logo
Compass Group Announces Successful Exit of EPIC Systems to VINCI Energies

Compass Group Announces Successful Exit of EPIC Systems to VINCI Energies

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 2025--
Compass Group Equity Partners has announced the successful exit from EPIC Systems, a national provider of industrial and process automation solutions. EPIC Systems has now joined VINCI Energies, a global powerhouse in energy, transportation, and communications infrastructure and a subsidiary of VINCI Group.
'Compass Group was a terrific partner for EPIC Systems; they brought a thesis-driven approach to industrial automation combined with in-house functional expertise through their Compass Guides program,' said Mike Higgins, CEO of EPIC Systems. 'That expertise proved invaluable as we worked together with the Compass investment team to scale and grow EPIC Systems.'
EPIC Systems and Compass Group, both headquartered in St. Louis, MO, first partnered in 2018. Strategic initiatives such as the 2020 appointment of Mike Higgins as CEO, the 2022 hiring of a strategic-thinking CFO in Laurie Phillips, and expanded solution offerings within the industrial automation space contributed to a successful investment outcome.
Under Higgins' leadership, the company sharpened its focus on sales and marketing, broadened its service offerings, and strengthened its position in the industrial automation sector. These initiatives enabled EPIC to explore new end markets, new geographies, and achieve additional growth within existing customer accounts. As a result, EPIC Systems achieved significant growth in both revenue and EBITDA during the investment period.
'EPIC is a great example of how Compass Group can partner with a company to create an opportunity-focused sales organization that complements existing technical expertise,' said Ryan Roepke, Director at Compass Group Equity Partners. 'We're proud of EPIC and excited to see the business and their people thrive in the next chapter.'
Bundy Group served as the investment banking advisor, while Armanino provided tax due diligence services, and Wipfli assisted with financial due diligence. Polsinelli provided legal counsel on the transaction.
About Compass Group Equity Partners
Compass Group Equity Partners is a St. Louis-based private equity firm with a record of success in partnering with and building lower middle-market companies. Founded in 2014, Compass Group brings a thesis-driven approach and decades of operational, financial, and strategic expertise to aid management teams in accelerating growth for long-term value creation. For more information, please visit www.cgep.com.
View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250520995186/en/
CONTACT: Brad Fitzgerald
Vice President, Strategic Marketing
[email protected]
636.236.7690
KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA MISSOURI
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BANKING ASSET MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE
SOURCE: Compass Group Equity Partners
Copyright Business Wire 2025.
PUB: 05/20/2025 09:52 AM/DISC: 05/20/2025 09:51 AM
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250520995186/en

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

What The Richest Self-Made Women Can Teach Us About Ownership
What The Richest Self-Made Women Can Teach Us About Ownership

