WHAT OUR PARTNERSSAY ABOUT US

Testimonials

With decades of successful investments comes a long list of founder, entrepreneur, and management team partners that have joined Cortec Group’s extended family. Read below their perspectives on why they chose Cortec over other alternatives.

Tommy Mello

Tommy Mello

Founder & CEO
A1 Garage Door Service
Dave Musial

Dave Musial

Founder & CEO
Four Seasons
Steuart Botchford and Sam Hyde

Steuart Botchford,
Sam Hyde

CEO and President
Northstar Fertility Partners

Ken Goodrich

Executive Chairman
Goettl

Tori Gerbig

Founder & Chief Brand Officer
Pink Lily

Maradith Frenkel

Founder & Chair
Little Sleepies
Dr. Dani McVety and Dr. Mary Gardner

Dr. Dani McVety,
Dr. Mary Gardner

Co-Founders, CEO and CIO
Lap of Love
Matt Malone

Matt Malone

Founder & CEO
Groundworks
Imran Jooma

Imran Jooma

CEO
Enthusiast Auto Holdings
Nick Laperriere

Nick Laperriere

CEO
Companion Pet Partners
Dan Williamson

Dan Williamson

Founder & CEO
Aspen Medical Products
John Bartos

John Bartos

CEO
Rotating Machinery Services
Harley and Aaron Magden

Harley and Aaron Magden

CEO and President
Window Nation
Vince Groome

Vince Groome

CEO
Groome Transportation
Ryan Heckman

Ryan Heckman

CEO
EVP EyeCare
Albert Chauvet

Albert Chauvet

Founder & CEO
Chauvet
Sanjiv Lakhanpal

Sanjiv Lakhanpal, MD, FACS

President & CEO
Center for Vein Restoration
Dan Eisenstadt

Dan Eisenstadt

Founder & Chairman
Community Veterinary Partners
Josh Dick

Josh Dick

CEO
Urnex
Marc Weissbach

Marc Weissbach

CEO
SOCOTEC (f.k.a. Vidaris)
Carl DeMasi

Carl DeMasi

Chairman & CEO
Weiman Products
Mike Canzoneri

Mike Canzoneri

President & CEO
Canadian Hospital Specialties
Dan Nettesheim

Dan Nettesheim

CEO
Barcodes
Steve Dawson

Steve Dawson

CEO
Harmar
Roy Seiders

Roy Seiders

Co-Founder & CEO
YETI

“I was introduced to Cortec before beginning a formal process to find a private equity partner to help me continue growing my company. After meeting with several firms, I knew Cortec was my ideal partner. Cortec’s collaborative and operational approach, coupled with their expertise in the home services sector and their proven track record of partnering with founders, differentiated them from everyone else. Following the closing of our transaction, Cortec has continued to challenge and impress me – they are thoughtful, respectful, and determined to help achieve my ambitions for A1.”

Tommy Mello

Founder & CEO
A1 Garage Door Service

“To take Four Seasons to the next level, I needed a partner that understood my business, respected its culture, and had the resources to support rapid growth, both organically and through acquisition. We had a number of interested potential investors, but Cortec quickly proved to be the right partner for my team. They know our industry and have a track-record of helping entrepreneur-led teams succeed. From our first meeting, it was clear they understood the opportunity in front of us and the challenges we would face as we grow Four Seasons into a much larger organization. Since closing, our working relationship has been highly-collaborative and exactly as advertised. We’re off to a great start together and are excited to see what the future holds with Cortec standing beside us.”

Dave Musial

Founder & CEO
Four Seasons

“As our company continued its rapid growth, we realized we needed a strategic partner to support a larger and more complex business. While additional capital was part of the equation, we focused on finding a partner with proven capabilities and experience that could help our team address the operational needs and infrastructure investments required. We met with a number of private equity firms which had plenty of capital, but did not have the same skillsets or the cultural fit that matched our needs. The Cortec team distinguished themselves from day one through their prior successes growing founder-led businesses. Since closing the transaction, the Cortec team has lived up to all of our expectations and more, and we are excited for the future journey together.”

Steuart Botchford,
Sam Hyde

CEO and President
Northstar Fertility Partners

“After leading Goettl through a period of significant expansion, I was seeking an experienced teammate to support our growth ambitions while remaining true to Goettl’s core value of doing things the right way, not the easy way. Our management team knew Cortec was the right firm after our first meeting. Cortec distinguished themselves through their proven expertise and success with entrepreneur managed home services businesses and their willingness to roll up their sleeves and quickly assist with the challenges of operating a larger, rapidly growing business. After working alongside Cortec since closing, I can clearly see why both Goettl and Cortec are proven winners, and the future is bright for our company.”

