THE REASON FOR THE SEARCH

Columbia Home Services required a seasoned GM to take over Air Max—a $10M, $2M EBITDA business with strong culture, long-tenured teams, and a founder stepping back to focus on Residential New Construction. With the platform targeting rapid expansion to $200M+, the business needed a leader capable of full P&L ownership, integrating AOR and RNC execution, managing founder transitions, elevating operational maturity, and preparing the site for future consolidation and multisite oversight.

The previous structure relied heavily on founder-driven decision-making; the business now requires a PE-ready operator who can professionalize process, lead through change, and accelerate performance without destabilizing the team.

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THE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM

Tenex Capital Management
A leading middle-market investor supporting buy-and-build platforms in residential services, Tenex emphasizes operational maturity, acquisitive expansion, and leadership development. Columbia Home Services is a major strategic investment, with a clear near-term value creation plan focused on integration, process improvement, and regional scale.

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THE PORTFOLIO COMPANY

Columbia Home Services Group is a rapidly growing residential HVAC, plumbing, and electrical provider operating across multiple states. After a significant merger earlier in the year, the company achieved $170M revenue and $25M EBITDA, with a plan to surpass $200M in the next 2–3 years. Air Max represents one of the platform’s core North Carolina operations—a high-performing, culturally strong business with a loyal customer base and significant upside.

Air Max’s structure includes two sites within 10 miles of one another, strong AOR performance, long-tenured technicians, and an RNC component still led by the founder. The GM appointment was essential for supporting organic growth, enabling acquisitions, and positioning the region for consolidation.

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THE SEARCH REQUIREMENTS

• Seasoned General Manager (not a first-time GM)

• Residential HVAC Add-On Replacement expertise

• Strong operational P&L ownership ($15M+ revenue, 50+ employees)

• RNC experience and founder transition management

• Proven record of scaling or integrating branches

• Experience with ServiceTitan or similar FSM platforms

• Ability to lead AOR growth, drive accountability, and modernize operations

• Multisite leadership experience (preferred due to succession plan)

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THOUGHTS ON THE CANDIDATE

Michael stood out as the top candidate across the national search due to his exceptional alignment with the business, the leadership team, and the broader PE value creation strategy.

He brings:

• Elite AOR leadership — built and scaled six 100% AOR branches with strong growth and margin expansion

• RNC competence — partnered with founders and managed dual AOR/RNC structures

• Acquisition & integration experience — facilities consolidation, leadership transitions, and system rollouts

• ServiceTitan expertise — led multiple implementations and adoption programs

• PE fluency — understands pace, reporting discipline, data-driven decision-making

• Multisite capability — already operated at a level above this GM role

• Cultural intelligence — ideal for founder transition and a long-tenured workforce

Michael’s leadership approach blends empathy with execution. He wins teams over, builds trust quickly, motivates through clarity and accountability, and elevates performance in a way that preserves culture while upgrading behaviors. This was essential for Air Max, whose culture is strong but requires modernization as it shifts from founder-led to PE-backed operations.

Gary Campbell and Tenex both viewed Michael as the strongest possible candidate to steward Air Max and lay the foundation for future regional leadership.

Mohammed Vali, Principal, Raw Selection