Altaline Capital Management, LLC (“Altaline”) and Haven Capital Partners (“Haven”) today announced the launch of Ascend Safety Collective (“Ascend” or the “Collective”), a network of local elevator services businesses providing mission-critical safety and compliance solutions for commercial, government, and industrial markets.
Ascend has developed a modern approach for growth, recruiting, and partnership in the elevator industry. Regional businesses remain independent while gaining access to capital for talent, technology, and expansion, positioning them to capture outsized growth opportunities in their markets. Ascend aims to cultivate a culture that gives employees clear, accelerated career paths and will invest heavily in developing and elevating talent across its family of companies, offering roles in technical, project management, business development, and operations. In addition, an innovative broad-based ownership program gives every employee the opportunity to benefit from Ascend’s future growth.
As part of the platform launch, Dennis Mason, former CEO of Kings III Emergency, and Chip Smith, Co-Founder of ATIS, have joined Ascend’s Board of Directors.
Dennis Mason brings more than 40 years in the elevator industry, including over 30 years in leadership roles, most recently as CEO of Kings III Communications and previously as President of Modern Elevator. He has extensive experience overseeing large-scale operations, driving organizational growth, and fostering a culture of safety and efficiency. “The industry is changing rapidly – as the large incumbents look to get bigger, independent companies have a unique opportunity to become the vendor-of-choice in their local markets. Clients have increasingly focused on technical quality, responsiveness, and reliability in their vendor selection.”
Chip Smith has over 25 years of operational leadership experience. Mr. Smith has held senior positions with multiple business services companies, and most recently as President & CEO at ATIS, a major elevator consulting company, where he demonstrated a unique ability to drive organic growth and foster employee success, earning industry recognition for his strategic vision and hands-on approach. “We are big believers in the power of ownership and putting equity in the hands of every employee. Ultimately, everyone plays a part in the company’s success, and they should own a piece of what they are building.”
Ian Balmaseda, Managing Director at Altaline, added, “We are excited to partner with Dennis, Chip, and the Haven team to build a next-generation elevator maintenance and repair platform. Our north star is simple: put customers and employees first – and success follows.”
“We see a unique opportunity to help entrepreneurial owners of elevator services companies unlock growth opportunities while protecting their family legacy,” said Yash Kandoi, Partner at Haven. “To support that vision, we are focused on strengthening operations, building scalable systems, and recruiting top talent to drive the next phase of growth.”
Ascend is actively seeking partnerships with other independent elevator services companies from commercial and industrial clients led by growth-minded leaders who want a strategic partner to help them reach their goals. Please visit www.ascendsafetycollective.com for more information.
Advisors: BakerHostetler and Maven Group advised Altaline. Fredrikson & Byron and Winston & Strawn advised Haven.
About Ascend Safety Collective
Ascend Safety Collective is a group of leading elevator services companies delivering mission-critical maintenance and repair services to industrial, healthcare, government, and commercial customers. It is recognized for specialized technical expertise and deep domain experience in complex operating environments. Its mission is to build a scaled network of independently run companies while providing next-generation systems, processes, and resources to drive growth and reliable high-quality service. Learn more at www.ascendsafetycollective.com.
About Altaline Capital Management
Altaline Capital Management is a Los Angeles-based lower-middle market focused private equity firm dedicated to transforming businesses in the essential services, technology, and financial services sectors. The firm partners with founders and management teams to build next-generation market leaders in fragmented, high-growth sub-sectors. For more information, visit www.altaline.com.
About Haven Capital Partners
Haven Capital Partners is a New York-based private investment firm focused on partnering with growth-oriented, lower-middle market businesses in the business services, healthcare, and education sectors. The Firm leverages deep industry knowledge and a collaborative approach to drive operational excellence and long-term value creation. Haven partners with strong management teams to accelerate growth by institutionalizing operations, supporting strategic growth initiatives and acquisitions, and leveraging technology to optimize performance and drive innovation. The Firm provides structured capital solutions to make control and non-control investments for growth financing, recapitalizations, strategic acquisitions, buyouts, and shareholder liquidity. For more information, visit https://havencapitalpartners.com.
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