Five Fire Protection Company Owners Talk About Joining Marmic
JOPLIN, Mo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Marmic Fire & Safety®, an HGGC company, brings onboard five fire protection companies seeking greater resources and long-term growth for their teams. Prior owners are sharing their experiences working with Marmic and how they plan for the future of employees.
“The right acquisition partners who choose to join Marmic Fire & Safety share our passion for employees and customers. This is why when they decide we are the right fit, we couldn’t be more proud to have their teams join us in making both Marmic and their employees more successful. We take great care in welcoming these new team members to our organization,” said Greg Bochicchio, CEO of Marmic Fire & Safety®.
“As part of due diligence, the Marmic team works closely with owners to learn about all their employees and build out a long-term organizational strategy for all team members. Marmic prides ourselves on being an employer of choice and that extends to all our new team members that join our organization through acquisitions. Ensuring employee retention and culture continuity is one of the most important parts of the Marmic deal process,” said John Walsh, Vice President of Business Development of Marmic Fire & Safety®.
Denver, CO – Originally founded in 1971 by his father, John Abbott Sr., John Abbott took over Fire & Safety of Denver in 1994 with his wife, Sondi. They continued John Sr.’s legacy by serving Denver and the surrounding communities with Fire Safety Inspections and DOT Cylinder Hydrostatic Testing. Over the past 29 years, they have watched the company grow from a building with no plumbing or heat to a thriving contributor to Denver’s safety today.
With great pride in his team John said, “We have really great employees…Trying to keep them happy and trying to keep them engaged is sometimes the hard part. The employees are number one…they’re helping you build. We were at a crossroads. We just couldn’t grow the way I wanted to grow. So I felt Marmic was a great situation.”
Tyler, TX – With entrepreneurship running in his veins, David McDaniels purchased Alpha Fire Safety of Flint, TX from Barry Grimes in 2015. Since then, he kept the company rolling and is now ready to let Marmic take the Alpha team to the next level. East Texas customers, already benefiting from Alpha’s strong presence, will benefit greatly as Marmic resources and our team at APS FireCo reinforce the new team and help it reach its full potential.
David McDaniels expressed his excitement for his team’s next chapter. “My guys…they are the company. It’s the people that make [Alpha] special; they’ve worked really hard to help us get to this point. They’re going to have access to all the benefits and the capital and all the things that they need to continue to make it special.”
Wilmington, NC – In the tight-knit community of Wilmington, NC, how well you do in business is often determined by how well you know the people of this beautiful coastal city. Tim Milligan and his wife Vanessa were born and raised there and are deeply committed to protecting their neighbors. After establishing Intracoastal Fire Protection to serve their community, they earned the respect of their customers and employees through diligence that often meant long days and nights. With such commitment, passing their company to another has been an emotional journey, but knowing their employees and customers are in good hands eased the transition.
In order to trust Marmic with his employees, Tim investigated the company and came to this conclusion, “To be fair to the employees and get us to the next level I needed to partner with somebody who I felt like would be a good fit. I did my homework…I followed what [Marmic] employees say and what past acquisitions were saying. Everything that I researched is what made me feel good about Marmic.”
San Antonio, TX – Darryl Lyons has worked on many fire sprinkler systems and kitchen systems since he became licensed in 1976. Darryl’s decades of experience in fire safety led him to establish LyonsGuard Fire Protection. Over the past several years, he and his wife Robin built a team with an enviable reputation for industrial fire suppression systems in the SA community. Today, he’s poised his team to prosper with Marmic’s resources and leadership in South Texas.
Reflecting on his decision to join Marmic Darryl explained, “Our customers outgrew us. I knew I needed to make a change to stay up with my customer’s needs…to select the proper company that would best fit your customer’s needs and your employee’s needs. I felt like [Marmic] was such a good match. My family is happy. It will allow us more time with our family as well.”
Camden, SC – Founded in 1959 by AB Shirley, Camden Fire Extinguisher Sales and Service was purchased by Fain Johnson in 1980. He ran it by himself out of the back of his family’s station wagon and has watched it grow to 14 employees. Fain and his wife, Jennifer, are ready to enjoy retirement and watch Camden Fire succeed and grow with Marmic at the helm.
Regarding concerns for his employees, Fain said, “Camden Fire wouldn’t exist without my employees. They are the most important thing to me. They’ve handled this transition very well. Now that they’ve seen what Marmic can offer they’re very happy and encouraged. I wouldn’t have put [the company] in anyone else’s hands.”
About Marmic: Marmic Fire & Safety® Company is the successful, nationally-recognized expansion of Joplin Fire Protection (JFP) which began in 1951 with Charles and Mary Lou Teeter in Joplin, MO. As the company grew outside of Southwest Missouri, Marmic was formed from the names of Martha and Mickey Teeter, a second generation of the Teeter family that brought consistent fire protection services to new territories. With third and fourth generations involved today, Marmic is now host to a family of safety brands with over 40 local offices covering 18 states.
With its core recurring services in fire extinguisher, fire sprinkler, fire alarm, industrial fire suppression, and kitchen system fire suppression Marmic is one of the top fire protection companies in the country. But few other companies are as holistic in terms of safety. By installing and servicing security and access control systems it demonstrates a well-rounded concern for the protection of life and property. Additionally, offering personal protection equipment such as hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, reflective vests, and more establishes Marmic as a complete, one-stop shop for workplace safety equipment. This depth of service illustrates the importance the company places on customer safety.
Contacts
Carrie Gerbitz
Marmic Fire & Safety® – Marketing Coordinator
M&A Contacts:
John Walsh
Marmic Fire & Safety® – Vice President of Business Development
Joe Paladino
Marmic Fire & Safety® – Vice President Integration