Forbes

timean hour ago

  • Forbes

What The Richest Self-Made Women Can Teach Us About Ownership

What The Richest Self-Made Women Can Teach Us About Ownership Every year Forbes releases their list of the richest self-made women in America, and it's a mix of household names and quiet giants. Women who have built empires from nothing, turned ideas into industries, and claimed their spots at tables that they were not always invited to. And how did these women build their wealth? Through ownership of assets. Ownership, not effort, is the common thread among the richest women in America. When people hear 'self-made' they often visualize an entrepreneur grinding for 16 hours a day, sacrificing everything, and eventually making it big. And yes, hard work definitely plays a role in success, but the difference between high earners and the ultra-wealthy isn't just hard work, it's owning assets. The richest women on this list didn't just have jobs, they created assets. They build companies, brands, and intellectual property. That's the wealth-building secret that sets you up for financial success. For example, Rihanna created Fenty, and Judy Faulkner founded Epic Systems. Then there's Sara Blakely who built Spanx from nothing and retained control in the business until she sold a majority stake in a billion-dollar deal. The industries vary for the women who made the America's Richest Self-Made Women list, but what unites these women is that they built businesses and brands with value beyond themselves. For many entrepreneurs there's a heavy focus on income and ways to earn more. That is survival thinking. What separates survival mode from wealthiness is ownership thinking. Ownership thinking is what unlocks the potential for real, sustainable wealth. This is where equity, licensing, intellectual property, and brand value come into play. You build fortunes off these assets, even if you are starting small. Most women-owned businesses in North America are solo operations and service-based, and they are earning under six figures annually. That's not because women lack talent or ambition, it's because many are building businesses that depend on them. What you need to do is build assets that can scale, sell, and earn while you sleep. Women get less than 3 percent of venture capital funding, and women of color receive even less. We're encouraged to be grateful, careful, and selfless; not bold, strategic, or profit driven. Many women juggle caregiving, aging parents, and financial responsibilities alone. Betting on yourself can feel terrifying. Ownership, equity, and business valuation aren't topics that get discussed enough in women's networks. It's important to remember that these barriers are not permanent and that pushing through them is not only possible, but also powerful. Here are four ways to start shifting your strategy now: Create offers, products, or intellectual property that can grow beyond you. Think licensing, digital products, or even franchising. Don't just pay yourself, fund growth. The goal is to turn today's income into tomorrow's assets. Visibility drives value. People buy into people before they buy from companies—especially in the early stages. Even if you're not planning to sell, you should be building toward an asset with real market value. That means tracking your numbers, increasing margins, and documenting systems. The bottom line is that you don't need to be famous to get rich, but you do need to think like a founder. You need to treat your business like an asset. And most importantly, you need to stop waiting for permission to play big. Women will never close the wealth gap if we don't own more of what we're building. Ask yourself: What am I building that will still make money when I stop showing up? Achieving that means ownership, equity, and wealth, and every woman deserves a shot at that.

I landed a remote job for a European company, and now I'd find it hard to go back to a US-based company — I feel spoiled by the perks
I landed a remote job for a European company, and now I'd find it hard to go back to a US-based company — I feel spoiled by the perks

Business Insider

timean hour ago

  • Business Insider

I landed a remote job for a European company, and now I'd find it hard to go back to a US-based company — I feel spoiled by the perks

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with 34-year-old Meghan Gezo, from Michigan. The following has been edited for length and clarity. In 2022, I left my job working remotely in people operations for a US company. Juggling my job and raising my one-year-old wasn't working. I wanted to take a break while I looked for another opportunity that would allow me to have better work-life boundaries. After a few months of job hunting, I started as a people experience manager at Storyblok, a fully remote content management company based in Austria. I'd never worked for a company based in Europe before. Living in the US, most jobs that pop up are US-based. People have come to expect more work-life balance in Europe, as the employment laws differ from the US. For me, there have been perks related to my life as a parent, my working hours, and my professional growth. I was immediately drawn to the benefits of working for a European company I've been working in remote jobs for tech companies since 2016. I'd previously worked in an office, but thought a remote job meant I could focus on higher-impact work than the office administration that usually fell to HR, as well as branch out beyond the manufacturing and automotive industry jobs in my area. It was easier to find a remote job in 2022 than in 2016. I found the listing for Storyblok on a job board. The people I spoke with were genuine and direct. In the first interview, they talked about time off norms and said the standard workweek is 38.5 hours. They seemed to emphasize work-life balance and gave me concrete examples of how it worked at the company. I was optimistic I could be successful in the role while staying involved in my daughter's life. In the US, the norm on paper is a 40-hour workweek, but in practice, people often work until they finish their tasks, especially in tech. I used to work, feed my daughter, put her to bed, and then work some more. It felt normal. At my current company, you focus on work when you're at work and then log off until the next day. There have definitely been times when I've had to work extra hours, but overall, I'd say that my work-life balance is better. In the US, it can often feel that your work is your identity. My European colleagues take pride in their work and are extremely hard workers, but their job is one facet of their identity. Working for a European company has pushed me in new ways I've gained experience working with people from other cultures. Learning about Austrian law has also pushed me to expand my HR knowledge beyond US employment law. One thing I've noticed about the company culture is that when people are on vacation, they're on vacation. Meanwhile, it's more the norm in the US to answer messages on vacation. I've not completely broken this habit, but it has felt more attainable for me to delete work communication apps from my phone when I'm away. I've felt very supported in my role as a parent at my European company The Austrian norm of " care leave," which isn't a norm in the US, is a great part of working for a European company. Because I have kids under a certain age, I get to use two paid weeks off a year for days when my kids are sick and I need to take them to a doctor or take care of them. Having this bucket to pull from is a huge weight off my shoulders as a parent. My previous employers had generous parental leave policies. However, at Storyblok, I got slightly more time — 16 weeks. I went on maternity leave at a previous company with my firstborn and again at my current job in 2023. During my most recent maternity leave, people in the company treated it very seriously. I got a lot of support from my manager and team to help plan for my leave and assign my tasks to others. During my first maternity leave for a previous company, I didn't mind answering a few questions as needed to support my team, but at Storyblok, no one asked me work-related questions while I was away. There are some downsides While my working hours suit my season of life, there are days when I wish I could start later at 9 a.m. However, I don't think I'd be as effective without overlap with my European colleagues. Right now, I work 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET. Sometimes, if I have a question I want to ask colleagues in Europe during my afternoons, I'll know that I won't be getting an answer until the next day because of the time zone difference. I've learned to work these expectations into my regular workflow. It does make me sad that I don't live near my colleagues. I've built strong relationships with these people, but they're an ocean away. I'd find it hard to go back to a US-based company Working for a European company didn't occur to me as an option before I interviewed for this job. Having worked here for over two years, I feel spoiled by the benefits and perks of European working culture, and it would be hard for me to go back to working for a US-based company.

