Sterling Investment Partners acquires HeartLand

ATLANTA – Sterling Investment Partners has acquired HeartLand, a Kansas City-based commercial landscape management firm, from Great Range Capital.

Founded in 2016 by Edward E. Schatz, Jr., HeartLand provides commercial grounds maintenance, enhancements and winter services to a customer base consisting of class-A office, industrial, institutional and homeowner associations. HeartLand ranked 30th in Lawn & Landscape's Top 100 list in 2019.

HeartLand was jointly represented by CCG Advisors, an Atlanta-based investment banking firm, and Piper Jaffray.

“With the professional guidance of CCG Advisors, we conducted an intensive and focused search to secure a new financial partner who will support our continued growth; that process led us to the ultimate selection of Sterling Investment Partners," said Ed Schatz, CEO of HeartLand. "While they possess the depth of financial resources we need, they also bring an understanding of and enthusiasm for this business.  CCG’s deep knowledge of the commercial landscape industry is unique and their involvement helped HeartLand successfully navigate this complex process.”

“We are pleased to have been involved from the outset of this three-year journey which now enters an exciting second phase," said Brian Corbett, CCG founder and managing partner. "The current capital markets strongly supported the notion that the HeartLand platform was prepared to partner with a larger capital provider, thus enabling the company to expand beyond their current footprint in the central US.”