Company News

Brooks Safety Solutions Announces Leadership Transition

Garland Williams named CEO; Sean Kramer joins as President; Eric Smith transitions to Board of Directors

CHARLOTTE, NC – November 3, 2025 – Brooks Safety Solutions (BSS), the nation’s premier fire, life safety & security (FLS) solutions provider, today announced two appointments that position the company for its next phase of growth. Garland Williams has been appointed as the company’s new CEO, and Sean Kramer has been appointed President, both effective today. Eric Smith, who has served as CEO since 2010, will remain a member of the Board of Directors and continue to provide strategic guidance and oversight.

“I am excited to join BSS as CEO at a time of significant growth and opportunity,” said Williams. “Eric’s leadership has been instrumental in building a high-performing business with strong momentum. I’m honored to partner with him, our board, and the talented BSS team to write this next chapter. My focus will be on continuing BSS’ trajectory, strengthening our operational backbone, investing in our people, and ensuring we deliver unmatched value and reliability for our customers.”

With these changes in leadership, BSS will continue to benefit from Smith’s expertise and experience, while at the same time benefit from the infusion of new ideas and energy, as well as strong commercial and operational leadership from Williams and Kramer.

Williams joins Brooks after nearly three decades with Ferguson Enterprises, a leading North American distributor of plumbing, HVAC, and building products. At Ferguson, he held senior leadership roles overseeing $20 billion in revenue across multiple business lines. During his tenure, he advanced through a series of commercial and operational roles – including Outside Sales Representative, Branch Manager, Sales Manager, District Manager, and multiple Vice President positions – culminating in his appointment as Senior Vice President and Executive Committee member. He brings a proven track record of driving enterprise-wide performance, including market expansion, operational transformation and enhanced customer experience.

Sean Kramer brings over two decades of experience driving scalable growth, digital transformation and operational excellence within distribution and service-based businesses. Most recently, he served as Chief Digital Officer at Artera Services, and prior to that as Executive Vice President of Digital & Technology at SiteOne Landscape Supply, where he built and scaled the company’s digital and IT functions. His earlier career includes technology leadership roles with Volkswagen Group of America and Stellantis.

“Garland’s strong leadership and track record leading growth-oriented organizations, combined with Sean’s proven ability to drive growth and operational excellence, create a powerful leadership combination for BSS,” said Smith. “Together, they bring the commercial discipline, innovative mindset, and executional rigor to build on the company’s strong foundation and continue to deliver exceptional value to our customers and OEM partners. It has been an honor and a privilege to lead this company and I’m very much looking forward to working with Garland and Sean to ensure a smooth transition and help position the company for sustained success.”

With this transition, Brooks Safety Solutions strengthens its leadership bench and underscores its commitment to operational excellence, customer success, and technology-enabled growth across its national platform.

About Brooks Safety Solutions

Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Charlotte, NC, Brooks Safety Solutions is the nation’s premier fire, life safety & security solutions provider. Brooks Safety Solutions delivers value to its customers, vendors, and the broader fire safety industry through its Brands: Brooks Equipment, Commercial Fire, ESC Central, ESC Supply, Heiser Logistics, L&J Fire Equipment, Logistics Supply, Water Specialties Company, and the FED Learning Center.

The Company offers life-saving products through 22 distribution centers, a multi-location program management system, and customer education and training. BSS serves as a one-stop shop for both service providers and OEMs, offering a comprehensive suite of FLS products and service categories, including suppression, alarms, safety, sprinklers, low-voltage, and monitoring.

BROOKS SAFETY SOLUTIONS (BSS) ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF FIRERESQ

FireResQ Acquisition Reflects BSS’ Commitment to Product Breadth and Expertise

CHARLOTTE, NC – July 14, 2025 – Brooks Safety Solutions (“BSS” or the “Company”), the nation’s premier fire, life safety & security ("FLS") solutions provider and a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital, has acquired FireResQ, Inc., a North Carolina–based e-commerce distributor that specializes in fire hoses and related parts. FireResQ’s senior leadership team, led by Barry McConaghey and Daniel Weber, will remain in their current roles and become significant shareholders of BSS.

Founded in 2011, FireResQ is a leading provider of a wide range of fire hose and cam lock products and accessories, serving both firefighting and industrial markets across the United States. Known for its robust private-label product offerings and highly technical, skilled team, FireResQ is proud of its stellar reputation for providing a world-class customer experience.

Eric Smith, Chief Executive Officer of BSS, said, “The acquisition of FireResQ represents a major step forward for Brooks Safety Solutions. Their expertise in and focus on high-quality and mission-critical life safety products align perfectly with our mission to provide comprehensive, customer-focused fire and life safety solutions. Together, we have a stronger product range and offer even greater value to our customers.”

For more information about FireResQ, Inc., please visit fireresq.com.

About Brooks Safety Solutions

BROOKS SAFETY SOLUTIONS (BSS) ANNOUNCES REBRAND FROM BECO HOLDING COMPANY

BSS Rebrand Reflects Comprehensive Solution Offering and Commitment to Supporting the Fire, Life Safety, and Security Industry

CHARLOTTE, NC – April 29, 2025 – Brooks Safety Solutions ("BSS" or the "Company"), the nation’s premier fire, life safety & security ("FLS") solutions provider and a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital, today announced it has changed its corporate name from BECO Holding Company ("BHC") to Brooks Safety Solutions. BSS better captures the Company’s expanding mission to deliver end-to-end FLS products, services, and training to its customer and supplier partners nationwide.

"To reflect our evolution and strategic vision, we are transitioning from BECO Holding Company to Brooks Safety Solutions," said Eric Smith, Chief Executive Officer of BSS. "This new identity not only honors our legacy but also reinforces our dedication to providing comprehensive growth solutions to our customers—from national fire-protection and security companies to family-owned businesses."

BSS will continue to operate with the same leadership team, customer-first approach, and dedication to quality that has defined its success since 1941. Moreover, the Company’s foundational values—respect for others, fairness, honesty, and always doing the right thing—remain unchanged.

As part of this transition, BSS’ new website, www.BSS.com, will serve as a central hub for its services, resources, and industry partnerships. All other touchpoints will remain unchanged.

About Brooks Safety Solutions

Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Charlotte, NC, Brooks Safety Solutions is the nation’s premier fire, life safety & security solutions provider. Brooks Safety Solutions delivers value to its customers, vendors, and the larger FLS industry through its Brands: Brooks Equipment, Commercial Fire, ESC Central, ESC Supply, Heiser Logistics, L&J Fire Equipment, Logistics Supply, Water Specialties Company, and the FED Learning Center.

The Company offers life-saving products via 22 distribution centers, multi-location program management, and customer education & training. BSS serves as a one-stop shop for both service providers and OEMs, offering a comprehensive suite of FLS products and service categories, including suppression, alarms, safety, sprinklers, low-voltage, and monitoring.

About H.I.G. Capital

H.I.G. Capital is a leading global private equity and alternative assets investment firm with over $69 billion of equity capital under management.* Based in Miami—and with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco in the United States, as well as international affiliate offices in Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogotá, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Dubai, and Hong Kong—H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to middle-market companies through a flexible, operationally focused, value-added approach. Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 400 companies worldwide. For more information, please visit www.HIG.com.

_{*Based on total capital raised by H.I.G. Capital and its affiliates}