Ken Goodrich

Executive Chairman
Goettl

“We chose Cortec for a number of reasons. First, they had a lot of experience teaming with entrepreneurs and company founders like me and Chris, including with companies created and led by women. Second, Cortec had really deep and broad knowledge of high-growth DTC businesses, like Pink Lily. Third, they came with a senior team who could help us across all the functional areas of our company, including team expansion and development, marketing strategy and tactics, demand planning, and supplier development, among others. While we received multiple attractive offers, after spending a lot of time with the Cortec team during the diligence process, we felt they were the best firm to help us build the foundation for the next phase of our growth. This was very important to us, as we wanted to remain leaders and significant shareholders of Pink Lily. Since closing, our partnership is off to a great start, and we are thrilled with our decision and the accomplishments we have already achieved together.”

Tori Gerbig

Founder & Chief Brand Officer
Pink Lily

“When I founded Little Sleepies in 2018, I never could have imagined how quickly the brand would grow and flourish. The small beginnings of that first product run quickly grew into a passionate and engaged customer base, fueled by positive word of mouth. As the business continued to scale, I recognized the need for a strategic partnership to support our hypergrowth. From our first meeting, I could tell that the Cortec team brought a wealth of experience in operating fast growing companies. More importantly, they were passionate about working alongside entrepreneurs like me. Their commitment to being a genuinely involved partner that would enhance all sides of our business was what set them apart. Cortec hit the ground running from the very start of our partnership: supporting our team with brand-building, digital marketing strategies, and improving our operations. As I continue on this amazing adventure as a significant owner and Little Sleepies’ Chair, I feel fortunate to have Cortec in my corner.”

Maradith Frenkel

Founder & Chair
Little Sleepies

“Our purpose in founding Lap of Love over a decade ago was to provide pets with peaceful end of life care in the home setting. In our search for a partner, we knew we needed someone who believed in our purpose and had the experience to help us reach our vision of serving all pet owners across the United States. Cortec fit the bill in all respects, given their prior successes investing in the veterinary space and working with founders like us. Despite our relationship beginning during a global pandemic, we have been impressed with how quickly Cortec built rapport with our team and helped institute positive change. They are down-to-earth, responsive, hardworking, and have been an absolute pleasure to work with!”

Dr. Dani McVety,
Dr. Mary Gardner

Co-Founders, CEO and CIO
Lap of Love

“When we began searching for the right partner to support us in our mission to revolutionize the foundation services industry, we wanted a group that had demonstrated success working with founders and entrepreneurs to help them build their companies, possessed a deep appreciation for the importance of collaboration of employees to driving a company’s success and had one of the best investment track records in the private equity industry. The aforementioned factors were essential for us because my management team, our former brand founders, and I remain very significant investors and owners of the company. Not only did Cortec have all the qualities we were looking for, the Cortec team also possessed the grinder mentality that mirrors the mindset of the men and women of Groundworks. We share the cultural values of honesty, hard work, and winning. Since closing, Cortec and my team have worked side-by-side to build our organization, execute operating initiatives, and close add-on acquisitions.”

Matt Malone

Founder & CEO
Groundworks

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with numerous private equity firms during my career. For many reasons, Cortec stands head and shoulders above the rest. When Cortec was considering investing in EAH, they did more homework than anyone else, came to the table with great ideas and analyses, and interacted with me and my team in an incredibly thoughtful and respectful manner. Since closing, our leadership team has appreciated Cortec’s many investments in our company, their focus on eCommerce and operational excellence, and their commitment to making us better every day. They are the partners you want in your corner, no matter what challenges and opportunities come at you!”

Imran Jooma

CEO
Enthusiast Auto Holdings

“I met Cortec as they were evaluating the concept of creating a new general practice veterinary platform from the ground up. The firm’s experience and success in the veterinary industry through its previous investment in Community Veterinary Partners and reputation in healthcare services gave me the confidence to leave a very successful career path at an established human healthcare provider and take the leap with them. In hindsight, I can’t imagine undertaking such a project with another group. The Cortec team has been incredibly supportive and collaborative along the journey from a single employee start-up to a scaled platform with hospital operations spanning several states. The team’s multidisciplinary experience in all aspects of company operations, including recruiting a leadership team, building company infrastructure, developing a high-velocity add-on acquisition program, and creating a unique cultural identity for the company, has greatly contributed to Companion’s success to-date.”

