‘Evergreen felt like home,’ says Tom Blanchard, Sterling’s outgoing CEO. ‘Their decentralized model means the Sterling culture stays intact. They don’t want to come in and change everything, they want to preserve what makes us unique. That was critical to me.’
Evergreen Services Group has acquired Sterling Technology Solutions and includes a leadership transition with Solei Dyment stepping in as CEO as founder Tom Blanchard retires after more than two decades at the helm.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Sterling was founded in 2003 and built its reputation by fusing modern IT expertise with small-town customer service values. Blanchard, who grew Sterling from a local MSP into a regional leader, said he was seeking a partner who would respect that ethos.
“Evergreen felt like home,” he told CRN in an exclusive interview. “Their decentralized model means the Sterling culture stays intact. They don’t want to come in and change everything, they want to preserve what makes us unique. That was critical to me.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
[Related: Evergreen Co-Founder Looks To Berkshire Hathaway As Model For Rolling Up MSPs]
The transition comes at a pivotal time as Blanchard looks to pursue new ventures, including community service focused on mentoring underserved youth.
“After 22 years, it just felt like the right time,” he said. “I feel a calling to give back, especially to young men who need a strong role model. I’m excited to see what comes next, for Sterling and for me.”
Sydney Hockett, vice president at Evergreen, said Sterling was a standout candidate for an acquisition.
“Sterling impressed us with its operational maturity, strong team and long-term customer relationships,” she told CRN. “Tom built something special and we’re honored he trusted us with it.”
A key piece of San Francisco-based Evergreen’s acquisition strategy is its executive placement program, which facilitates leadership transitions tailored to each founder’s goals. In Sterling’s case, that meant identifying Dyment, an experienced MSP executive with a background in financial strategy and peer group leadership.
“Sterling has spent over two decades earning trust, I’m honored to build on that legacy with fresh strategies and a future-forward mindset,” Dyment told CRN in an email. “Transforming Sterling into a metrics-driven growth engine is a challenge I welcome. It’s about creating sustainable momentum for our team and our clients.”
Before coming to Sterling, Dyment was an Evolve peer group facilitator at Tampa, Fla.-based vendor ConnectWise and also spent five years at MSP CFO as director of business development.
Sterling’s 20-person team will remain in place and operations will continue out of its Charlotte office. Under Evergreen’s ownership, the company will gain access to a broader network of national MSP partners, enhanced buying power and the infrastructure to support multi-regional clients.
“Evergreen gives Sterling a much larger ceiling than it had with me,” Blanchard said. “They have the reach, resources and people to help this team thrive.”
