Tampa, FL – February 24, 2022: Pool Troopers, a national leader in pool cleaning, chemical, and repair service, welcomes Mark Patton as Chief Executive Officer. Former CEO Gary Crayton will move to the role of Executive Chairman of the Board and will remain involved on a day-to-day basis assisting with acquisitions and strategy.

Patton, a veteran of route-based businesses, brings over 20 years of experience leading large, decentralized teams across the nation and working in rapidly expanding companies. Most recently, Patton was CEO of Colony Hardware, having served in progressive roles from COO, CFO to CEO under three different private equity sponsors. Prior to that, he held leadership positions at General Electric and Ferguson Enterprises.

“From the moment I first met Mark, I was impressed with his leadership skills and work experience. Mark led his team through the same growth strategy that Pool Troopers is going through now. From holding diverse c-level positions and leading a successful merger and acquisition strategy, Mark has the skills needed to take Pool Troopers to the next level. There is not a better person to lead us into the future,” said Crayton.¹

“I am excited to join Pool Troopers because not only is this a great opportunity to grow a wonderful business in a very exciting market space, but I really identify with the beliefs, culture, and values of the organization. The team’s commitment to each other and outstanding customer service truly make Pool Troopers a special place. Throughout my career, I’ve valued the opportunity to serve as a mentor and coach to high-potential teams while growing rapidly both through acquisition and organic initiatives. Pool Troopers is definitely the perfect opportunity to continue doing that,” said Patton.²

In October 2020, Pool Troopers partnered with Shoreline Equity Partners to expand across the Sunbelt Region. Pool Troopers recently closed on its 9th acquisition and has more than tripled in size. “When I first met the Shoreline team and Pool Troopers leadership group, I was very impressed with the strategy and commitment to grow and scale the business together. The pool industry knowledge inside the operating company is very impressive and when coupled with Shoreline’s resources this is a great recipe for success,” said Patton.²

Mike Hand, Co-Founder of Shoreline Equity Partners said, “Gary and the rest of the Pool Troopers team have done a tremendous job getting Pool Troopers to where it is today. We are thrilled by the growth that Pool Troopers has experienced so far and look forward to seeing it reach another level under Mark’s leadership. We could not imagine finding a more perfect leader to take the team through the next phase of growth.”

About Pool Troopers

As the premier provider of chemical, cleaning, maintenance, and repair services for residential and commercial pools, Pool Troopers serves over 20,000 customers in Florida, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, and Arizona. Pool Troopers was ranked #1 for the last 3 consecutive years on the Top 50 list by Pool & Spa News and Jandy. Pool Troopers founded in 1952 is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. For more information about partnerships and acquisitions, please visit https://pooltroopers.com/sell-your-company/.

About Shoreline Equity Partners

Shoreline is a lower middle market private equity firm focused on actively partnering with leading management teams. Shoreline follows a total stakeholder model, meaning success should be a “win-win” proposition for shareholders, employees, customers, vendors, and the communities within which the Firm’s companies operate. Shoreline professionals believe in honesty, incentive alignment, and creating bigger, better businesses without relying on financial engineering or cost cutting to generate returns. Investing out of the Firm’s inaugural $300 million fund, Shoreline seeks to lead equity investments of up to $100 million per transaction in support of buyouts, recapitalizations, and corporate divestitures. Targeted businesses have enterprise values ranging from $25 million to $250 million and EBITDA of $3 million to $25 million. The Firm strives to partner with management teams of businesses primarily within the specialized manufacturing, value-added distribution, and business and facility services sectors, among others. For more information, please visit www.shorelineequitypartners.com.

1-Mr. Crayton is not an investor in any of Shoreline Equity Partners’ investment funds, but serves as a board member at one of its portfolio companies.

2-Mr. Patton is an investor in one or more of Shoreline Equity Partners’ investment funds and serves as an executive at one of its portfolio companies.