CENTEROAK PARTNERS - Key Persons
Mr. Shah is an Operating Partner of CenterOak. Most recently, the CenterOak team worked with Mr. Shah as Chief Executive Officer of Vivify, a realized Fund I portfolio company.
Mr. Shah held leadership roles at Vivify for more than 20 years and, during his tenure, he played a pivotal role in growing the business into a leading supplier of organic colorants, functional ingredients and additives to the consumer and industrial specialties markets.
Mr. Shah's experience includes decades of owning, managing, and investing in middle-market companies across a variety of industries, including life science, industrial distribution, and service companies.
Mr. Shah received a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University.
Mr. Kadrich is an Operating Partner of CenterOak. Most recently, the CenterOak team worked with Mr. Kadrich as Chief Executive Officer of Turf Masters Brands, a Fund II portfolio company. He currently serves as a Senior Advisor and Board Member for Turf Masters Brands.
Mr. Kadrich has over 40 years of experience in residential home services. Mr. Kadrich founded Turf Masters Lawn Care in 2002 and under his leadership grew to become one of the largest providers of lawn care services in Georgia.
Mr. Kadrich also previously served at Centex HomeTeam Services as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Before Centex, he held numerous positions at TRUGREEN, the largest provider of lawn care services in the U.S., for nearly 15 years.
Mr. Kadrich studied Horticulture at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Mr. Rutherford is a Principal with CenterOak and actively supports all aspects of the Firm's evaluation, execution, and monitoring of investment opportunities. Prior to joining CenterOak, Mr. Rutherford served as Vice President with Sun Capital Partners in New York. Previously, Mr. Rutherford was an Analyst in the Financial Sponsor Group at J.P. Morgan Securities in New York.
Mr. Rutherford received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Washington and Lee University, with concentrations in Accounting and Economics.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director of Business Development and Investor Relations
Ms. Hamilton serves as Managing Director of Business Development and Investor Relations and actively supports the firm's business development activities and investor relation functions. Prior to joining CenterOak, Ms. Hamilton served as an investment professional at NGP Energy Capital Management and Credit Suisse.
Ms. Hamilton received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas A&M University with a concentration in Finance.
Job Titles:
- ASSOCIATE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & ESG
- Associate of Business Development
Mr. Crandall is an Associate of Business Development and ESG and actively supports the Firm's investment sourcing activities. Prior to joining CenterOak, Mr. Crandall served as a Vice President at Westwicke Partners in an investor relations and capital markets role. He previously worked as an investor relations professional at a healthcare technology firm.
Mr. Crandall received a Master of Business Administration degree from the Stern School of Business at New York University and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Southern Methodist University with a concentration in Real Estate Finance.
Job Titles:
- SENIOR ASSOCIATE
- Senior Associate With
Ms. Garfield is a Senior Associate with CenterOak and actively supports all aspects of the Firm's investment and monitoring activities. Prior to joining CenterOak, Ms. Garfield served as an Associate at Denham Capital Management and as an investment professional at RBC Capital Markets.
Ms. Garfield received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas A&M University, with concentrations in Finance and Economics.
Job Titles:
- MANAGING DIRECTOR
- Managing Director With
Mr. Holter is a Managing Director with CenterOak and actively supports all aspects of the firm's evaluation, execution, and monitoring of investment opportunities. Mr. Holter serves on the Board of Directors of Entomo Brands. Prior to joining CenterOak, Mr. Holter served as a Vice President with Linsalata Capital Partners. He previously worked as an investment professional at Keystone Capital, Duff & Phelps Securities and A.G. Edwards Capital Markets.
Mr. Holter received a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University with a concentration in Finance.
Job Titles:
- VICE PRESIDENT
- Vice President With
Mr. Fisher is a Vice President with CenterOak and actively supports all aspects of the Firm's evaluation, execution, and monitoring of investment opportunities. Prior to joining CenterOak, Mr. Fisher served as a Vice President with Guardian Capital Partners. He previously worked as an investment professional at MPE Partners and in the Leveraged Finance Group of Wells Fargo Securities.
