Global Investment Group Acquires Mainline Information Systems

There’s been a change in ownership for one of Tallahassee’s most successful home-grown businesses. A global investment group has acquired Mainline Information Systems.

Rick Kearney founded Mainline Information Systems, Inc. in 1989 and has been its CEO since then. Starting with a few computer programmers, Kearney built the company into Florida’s number three high-tech company, as rated by Florida Trend magazine.

Mainline was on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States for five years in a row; for three years the company ranked in the top 25. Rick was featured on the cover of the June 2000 Inc. issue and again in the Inc. 500 “Hall of Fame” in the October 2000 Inc. 500 special edition.

With revenues of more than $1 billion, Mainline is a leading, diversified IT solutions provider serving the infrastructure needs of blue-chip enterprises. The company designs and implements custom IT solutions for enterprises and provides associated professional and managed services. Mainline has leveraged its technical data center expertise, diverse partner network, and consultative customer-centric approach to become a leading provider of enterprise server, hybrid cloud, cyber storage, and network & security solutions.

The new owner is H.I.G. Capital, which is described as a leading global alternative investment firm with $59 billion of capital under management. H.I.G Capital has over 500 investment professionals across 19 worldwide offices. According to their website, the company partners with founders and management teams across an array of business states, industries, geographies and investment types.

H.I.G. announced that Mainline’s current management team, headed by CEO Jeff Dobbelaere, will continue to lead the Company.

“Over the past 30 years, Mainline has developed strong and enduring relationships by providing our customers with some of their most complex and mission critical infrastructure solutions. Mainline has become a clear industry leader and is incredibly well positioned to continue to drive business outcomes for our clients as the technology landscape evolves,” said Jeff Dobbelaere. “I am very excited to partner with H.I.G. and look forward to investing in the significant growth opportunities which can take the company to new heights.”   

Aaron Tolson, Managing Director at H.I.G., commented, “Mainline’s technical expertise, its status as a trusted advisor for its customers, and the value it brings to its Original Equipment Manufacturer partners are unmatched in the IT industry. We have been very impressed by what Jeff, and the rest of the management team have built and look forward to helping the Company further accelerate its significant growth potential through organic initiatives and acquisitions.”

Kearney expects H.I.G. to build on Mainline’s success.

“We’ve got a great management team and they (H.I.G.) just want to empower them to go find acquisitions, hire new people, build out some of our practices. We’re very keen on network security, like ransomware, hacking and so forth, so that’s a big practice.”

As for Kearney, he says he’ll continue to be involved with several other Tallahassee business interests and plans to expand his involvement in serving the area’s homeless population.