Nick Laperriere

CEO
Companion Pet Partners

“After founding Aspen and leading the company for 25 years, I was looking for a partner to help guide the company through its next level of growth and development, organically and through M&A. I specifically wanted a group that would respect the unique culture we created at Aspen and provide new opportunities for our employees, who have been instrumental in the success we have enjoyed. Cortec’s expertise in healthcare products, experience with founder-owned businesses, and unique hands-on operating approach made them the right partner for Aspen. They are extremely professional and have high ethical standards, consistent with ours. Cortec has delivered on everything they advertised and has earned my trust and confidence.”

Dan Williamson

Founder & CEO
Aspen Medical Products

“Having met and worked with several private equity firms throughout my career, I can confidently say that Cortec is unique. They worked tirelessly throughout the due diligence process, and their preparation, communication, and relevant experiences from prior investments greatly impressed me. Their approach to operations and partnership truly distinguishes them from other firms. Since closing, they’ve helped us significantly grow our global revenues and improve operations through meaningful investments in our people, processes, product technology, and systems while supporting an aggressive acquisition program. I could not have chosen a better partner.”

John Bartos

CEO
Rotating Machinery Services

“When we were seeking a private equity firm to support our ambitious growth plans, we wanted a group that would bring fresh ideas to the table, connect with all levels of our organization, thoughtfully challenge our way of thinking, and, most importantly, had a long track record of successfully working with entrepreneurs like ourselves. It only took us one meeting with the Cortec team to know that they would be our new partner. They came well prepared and were focused on assessing the investments required to support our short and long-term strategic objectives. Since closing our recapitalization, we couldn’t be happier with our decision. The Cortec team is always there for us in whatever capacity required, and we know that by working together Window Nation will exceed even our own lofty expectations.”

Harley and Aaron Magden

CEO and President
Window Nation

“From our first meeting, I knew Cortec was the right partner for me. They had done their homework prior to their visit, brought an experienced team to the table that will be with us from start to finish, had lots of creative and thoughtful ideas, and we shared plenty of laughs. When I set out to find an investor who could buy out my brother and dad from the company my grandfather started 60 years ago, I thought private equity firms only brought money to the table. After meeting with Cortec, it was clear that because of their many experiences with fast-growing family-owned specialty products and services companies, that I wanted them by my side in taking Groome to the next level.”

Vince Groome

CEO
Groome Transportation

“As a former private equity investor with significant healthcare experience, I knew exactly what I wanted in a partner to help build my multi-site surgical eyecare business. Cortec brought it all to the table: i) significant multi-site healthcare experience; ii) a long track record of success investing in the healthcare industry, both in products and services; and iii) a “hands-with” approach to help me and my team wherever and whenever we needed them. While I hired an investment banker, I very quickly elected to work exclusively with Cortec as a majority owner/partner. This was a good decision, as Cortec delivered on everything they told me going into the process, and closed on time and at the promised valuation.”

Ryan Heckman

CEO
EVP EyeCare

“When I was first considering bringing in a partner, I had hesitations about what it would mean for our team and culture. Fortunately, given the strong performance of our company, we had interest from many private equity firms – and I had the opportunity to meet with a number of them to understand their differences. I chose Cortec because they quickly understood and assessed the opportunities we identified for our business, engaged thoughtfully and respectfully with our team, and brought new ideas for how to accelerate our growth. During the significant challenges of the pandemic, the Cortec team supported us and encouraged us to invest, allowing us to take share when our served markets re-opened. With the benefit of Cortec’s vision, insights, and resources, Chauvet has realized exceptional global growth, well beyond my expectations. Our partnership has proven to be even better than I could have hoped for.”

Albert Chauvet

Founder & CEO
Chauvet

“I founded CVR in 2007 to improve care for patients with vein disease by utilizing office-based, minimally invasive treatment alternatives. After expanding our platform to more than 45 clinics, my team and I recognized the need to bring in fresh perspectives and growth capital. Following meetings with several private equity firms in 2016, we partnered with Cortec Group to help us navigate through our next phase of growth and meaningfully expand our geographic footprint organically and through M&A. The Cortec team impressed me with their critical thinking and healthcare investment track record (particularly in founder-led, multi-site service businesses), but more importantly, they were passionate about providing excellent patient care and shared my vision to help as many patients as possible. Throughout our partnership, Cortec has offered strategic guidance and help to me and my team on numerous operating initiatives – I look forward to continuing to grow CVR together.”