Mr. Fisher received a Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University with concentrations in Finance and Economics.
Mr. Kiser is an Operating Partner of CenterOak. Most recently, the CenterOak team worked with Mr. Kiser as Chief Executive Officer of Shamrock Environmental, a Fund I Portfolio Company. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Shamrock.
Mr. Kiser led Shamrock for more than 20 years and oversaw the growth of the Company from $10 million of sales to over $90 million. Mr. Kiser led Shamrock's operations and strategic initiatives after partnering with CenterOak in early 2020, expanding Shamrock's network of centralized wastewater treatment facilities and service capabilities throughout the southeast.
Previously, Mr. Kiser served as Vice President of Industrial Services for Four Seasons Environmental, managing over 100 employees across North Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio and Tennessee.
Mr. Kiser received a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- CO - MANAGING PARTNER
Mr. Sutherland is a Co-Managing Partner of CenterOak. He serves on the Firm's Investment Committee. Mr. Sutherland provides day-to-day oversight of CenterOak's investment team, and he drives the Firm's investment thesis creation process, sourcing, and platform investment activities.
Mr. Sutherland serves on the Board of Directors of Guardian Access Solutions, Entomo Brands, Shamrock Environmental, HK Solutions Group, HomeTown Services, Turf Masters Brands, and previously SurfacePrep, CollisionRight, Wetzel's Pretzels, Vivify, TruRoad, BlackHawk Industrial, Strategic Equipment, and Ennis-Flint.
Prior to joining CenterOak as a Partner, Mr. Sutherland held several senior investment positions at Brazos Private Equity Partners, where he most recently served as a Managing Director. Previously, he was employed as a Vice President in the Specialty Lending Group of Goldman, Sachs & Co. Prior to that, Mr. Sutherland was employed as an investment professional at Bank of America Securities LLC and Raymond James & Associates.
Mr. Sutherland received a Master of Business Administration degree from the Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts degree with high honors from Harvard College.
Mr. Chang is an Associate with CenterOak and actively supports all aspects of the Firm's investment and monitoring activities. Prior to joining CenterOak, Mr. Chang served as an investment professional at Piper Sandler and BMO Capital Markets.
Mr. Chang received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Baylor University, with concentrations in Finance, Accounting, Economics and Mathematics.
Job Titles:
- CONTROLLER
- VICE PRESIDENT of FINANCE
Mr. Glass is the firm's Vice President of Finance & Controller and is responsible for the firm's accounting records, financial reports, and treasury functions. Mr. Glass has more than 15 years of experience in financial accounting and reporting at global public and private companies, including private equity groups with TPG Capital and Goldman Sachs.
Mr. Glass received a Master of Business Administration degree from Texas Christian University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Austin College, with a concentration in Accounting.
Ms. Rose serves as Assistant Controller and is responsible for assisting with the Firm's accounting records, financial reports, and treasury functions. Ms. Rose is a Certified Public Accountant and has more than 10 years of experience in accounting and tax roles at Sixth Street Partners and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Ms. Rose received a Master of Science degree in Taxation and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Mr. Sredojevic is an Associate with CenterOak and actively supports all aspects of the Firm's investment and monitoring activities. Prior to joining CenterOak, Mr. Sredojevic served as an investment professional at Houlihan Lokey and PhiloSmith & Co.
Mr. Sredojevic received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Brown University, where he captained the NCAA Division I baseball team and received All-Ivy League honors.
Job Titles:
- VICE PRESIDENT
- Vice President With
Mr. Izlar is a Vice President with CenterOak and actively supports all aspects of the firm's evaluation, execution, and monitoring of investment opportunities. Prior to joining CenterOak, Mr. Izlar served as an investment professional at Simmons & Company (a division of Piper Sandler).
