Generational Equity, a leading advisor to privately held and family-owned businesses for mergers, acquisitions, strategic growth initiatives, business valuation and exit planning announced the acquisition of its client, First Class Landscaping, Inc. headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, to The Brickman Group, LLC of Gaithersburg, MD. The transaction closed on June 1, 2010.

First Class owner Brad Shaffer started the business in 1993 with a push mower and his Camaro, and went on to create a market leading business renowned for its customer service. In 2008, Indiana Business Journal listed the company as number twelve on their list of Fastest Growing Private Companies, having grown 147 percent in three years.

For the remainder of the 2010 season, First Class will continue in its current locations under the name First Class Lawn and Landscape, a Division of Brickman. At the end of the year, the company will transition fully to the Brickman brand and operational processes. First Class’ two locations, north and south of the city, will complement Brickman’s existing six locations surrounding the city to offer expanded coverage for customers both local and national. First Class’ customers can look forward to the same service and quality they currently enjoy, now backed with Brickman’s powerful national resources to augment the tools and the professionals serving their sites.

Managing Director, Doug Smith and Asst. Vice President, Michael Goss, led the Generational Equity deal team that advised First Class on the transaction. “Brad Shaffer demonstrates an amazing and unparalleled entrepreneurial spirit and gift for strategic vision and implementation, which is clearly reflected in First Class Lawn & Landscape. The strength of Brad, his executive management team, their dedicated work crews, and solid customer relationships offered a natural fit and another solid weapon for Brickman to add to its existing arsenal and further solidifies its position as a market leader in the industry.”

The Brickman Group’s CEO, Scott Brickman, has grown the privately-held commercial landscape maintenance firm an incredible 500% increase over seven years. Presently, the company has more than 6,000 employees and 135 branches in 23 states and provides commercial landscape services to thousands of office parks, hotels, cemeteries, healthcare facilities, retail centers, homeowners associations and schools around the country