Populous Acquires Fentress Architects, Expanding Global Aviation Portfolio
Populous Acquires Fentress Architects, Expanding Global Aviation Portfolio

Business Upturn

time5 hours ago

  • Business Upturn

Populous Acquires Fentress Architects, Expanding Global Aviation Portfolio

Kansas City, Mo., United States: Populous, the world-renowned design firm specializing in sport and entertainment venues, today announced the acquisition of Denver-based Fentress Architects, a global leader in iconic aviation projects and prominent public buildings, including convention centers, museums and government facilities. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Los Angeles International Airport. Designed by Fentress Architects. This strategic acquisition unites two of the most respected names in architecture, combining Populous' unparalleled expertise in designing memorable experiences with Fentress' award-winning portfolio of aviation, civic and cultural landmarks. The acquisition significantly broadens the scope and scale of services that Populous can offer clients across the globe. Bruce Miller, Populous Global Chair and CEO, commented: 'We are committed to expanding the breadth of our practice. Fentress Architects has long been known for its visionary aviation and public architecture, exceptional design quality and commitment to innovation. Uniting our aviation team with Fentress to form Fentress Studios, a Populous Company, symbolizes our dedication to design quality. Adding Fentress' expertise and client base to the Populous global aviation and transportation portfolio, as well as synergies across convention center design, will enable us to transform the future of people-centric design and supercharge our global impact in those sectors.' Founded in 1980, Fentress Architects has designed more than $52 billion of architectural landmarks worldwide, including Denver International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Miami Beach Convention Center and the National Museum of the Marine Corps. The firm is known for creating architecture that is sustainable, contextual and deeply connected to the communities it serves. Curt Fentress, Founder and Principal in Charge of Design at Fentress Architects, commented: 'Populous shares our values of design excellence and people-centric thinking. Together, we will continue to redefine great architecture and its capacity to ignite social and economic change through inspired design for people.' Fentress Architects will rebrand as Fentress Studios, a Populous Company, with the studios continuing to be based in Denver and Washington D.C. The acquisition further propels Populous' capabilities in aviation, transportation and public sector design. About Populous Populous is a global design firm that began with a singular focus — to draw people together around the things they love, through experiences that capture all the senses and amplify the pure emotion shared in human moments. Over the last 40+ years, the firm has designed more than 3,500 projects worth over $60 billion across emerging and established markets. Populous' comprehensive services include architecture, interior design, event planning and overlay, branded environments, wayfinding, and graphics, planning and urban design, landscape architecture, aviation and transport design, hospitality and sustainable design consulting. Populous has over 1,500 employees in 32 global offices on four continents with regional centers in Kansas City, London and Brisbane. For more information, visit About Fentress Architects Fentress Architects is an international design firm that passionately pursues the creation of innovative, sustainable, and iconic architecture. The firm's work includes landmarks such as the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Supreme Courts, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy. View source version on Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store