Job Titles:
- MANAGING DIRECTOR
- Managing Director With
Mr. Langer is a Managing Director with CenterOak and actively supports all aspects of the firm's evaluation, execution, and monitoring of investment opportunities. Mr. Langer serves on the Board of Directors of Guardian Access Solutions. Prior to joining CenterOak, Mr. Langer served as a Managing Director with Heartwood Partners. He previously worked as an investment professional at Compass Group Management and in the investment banking division of Green Manning & Bunch.
Mr. Langer received a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Bucknell University with a concentration in Finance.
Mike Salim - Chief Legal Officer
Mr. Salim is the General Counsel and a Partner of CenterOak. He serves on the Investment Committee and is responsible for the Firm's daily operations, which include legal affairs and investor reporting, and support for the Firm's transaction execution and portfolio monitoring. Prior to CenterOak, Mr. Salim fulfilled the same responsibilities as a Partner of Brazos Private Equity Partners, where he served as Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel.
Previously, Mr. Salim was employed as a Principal, General Counsel and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at a multinational private equity firm that raised and deployed more than $11 billion across several domestic and international funds. Prior to that, Mr. Salim was employed by two Dallas law firms where he served as a Partner and Practice Head, specializing in corporate, partnership and securities law. As a practicing attorney, Mr. Salim has completed public and private financings and M&A transactions totaling several billion dollars.
Mr. Salim received a Juris Doctor degree from Southern Methodist University and a Bachelor of Arts degree with highest honors from Texas Christian University.
Job Titles:
- CEO & CO - MANAGING PARTNER
Mr. Rosenfield is an Operating Partner of CenterOak. Most recently, the CenterOak team worked with Mr. Rosenfield as Chief Executive Officer of TruRoad, a realized Fund I Portfolio Company.
Mr. Rosenfield held leadership roles at TruRoad and previously at JN Phillips Auto Glass for more than 35 years collectively. During his tenure at TruRoad, the company became a market leader in the U.S. auto glass replacement, repair and claims services business, achieving the #2 position in the U.S. market. Prior to TruRoad, Mr. Rosenfield grew revenue at JN Phillips Auto Glass by 25x, achieving prominence as a market innovator and one of the leading regional auto glass and claims service businesses in the U.S.
Mr. Rosenfield received a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity College-Hartford.
Job Titles:
- SENIOR ASSOCIATE
- Senior Associate With
Mr. Martin is a Senior Associate with CenterOak and actively supports all aspects of the Firm's investment and monitoring activities. Prior to joining CenterOak, Mr. Martin served as an Associate and Analyst in the Investment Banking group at Moelis & Company in Houston.
Mr. Martin received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Southern Methodist University with a concentration in Finance and a specialization in Alternative Asset Management.
Mr. Vetter is an Operating Partner of CenterOak. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Shamrock Environmental and previously Vivify, each a Fund I portfolio company.
Prior to Shamrock and Vivify, the CenterOak Team worked with Mr. Vetter in connection with two combined investments. During his tenure as Chief Executive Officer of Ennis-Flint, the company became the world leader in pavement markings and traffic safety solutions. Previously, Mr. Vetter was the control shareholder and Chief Executive Officer of Flint Trading, Inc.
Mr. Vetter's experience includes more than 25 years of owning and managing middle-market companies across a variety of industries, including manufacturing and publishing. He began his business career as an accounting manager for KPMG and also served in roles as Vice President of Finance for ABC / Cap Cities Publishing Division and Vice President of Finance and Administration for a privately held publishing firm.
Mr. Vetter received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a licensed CPA. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina and also serves as Chair of the Executive Board of the Rams Club, the fundraising arm for the athletics program at the University of North Carolina.
Job Titles:
- HR SPECIALIST
- STAFF ACCOUNTANT
Mrs. Balsley serves as the Firm's Staff Accountant and HR Specialist. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Woman's University and an Associate's degree from Richland College with a concentration in Accounting.
