Strikepoint's six-brand Tampa Bay cluster is complete with IERNA's

With the September 1, 2022 acquisition of IERNA’s, one company came to own six air conditioning brands across the Tampa Bay region — and almost no one outside the trade press noticed.

Strikepoint Group Holdings, LLC, headquartered in Newark, Delaware, assembled the cluster in sixteen months. Each brand kept its own name, phone number and website, with one documented exception.

The six deals

Elite Heating and Air was founded in Bradenton in 1999 by Todd Thompson and served Sarasota and Manatee counties. It was Strikepoint’s tenth acquisition in twelve months. Thompson said “partnering with Strikepoint was an easy decision.”

Paradise Air was founded in Largo in 2010 by Jill and Tim O’Connell. Tim O’Connell said “Like Strikepoint, we’ve built our business by treating each customer as a family member.”

Performance Air Conditioning, Electrical & Plumbing, announced the same day, was a third-generation Largo contractor founded in 1959 and owned by Terry Stables, serving Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Stables said: “Strikepoint built their business on same-day service, the same as we did. That, and the smooth acquisition process, made the transition easy.”

Pinellas Comfort Systems had operated in Pinellas County since 1957 under Dean, Cheryl and Greg Minton. Dean Minton said the deal let them “ensure the company we worked so hard to build is in good hands.” Greg Minton continued to lead the business.

Mr. AC Cooling & Heating was founded in 2015 by Andy Naylor. Strikepoint’s own announcement states that Mr. AC operates under its Elite Heating & Air brand — a documented consolidation of two of its Manatee-Sarasota brands into one.

IERNA’s, a family contractor operating since 2003 in Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk and northern Pinellas counties, was Strikepoint’s 23rd acquisition since September 2020. Founder Charlene Ierna said the partnership “will allow us to continue doing what we do best.” CEO Charlie Haines said the deal would “further solidify our leadership position in the greater Tampa Bay market,” naming Pinellas Comfort Systems, Performance and Paradise Air as existing brands (Source: Strikepoint Group Holdings, 2022; ACHR News, 2022).

The sponsor, traced

Strikepoint’s acquisition releases never name a capital partner, which is unusual. The record was established from the parties’ own documents: Strikepoint is the June 2021 rebrand of Horizon Group Holdings (Horizon Services, Newark, Delaware). A Sun Capital Partners affiliate acquired Horizon in March 2017; New Mountain Capital acquired control in November 2019 and lists Horizon/Strikepoint as a current “Private Equity Flagship Control” investment. Ken Porpora, formerly of ADT, became CEO in January 2024. Sources are on the buyer page. Lenders remain unidentified and are not asserted.

What it means for homeowners

Six brands, three counties, one owner. That is the structural fact, and it changes what “shopping around” means.

• Second opinions can be first opinions. In Pinellas County alone, three of these brands operate from Largo and Clearwater. Calling two of them is calling one company.
• Brand retention is deliberate. Local names carry decades of reviews and referrals. Keeping them is a sound business decision, and it is also why ownership is invisible at the point of sale.
• Consolidation of brands is a real outcome. Mr. AC is the local example: an independent name acquired in 2022 now operating under a sibling brand, disclosed by the owner itself.

When you get a replacement quote, check the owner of the second company you call. The company database lists parent ownership for every documented Tampa Bay brand, and the independents directory lists verified locally owned alternatives.