and deliver solutions quickly.

Connex Members Discuss: How Coronavirus Is Impacting The Supply Chain

The non-profit Institute for Supply Chain Management (ISM) has just released its July survey on how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting supply chains around the world. Among the latest ISM findings are the following:

  • Severe disruptions are reported in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Japan, South Korea, parts of Europe, and China.
  • Average lead time – the amount of time between ordering a product and its delivery – has improved, but still lags pre-COVID operations.
  • U.S. domestic manufacturing is operating at 74 percent of normal capacity
  • Most respondents say they have enough inventory to support current operations. However, confidence this will continue is on the decline in the U.S. (64 percent), Mexico (49 percent), and Canada (55 percent).


Are you still having challenges with your supply chain? Please share on the Connex Community here how you have overcome these challenges or any solutions you have found!

Read the full article here.

For Third Year, Branded Group Appears on Inc. 5000

Inc. magazine revealed that Branded Group is No. 1054 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. 

 

“Branded Group is honored to be named to the 2020 Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies,” Michael Kurland, Branded Group CEO, said. “We are grateful to our valued team, loyal customers, and long-standing vendor partners, all of whom have made possible our inclusion on this esteemed list.”  

Not only have the companies on the 2020 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists as well. The 2020 Inc. 5000 achieved an incredible three-year average growth of over 500 percent, and a median rate of 165 percent. The Inc. 5000’s aggregate revenue was $209 billion in 2019, accounting for over 1 million jobs over the past three years.   

 

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are also being featured in the September issue of Inc., available on newsstands August 12. 

 

“The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 come from nearly every realm of business,” says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. “From health and software to media and hospitality, the 2020 list proves that no matter the sector, incredible growth is based on the foundations of tenacity and opportunism.” 

 

The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held virtually from October 23 to 27, 2020. As always, speakers will include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation. 

 

About Branded Group 

Branded Group is an award-winning facility maintenance and construction management company servicing multi-site commercial properties. Through its “Be Better” experience, Branded Group provides clients with peace of mind and preserves their brand standards. Services include on-demand facility maintenance, construction management, and special project implementation for retail locations, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions, among other industry verticals. With its One-for-One Program, each completed service call is transformed into volunteer time with local non-profit organizations. The company is a certified Great Place to Work and has ranked on the Inc. 5000 for two consecutive years. https://www.branded-group.com 

 

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 

 

Methodology 

The 2020 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2016 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2016. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2016 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. 

 

About Inc. Media 

The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. For more information on the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.  

 

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Protos Security Hires Nathaniel Shaw as Chief Executive Officer

Security Services Holdings, LLC (dba Protos Security), the leading tech-enabled security services company in North America, announced that it has hired Nathaniel Shaw as Chief Executive Officer.

 

Protos Security, a portfolio company of Southfield Capital, has more than doubled since Southfield’s investment in February 2019. The CEO addition reflects Southfield’s commitment to bringing talent and resources to build upon the success of Protos’ founders and management partners.

 

Andy Cook, Partner at Southfield Capital, stated, “Protos Security is an exciting investment for Southfield and we are enthusiastic to have Nat onboard to continue Protos’ strong growth trajectory. The team has developed a platform with a unique approach and technology in the security services industry and it is resonating with customers. With the founders moving into different roles within the organization, we are excited to bring in Nat Shaw as CEO to lead the company. His proven track record of building and growing service companies on a national scale is a great fit for Protos.”

 

Mr. Shaw said, “I’m excited to join the team at Protos Security as Chief Executive Officer. In partnering with Southfield, we are building the leading tech-enabled security services company in North America. Already the industry leader in grocery, drugstores, and other sectors, we will grow aggressively into additional sectors and end-markets, and pursue continued growth through accretive acquisitions. It’s my privilege to join the talented team at Protos and to partner with Southfield Capital.”

 

Prior to joining Protos Security, Nat served as the Chief Commercial Officer of Kellermeyer Bergensons Services, LLC, one of the fastest growing and largest privately held providers of facility services in North America. Mr. Shaw has over 25 years of experience in the facilities services industry, working in private equity backed and publicly traded companies, across various functions including executive management, growth, marketing, business development and entrepreneurship.

 

About Protos Security
Protos Security is a technology enabled security services company offering managed, monitored, and direct guard security program solutions for a wide spectrum of customers across North America. Protos Security prides itself on delivering a high touch service, actionable insights, transparency and program flexibility for its clients. For more information on customized solutions to protect your business, please visit www.protossecurity.com.

 

About Southfield Capital
Southfield Capital is a private equity firm that invests in exceptional, growing companies in the lower middle market outsourced business services sector. Southfield targets companies with $4 – $12 million in EBITDA and partners with owners and management teams that are enthusiastic about scaling their operations through a combination of organic and acquisition growth strategies. For more information on Southfield Capital, please visit www.southfieldcapital.com.

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