November 10, 2022

Frontenac Partners with CertainPath to Drive Continued Growth

Addison, TX

CertainPath today announced a recapitalization in partnership with Frontenac, a Chicago-based private equity firm. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

CertainPath is a technology-enabled training and development organization that supports HVAC, electrical, plumbing and roofing contractors in the repair-and-remodel home services market as they build and grow their businesses. Through its training, professional coaching, SaaS platform, preferred vendor access, members-only events and other resources, CertainPath enables customers to drive profitable growth and tangible results within their own businesses. The partnership with Frontenac aims to accelerate CertainPath’s investments in its core offerings and expand services through complementary acquisitions, providing its contractor members with enhanced solutions that support their ongoing growth.

Rebecca Cassel, CEO of CertainPath, said, “For the last 20+ years, CertainPath’s mission has centered around helping home services providers build successful and enduring businesses. Our partnership with Frontenac enables us to further advance that mission as we expand our solutions to reach more customers, in a more impactful way. Frontenac is an ideal partner to help us attract and retain the best talent in the industry, while we develop innovative new products that simplify and grow our customers’ operations.”

Michael Langdon, Managing Director of Frontenac, commented “CertainPath leverages its decades of industry leadership to drive deep relationships with over 1,000 active customers nationwide. It operates as a trusted long-term partner to its customers by relentlessly investing in their growth, with tech-enabled expert training and development during all phases of a business owner’s growth journey. We are honored that Rebecca and her team chose us as their partner and look forward to growing CertainPath alongside them, both organically and through strategic acquisitions.”

Joining the Board of Directors as Chairman at closing is training industry veteran, Ty Field, who was the former Chairman of TPC Training, a prior Frontenac investment that provides workplace training, performance management, and compliance software solutions. Field said, “We are excited to be partnered with Rebecca and her team, as they have built an exceptional business and are eager to continue that trajectory. Both CertainPath and Frontenac are committed to delivering high quality solutions to our growing customer base through additional investment in our people, expanded service offerings and technology.”

Markie Masri, Vice President at Frontenac, added, “Rebecca’s vision for the go-forward organization aligns with our prior investments in the training and compliance sector where we have had success driving technology enhancements, sales investments and market expansion through both organic initiatives and M&A. We are eager to support Rebecca and her team as they accelerate similar efforts at CertainPath and advance the Company’s mission.”

About CertainPath

CertainPath™ makes home services businesses more profitable with field-proven resources, technology and expertise that put contractors on the path to success. For more than 20 years, the Company has been providing home service contractors with the tools to improve their lives and achieve dreams through their businesses. CertainPath offers home service contractors in the HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing industries tools and access through its comprehensive SaaS platform and support services. Services include training for business owners and their teams, specialized coaching support, a community that connects them with peers across the country, and events that are unrivaled in the home services industry. For more information, please visit mycertainpath.com.

About Frontenac

Frontenac is a Chicago-based private equity firm. The firm focuses on investing in lower middle market buyout transactions in the consumer, industrial, and services industries. Frontenac works in partnership with established operating leaders, through an executive-centric approach called CEO1ST, which seeks to identify, acquire, and build market-leading companies through transformational acquisitions and operational excellence. Over the last 50+ years, Frontenac has built a leading franchise working with over 275 owners of mid-sized businesses as they address complex transition issues of liquidity, management enhancement, and growth planning. For more information, please visit frontenac.com.