Halifax Group Invests in StrataTech Education Group

Investment Expands Access to Post-Secondary Welding and HVACR Career Education

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 18, 2019 –Private equity firm The Halifax Group (“Halifax”) announced today it has completed an investment in StrataTech Education Group (“StrataTech” or “the Company”), a leading provider of facility-based post-secondary education with a focus on preparing students for careers in the welding and heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (“HVACR”) trades. The Company has campuses in Phoenix, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Houston, Texas. Halifax partnered with StrataTech management in this investment. Terms were not disclosed.
StrataTech, headquartered in Phoenix, serves approximately 3,200 students across two brands, Tulsa Welding School and The Refrigeration School (“RSI”). Tulsa Welding School trains students for careers in welding, air conditioning and refrigeration maintenance and electronic systems at three campuses in Tulsa, Jacksonville, and Houston. It was founded in 1949 and is the largest U.S. welding school. RSI operates one campus in Phoenix and trains students for careers in HVACR and welding. A leader in the Southwest, it was founded in 1965 and is one of the largest HVACR schools in the U.S.

“There is a growing need for both well-trained, highly-skilled trade workers and for the schools that train these students. We have evaluated many companies in the for-profit education industry over the past decade and we believe StrataTech provides its students one of the highest-quality, highest-value educations available in the welding and HVACR sectors,” said Scott Plumridge, Partner at Halifax.

“We are excited to partner with Halifax as we build out our platform,” CEO Mary Kelly said. “The financial and operational resources they bring to bear and their proven ability to work in partnership with management teams will allow us to expand our programs and serve more students.”

“Mary and the StrataTech team are superior operators, and we are excited to work together to execute on our shared strategic vision,” added David Bard, Managing Director at Halifax.

About StrataTech Education Group

StrataTech Education Group focuses on the education, growth and development of specialized career education schools, particularly skilled-trade programs designed to address the nation’s growing infrastructure needs. Holding an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, StrataTech Education Group’s portfolio includes The Refrigeration School, Inc. (RSI), Tulsa Welding School (TWS), Tulsa Welding School Jacksonville, and Tulsa Welding School & Technology Center (TWSTC). For more information, visit www.StrataTech.com.

About The Halifax Group

The Halifax Group is a private equity firm that partners with managers and entrepreneurs to recapitalize and grow lower middle-market businesses with total enterprise values generally between $50 million and $300 million. Halifax invests across a variety of industries, including health and wellness, outsourced business services, franchising and infrastructure. The firm maintains offices in Washington, D.C.; Dallas, TX; and Raleigh, NC. For more information, please visit www.thehalifaxgroup.com.

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