With Private Equity, Emergency Communications Network Grows Business to Serve More Communities Internationally
DiGiacomo: “Through a partnership with private equity, we’ve been able to expand faster than we ever could have done on our own.”
A new video released today by the Private Equity Growth Capital Council (PEGCC) showcases how Florida-based Emergency Communications Network (ECN) was able to grow and innovate thanks to a partnership with private equity firm The Riverside Company. The video was released as part of the PEGCC’s ongoing Private Equity at Work campaign, which focuses on how private equity investments help businesses and contribute to the American economy.
A high-speed outbound notification service, ECN disseminates updates and alerts to affected communities when disasters strike. From working with law enforcement to locate missing persons to communicating with officials during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, communities across the world depend on ECN to provide real-time updates during emergency situations.
“What private equity has brought to the table for ECN is the outside perspective, the collective knowledge of people who have been there, done that many times, financial backing to get the job done, and you’re looking at resources beyond what you can do on your own,” said ECN President David DiGiacomo. “Through the partnership with private equity, we’ve been able to expand faster than we ever could have done on our own, which clearly made us the market leader in emergency notification systems.”
With operational expertise from The Riverside Company, ECN was able to expand its business and staff, and offer new, innovative solutions to the communities the company serves. The Riverside Company led ECN through four strategic acquisitions in order to expand its capabilities and footprint across the country.
“Private equity invests in companies of all shapes and sizes that play important roles in our lives every day. ECN is a great example of private equity investing in and growing a company that doesn’t just provide a crucial service to communities across the country, but saves lives and keeps people safe along the way,” said Steve Judge, PEGCC president and CEO. “Over the last ten years, private equity has invested roughly $3.6 trillion, helping companies like ECN expand their operations to ensure that more people have access to the services they provide.”
“ECN’s a business that we’re proud to own. It positively impacts people’s lives every day across the U.S.,” said Chris Jones, partner at The Riverside Company. “ECN’s a great example of why private equity works.”
To view the video, click here.
About Private Equity at Work
Launched in 2012, Private Equity at Work is an initiative by the Private Equity Growth Capital Council aimed at educating media, policy makers and the public about the private equity industry and its positive contributions to the American economy. The campaign is anchored by a new website and resource center, PrivateEquityAtWork, and features educational content, industry data and an in-depth look at specific private equity investments that are driving growth and creating jobs.
About ECN
Headquartered in Ormond Beach, Florida, Emergency Communications Network, LLC (ECN) has pioneered high-speed notification services capable of reaching millions of people in minutes. ECN’s sophisticated network supports a Web-based product suite featuring six major services: Code- ED® for use by school systems to improve communications with their communities; CodeRED® which enables local government officials to communicate time-sensitive, personalized messages in a multimodal approach; CodeRED Weather Warning™ which provides automated alerts to people in the path of severe weather just moments after a warning has been issued by the National Weather Service; CityWatch™, a premise based, full featured outbound and inbound communication notification system; SmartNotice™, a business continuity and staff notification solution and My Daily Call™ for scheduling calls to check on at-risk individuals, including the elderly, infirm and latchkey kids.
About the Private Equity Growth Capital Council
The Private Equity Growth Capital Council (PEGCC) is an advocacy, communications and research organization and resource center established to develop, analyze and distribute information about the private equity and growth capital investment industry and its contributions to the national and global economy. Established in 2007 and formerly known as the Private Equity Council, the PEGCC is based in Washington, D.C. The members of the PEGCC consist of the world’s leading private equity and growth capital firms united by their commitment to growing and strengthening the businesses in which they invest. More information about the PEGCC can be found at www.pegcc.org.
