LawnPRO Completes 11th Acquisition
LawnPRO Partners, a platform focused on residential lawn care treatment and tree, shrub and pest control services, acquired Gro-Masters, representing LawnPRO’s 11th acquisition. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Based in Savannah, Ga., Gro-Masters provides lawn care treatment, exterior pest control and tree and shrub care services to residential and commercial customers. The company was founded in 1987 and is led by Lynn Tootle, who will continue to lead the company as president after the acquisition.
“Gro-Masters has a proud history of providing exceptional service to its customers for over 35 years," said Bill Viveen, CEO of LawnPRO Partners. "We are thrilled to welcome the Gro-Masters team and look forward to continuing their tradition of outstanding service while expanding into new markets in South Carolina and Georgia.”
LawnPRO Partners intends to make significant investments in people, infrastructure and mergers and acquisitions for its growing platform. The firm welcomes inquiries from lawn care treatment businesses interested in becoming part of the platform.
Quarles & Brady served as legal counsel to LawnPRO Partners. Green Industry Advisors served as financial adviser to Gro-Masters.
Ruppert Landscape Buys Ocean Woods Landscaping
Ruppert Landscape, a provider of commercial landscaping services, purchased Ocean Woods Landscaping. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Ocean Woods Landscaping has been a leader in the South Carolina market for more than 50 years, serving clients in Hilton Head, Bluffton, Okatie and Beaufort. Ocean Woods Landscaping owner and President Matt Thomas will join Ruppert Landscape as a partner and continue leading the business in his market.
This acquisition further advances Ruppert’s strategic plan to partner with market leaders and expand into new geographies.
“We are thrilled to welcome Matt and the entire Ocean Woods team to the Ruppert Landscape family,” said Phil Key, CEO of Ruppert Landscape. “This talented team enhances our presence in a key South Carolina market and underscores our commitment to providing unparalleled service and expertise to our clients. We are proud to partner with Ocean Woods and are looking forward to building a stronger future together.”
Hitachi Global Air Power US Names New President and CEO
Hitachi Global Air Power U.S. appointed Hideki Fujimoto as president and CEO of Hitachi Global Air Power, effective April 1, 2025.
Fujimoto succeeds John Randall who has been promoted to president and CEO of Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd (HIES). Hitachi Global Air Power is part of HIES, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd.
Fujimoto, currently deputy group executive of the Global Air Power division at HIES brings extensive experience in leadership, engineering and innovation development and has been instrumental in the building of Hitachi Global Air Power’s global new product development program, which harnesses global expertise to drive efficient, customer-focused product innovation. Throughout his tenure at Hitachi, Fujimoto has assumed increasing responsibility, including serving as vice president engineering at Hitachi Global Air Power. He will relocate from Tokyo to Michigan City, Ind., in the coming months.
Randall, who has led Hitachi Global Air Power for the past four years, has been pivotal in modernizing the company’s manufacturing capabilities and expanding the company’s go-to-market strategy. In his new role, Randall will oversee the HIES group and relocate to Tokyo, Japan, in the coming months.
Neighborly Appoints Chief Growth Officer
Neighborly named Reese Neumann to the newly created role of chief growth officer. He will serve as a member of Neighborly’s corporate leadership team and report directly to CEO Mike Davis.
“We are extremely fortunate to have the wealth of experience that Reese brings to help us become a more data-driven, technology-first company with insights at the heart of our decisions,” said Davis. “He will be fanatically focused on advancing operational excellence throughout the organization and a key part in shaping our strategic roadmap and how it supports our franchise owners.”
Neumann is a global executive with 25 years of business experience across multiple industries and disciplines. He is experienced in building and partnering with some of the world’s largest brands, manufacturers, retailers and suppliers to create value and profit. Most recently, Neumann had been leading the integration of private equity-backed companies to create Purpose Brands, a health and wellness platform with the largest global footprint of gyms, as a merger integration lead for Self Esteem Brands and Orangetheory Fitness.
Prior to that, he served as VP of strategy for KFC Global at YUM! Brands, where he led a high-performing team to develop and execute strategic planning, generated a comprehensive 2030 growth strategy and spearheaded the Acceleration Office. Additionally, Neumann was the Interim CFO for KFC Global, leading financial operations across 149 countries. He also led finance and new store development as the chief growth officer of Pizza Hut Europe. Neumann also spent ten years at Bain & Co., enabling various clients to drive meaningful bottom-line results.
Neumann will be based in Irving, Texas.