Sanjiv Lakhanpal, MD, FACS

President & CEO
Center for Vein Restoration

“Our team was seeking a teammate to help us rapidly expand our veterinary practice management business through a buy and build strategy, while maintaining our culture and dedication to patient care. I had known the Cortec team for many years as an investor in several of their funds and believed in their business model, so when they agreed to meet my valuation expectations, choosing to work with them exclusively was easy. Since closing, Cortec has been an ideal partner, providing us with strategic guidance, helping us build the leadership team, and making the requisite investments in processes and infrastructure.”

Dan Eisenstadt

Founder & Chairman
Community Veterinary Partners

“Making the decision to sell the business that my great-grandfather started more than 75 years earlier was extremely personal. When I eventually decided to transition out of the day-to-day CEO role to Chairman, my confidence that I had selected a trusted and hands-on private equity partner was fully confirmed. I chose Cortec due to their experience and numerous successes transitioning businesses from entrepreneurial to institutional ownership, willingness to be intimately involved in the business during and following a leadership transition period, stellar reputation, and my trust and confidence in the sincerity and focus of their team of professionals.”

Josh Dick

CEO
Urnex

“From our first interaction with the Cortec team, it was clear that they appreciated the importance of our people. As a technical services business, Vidaris (now known as SOCOTEC) depends upon the engagement of its professionals and the recruitment of new talent to enable our business to scale — Cortec got this. Together we focused on the key value drivers. They worked with us to expand the executive and technical teams and upgrade our systems and available data. We had a shared vision for broadening our service lines and they helped us execute several highly strategic acquisitions. I’ve worked with multiple private equity groups, and Cortec stands out for the thoughtfulness of their partners and commitment to our business.”

Marc Weissbach

CEO
SOCOTEC (f.k.a. Vidaris)

“After leading Weiman for over 30 years, I wanted a private equity firm that could help me promptly transition to a board role post-closing and grow the company after my departure. Cortec successfully recruited a new CEO, facilitated my transition, and helped shape a promising direction for the future, all while respecting Weiman’s heritage and culture.”

Carl DeMasi

Chairman & CEO
Weiman Products

“I joined CHS after more than two decades working for several global healthcare organizations. At first, I was hesitant to leave the “corporate world” and lead a private equity-backed business; however, looking back, I wish I had done so sooner. Working with Cortec exceeded my expectations. They were collaborative and committed to investing in our business, including: expanding our leadership team, building corporate infrastructure, diversifying our vendor relationships and sales channels, and pursuing add-on acquisitions. These initiatives led to significant growth during Cortec’s ownership period and positioned our company for a successful exit and long-term success.”

Mike Canzoneri

President & CEO
Canadian Hospital Specialties

“From the first time we met, Cortec stood out in their understanding of our business, energy level, and commitment to investing in our growth and future success. They have truly been my partner every step of the way, as we’ve grown organically and through a number of acquisitions, which has been extremely valuable to me as both a CEO and also a continuing owner of the business.”

Dan Nettesheim

CEO
Barcodes

“I first had the privilege of working with Cortec as EVP of Sales at their portfolio company CGI Windows & Doors. Parting ways following a successful exit in 2014 was bittersweet, but I was thrilled to rejoin the Cortec family in 2016 as the CEO of Harmar. From the beginning, Cortec helped me and my leadership teams think analytically, make important organizational upgrades, improve the quality and breadth of our product offerings, implement manufacturing and sourcing best practices, and execute transformative add-on acquisitions. I have benefited greatly from Cortec’s guidance and expertise; they’re a partner you want in your corner.”

Steve Dawson

CEO
Harmar

“My brother and I chose Cortec because of their experience investing in entrepreneur-led, high-growth businesses. They’ve helped us focus on the right priorities for the business, and they’ve been instrumental in helping us think through key strategic decisions at various points in our growth. We’ve worked hand-in-hand to build new leadership teams across all functional areas, grow our brand through new product introductions and extensive marketing initiatives, implement new IT systems, and evolve our business processes. They’ve helped us scale the business to effectively manage very rapid growth – without them I know we wouldn’t be where we are today!”

Roy Seiders

Co-Founder & CEO
YETI

Certain statements about Cortec made by portfolio company executives herein are intended to illustrate Cortec’s business relationship with such persons, including with respect to Cortec’s capabilities as a business partner, rather than Cortec’s capabilities or expertise with respect to investment advisory services. Portfolio company executives were not compensated in connection with their participation, although they generally receive compensation and investment opportunities in connection with their portfolio company roles, and in certain cases are also owners of portfolio company securities and / or investors in Cortec-sponsored vehicles. Such compensation and investments subject participants to potential conflicts of interest in making the statements herein.