Charter Facilities Services Acquires Empire Facilities Management Group and A-OK Security and Maintenance Inc.

NEW YORK, July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Charter Facilities Services Inc. (Charter Facility Services) announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Empire Facilities Management Group Inc. (Empire) and A-OK Security and Maintenance Inc. (A-OK) to form the leading provider of facility management services in North America. Charter Facility Services is backed by Charterhouse Group Inc., a New York based private equity firm.

Benefiting from access to substantial growth equity, Empire will strengthen its position as an industry-leading retail, restaurant and commercial facility maintenance and management company, offering single-source solutions across the continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Canada and the Virgin Islands. A-OK will become a distinct division within Empire focused on retail facility security, specialty doors, gates and locks.

Chris Chapin, an experienced facility management executive and entrepreneur, has been hired to serve as Chief Operating Officer (COO). He will lead a world-class team of customer-centric professionals focused on facility repair and maintenance, refreshes, remodels, energy management and capital projects. Current Empire CEO Joseph Scaretta and Empire COO Moses Carrasco will remain at the company as Chief Development Officer and Divisional President, respectively, to ensure service excellence and management continuity. Robert A. Scaretta also will remain as SVP of Operations. Joe and Moses launched Empire in 2003 and have built the company into one of the leading providers of facility solutions in the United States.

Woodbridge International represented Empire and A-OK. "From three employees to more than 100 today, Empire has become the industry's trusted advisor, delivering solutions more than just service," said Joe Scaretta. "As we continue to experience exponential growth, we remain committed to building upon what our customers appreciate most about Empire—service excellence and dependability."

Prior to joining Empire, Chapin served as Senior Vice President of Stores and Store Operations for Big Lots, based in Columbus, OH, a closeout retailer with more than 1,475 stores in 48 states. Before that, he was CEO/President of FacilitySource Inc. Chapin created the brand strategy for FacilitySource, developing an unprecedented and innovative approach to retail facility maintenance management.

"The growth that Empire and A-OK have experienced in almost a decade of service is noteworthy," Chapin said. "I look forward to working with their team as we execute our strategy to deliver continued operational excellence and outstanding customer service into the next decade and beyond."

About Charterhouse Group
Charterhouse Group (www.charterhousegroup.com) is a private equity firm with almost four decades of experience working with Entrepreneurs and building leading middle-market companies. Established in 1973, Charterhouse has invested in excess of $2.0 billion in equity and established over 100 platform companies with a focus on executing buy-and-builds within the Healthcare Services, Business Services and Consumer Products and Services sectors. 

About Woodbridge International

Woodbridge International, founded in 1993, is an innovative middle-market M&A firm headquartered in New Haven, CT. The firm serves clients from its eight North American offices and from locations in the Netherlands, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Honduras.

SOURCE Charter Facilities Services Inc.