In an email, Champions said the acquisition “represents more than just a business transaction, it’s an opportunity to strengthen jobs, modernize HVAC innovation and honor McAfee’s legacy of service and trust.”
The move means jobs and investment for the Dayton area, a ”continued commitment to quality service," and new technology deployed to serve customers, the acquiring business said.
McAfee said he would not have agreed to the acquisition unless he was confident in the new owner’s direction.
“I wouldn’t sell to anyone who wasn’t keeping it exactly the same, keeping the name, keeping the strong service, taking care of my team, taking care of my customers,” McAfee said. “Nothing is changing. They’re actually probably going to triple it in size.
“So most of my competitors are scared to death,” he added.
Based in Orange County, Calif., Champions Group is a provider of home services in heating, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical services.
“We’re excited to welcome the McAfee team to Champions Group,” Frank DiMarco, chief executive of Champions Group, said in a release. “This partnership marks a significant step in our growth journey. McAfee’s legacy of excellence, people-first approach, and strong community roots make them a natural fit as we expand our footprint in the Midwest.”
Terms of the acquisition were not given.
McAfee said he will remain with the company, but he declined to say for how long.
McAfee started his company in 1990 after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps with $274 and a used truck.
By 2019, he had purchased two new trucks solely for air duct-cleaning services, investing nearly $250,000 total.
Growth had been the McAfee story for a while. In about 2016, he bought a building at 4750 Hempstead Station Drive. McAfee tripled his square footage and consolidated a number of functions under one roof — warehousing, training and custom sheet metal work.
“I’d still be in a garage if I didn’t have a strong team,” McAfee told the Dayton Daily News in 2019.
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