PE-Backed Tandym Group Acquires Longford & Company

August 5, 2022 – Tandym Group, a recruitment, contract staffing, consulting, and workforce solutions company, has acquired Longford & Company, a Boston-based technology consulting and executive search company. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Tandym is backed by Mill Rock Capital, a growth and operations-oriented private investment firm that invests in well-positioned industrial businesses in North America. “Longford has a sterling reputation in life sciences,” said Larry Dolinko, CEO of Tandym. “In addition to having an outstanding industry track record, Longford shares our commitment to delivering exceptional client service through a high-touch, highly personalized approach.”
“We’re incredibility excited to join forces with Tandym,” said Sean McCourt, founder and managing director of Longford. “Tandym is aligned with our commitment to service excellence, honesty, and creating value for our clients or candidates. With Tandym’s infrastructure and broad service offerings, we’ll be able to provide tailored solutions for our partners on a greater scale and at a national level.”
Longford provides technology consulting and executive search services, primarily to clients in the life sciences, pharmaceutical, and other industries. The acquisition further enhances the scale and scope of Tandym Tech, Tandym’s technology vertical, and comes shortly after Tandym’s acquisition of Metro Systems. As a result of this partnership with Tandym, Longford’s clients will be able to access a broader range of services and expanded capabilities.
Charles Heskett, executive chairman of Tandym and senior partner at Mill Rock Capital, said: “Longford’s deep-rooted relationships in the life sciences industry in Boston and New England will foster commercial collaboration with Tandym’s life sciences vertical. We are very excited about the expanded scope of services the combined platform can offer to the life sciences industry at large.”
Tandym Group (formerly The Execu|Search Group) serves clients across a broad range of verticals, including healthcare, technology, life sciences, and professional services (which includes accounting, financial services, HR/people and operations, and legal).
Great Mill Rock LLC dba Mill Rock Capital is a growth and operations oriented private investment firm that invests in well-positioned middle market industrial businesses in North America. Founded by Christopher Whalen and Adi Pekmezovic, Mill Rock Capital is purpose-built to invest in family-owned businesses, owner-operators, and founder-led companies across six industry verticals. Focus sectors include chemicals, materials and packaging; industrial distribution; services; metals and engineered materials; transportation and logistics; and specialty manufacturing and industrial technology.
Recent Acquisitions
Acquisitions and consolidations continue to make news in the recruiting industry, with a number of notable purchases in recent months. Here is a sampling from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., one of the world’s largest consulting and risk management companies, has acquired global HR search firm Frederickson Partners. Frederickson Partners has locations in a dozen cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, New York, Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles and Nashville, and also serves global tech hubs in London, Berlin, Paris, Mexico City, Bogota, Seoul and São Paulo. Founder Valerie Frederickson and her team will continue to operate under the direction of Scott Hamilton, global managing director, human resources and compensation consulting for Gallagher’s employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations. “Frederickson Partners will expand Gallagher’s executive search capabilities across all industries and offers us significant opportunities for collaboration and growth,” said J. Patrick Gallagher Jr., chairman, president and CEO. “I am very excited to welcome Valerie and her team to our growing, global company.”
Diversified Search Group (DSG), a leading search firm backed by private equity firm ShoreView Industries, has acquired Alta Associates, a Flemington, NJ-based search firm founded by Joyce Brocaglia specializing in cybersecurity, IT risk management, and data privacy. Hunt Scanlon Ventures, based in Greenwich, Conn., facilitated the introduction and transaction between both organizations. “This is a strategic acquisition that will add significantly to our business offering in a key field that touches every client we serve,” said Aileen Alexander, CEO of Diversified Search Group. “Cybersecurity, data privacy, and resiliency are top priorities for boards and senior leadership across every sector of our economy.
Excel Sports Management, an industry-leading sports agency, has agreed to acquire sports and entertainment executive search firm Nolan Partners. London-based Nolan Partners will continue to be led by chief executive officer Paul Nolan and president Chad Biagini while operating as a new vertical within Excel’s properties division. Primarily focused on senior executive and board level roles, Nolan Partners works on a global basis with clients that range from sports teams, governing bodies, professional leagues, venues, agencies, broadcasters, and other corporate organizations in sports. The firm also has a performance practice that focuses on placing general managers/sporting directors, sports medicine, sports science, and recruitment specialists.
Haddonfield, NJ-based True, a global executive talent management platform, has acquired climate technology and sustainability executive search firm Hobbs & Towne, Inc. (HTI). Led by Andy Towne and Bob Hobbs, HTI will continue to serve its clients and provide a greater range of capabilities under True. True, one of the fastest growing search firms of the past decade, reported global revenues of $116.5 million last year. The firm placed No. 7 in the Hunt Scanlon Top 25 rankings. Hobbs & Towne ranked No. 24 and was crowned the fastest growing search firm of the year, reporting a 59 percent growth rate.
ZRG Partners, a leading search firm backed by private equity firm RFE Investment Partners, has acquired boutique strategy consulting firm Brimstone Consulting Group LLC. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “The complementary nature of our businesses made Brimstone an obvious partner for ZRG, as we continue to expand our portfolio of talent advisory solutions,” said Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG. “Further ensuring a new CEO is successful with the proven process of Brimstone will create a new paradigm for CEO transitions.”
Korn Ferry has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Lucas Group. “This combination is the right move at the right time,” said Korn Ferry CEO Gary D. Burnison. “Today’s workscape is being transformed before our eyes – people working anywhere, everywhere and at any time. Professionals are on the move. Boomers are retiring, and career nomads are looking for change – early and often. We are seizing this opportunity to help clients find the right talent who are highly agile with specialized skills and expertise to help them drive superior performance.”
Related: Hunt Scanlon Media Launches M&A Advisory Service for Recruiters
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media