Turf Masters Lawn Care Services provides recurring lawn, tree, and shrub care services to over 100,000 customers annually, helping homeowners maximize turf and soil health through fertilization, seeding, aeration, weed control and exterior pest programs. Turf Masters Lawn Care Services differentiates itself through a passion for quality lawn care work and through high levels of customer service, meaningful investment in application equipment, and fostering a culture that provides significant benefits, skill development, and opportunities for employees. The Company currently operates over 20 branches across 10 states and plans to grow organically and through add-on acquisitions.
"Turf Masters, All Turf, and Green Group are high performing, leading residential lawn businesses led by strong local management teams focused on best-in-class customer service," said Jason Sutherland, Co-Managing Partner of CenterOak. "CenterOak has a long history of partnering with talented teams to support rapid growth in highly fragmented industries. We look forward to expanding the Company's customer base, increasing service offerings, and recruiting additional strong local market leaders to join our new platform."
"We are excited to have CenterOak's resources and experience supporting our family-owned business in this next phase of growth," said Andy Kadrich, CEO and founder of Turf Masters. "With CenterOak's support, we have an opportunity to scale quickly by investing in our existing markets and by acquiring passionate, talented and customer service-focused operators in the residential lawn services industry."
Turf Masters Lawn Care Services, headquartered in Atlanta, GA, is a leading provider of recurring residential lawn, tree, and shrub care services. The Company serves over 100,000 customers annually, helping homeowners maximize turf and soil health through fertilization, seeding, aeration and weed and exterior insect control programs. Turf Masters Lawn Care Services differentiates itself through a passion for quality lawn care work and through high levels of customer service, meaningful investment in application equipment, and fostering a culture that provides significant benefits, skill development, and opportunities for employees. The Company currently operates over 20 branches across 10 states and plans to grow organically and through add-on acquisitions. For additional information, please visit www.tmlawncareservices.com
Mr. Henry is Partner of CenterOak. He serves on the Firm's Investment Committee and leads the Firm's operational and accounting diligence functions and assists with portfolio company monitoring and reporting. Mr. Henry has more than 20 years of experience as a trusted business advisor and problem solver with expertise in operations, accounting, finance, business development and project management.
Prior to CenterOak, Mr. Henry co-founded HS Advisory, which provided diligence and advisory services for private equity and private equity-owned middle market companies. Prior to HS Advisory, Mr. Henry served as President and Chief Executive Officer of a Brazos portfolio company and led the successful exit of that investment. Previously, Mr. Henry was a Partner with Arthur Andersen in its Audit and Transaction Advisory Services practice, primarily delivering transaction advisory services to middle market private equity groups.
Mr. Henry serves on the Board of Directors of HomeTown Services, Turf Masters Brands, HK Solutions Group, and Entomo Brands. He previously served on the Board of Directors of Wetzel's Pretzels, Vivify, FullSpeed Automotive, and TruRoad.
Mr. Henry received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Abilene Christian University.
Mr. Scheller is an Operating Partner of CenterOak. Most recently, he served on the Board of Directors of SurfacePrep, a realized Fund I portfolio company.
Prior to SurfacePrep, the CenterOak Team worked with Mr. Scheller on three previous investments. He served as Chief Executive Officer of BlackHawk Industrial where, under his leadership, he was instrumental in growing the business into a top 30 distributor in the North American industrial supply market. Prior to BlackHawk, he served as an active director of Strategic Equipment & Supply, a leading distributor of food service equipment. Before his role at Strategic Equipment & Supply, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of ORS Nasco, where he successfully grew the business into one of the largest, pure wholesale distributors of industrial supplies in North America.
Mr. Scheller also previously served as Director of Distribution and Logistics for Patterson Companies. Before Patterson, he began his career at Pillsbury Company where he led an internal consulting practice and held numerous positions in the field of logistics.
Mr. Scheller received a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University.