Building Industry Partners welcomes new operating partner
Building Industry Partners (BIP), the private equity investment firm focused on the U.S. building industry, announced that Jeff Cook has joined the company as an operating partner.
Cook is a longtime building products manufacturing and distribution business leader, as well as a former BIP portfolio company president.
He joins the firm from Fencing Supply Group (FSG), the largest wholesale fencing and outdoor living distribution platform in the U.S., where he served as executive vice president of mergers and acquisitions and Greenfields.
“We couldn’t be more excited to work with Jeff again. This is a homecoming,” said BIP Founder and Managing Partner, Matt Ogden. “Jeff has strong roots in the BIP family. We’ve always shared our ‘people-focused’ values; the building industry runs in his veins; and Jeff’s been an exceptional visionary, business leader, market & brand builder, and equity-value creator throughout his career.”
Ogden notes that Cook’s history with BIP included his leadership of portfolio company Binford Supply, where he successfully enabled a previous legendary industry leaders’ transition to retirement, opened four Greenfield locations, and in four years, organically grew the business 3x in revenue and 5x in EBITDA—far exceeding our original strategic
Prior to Binford, Cook was instrumental in creating Alta Forest Products, the world's largest manufacturer of wood fence boards and Western Red Cedar wood products. He served as vice president and led the consolidation and rebranding of all product lines, sales strategy and execution, logistics, union negotiations, and strategic Capex projects.
In 2018, he was part of the management team that successfully sold the company to ITOCHU. Cook facilitated the transition before partnering with BIP to run Binford Supply, then Alta's largest pro-distribution channel partner.
“Jeff’s reputation and track record in the building industry are second to none,” Patrick Mascia, BIP Partner, noted. “We are excited to have him back on the BIP team and are looking forward to adding his experience and capabilities to our businesses’ growth efforts.”
“Rarely in your career do you get the opportunity to work and collaborate with an exceptional group like Building Industry Partners and having the ability to do it for a second time could not be more exciting,” Cook said. “The vision, team, and opportunities have all grown at BIP and I look forward to contributing to the continued success ahead.”
Founded by Ogden in 2008, BIP is headquartered in Boston, with operating partners and advisors across the country.
Over the past 14 years, BIP has helped co-found or acted as the first equity sponsor for a number of the fastest-growing and most dynamic businesses in the U.S. building industry’s middle market, including U.S. LBM Holdings, Kodiak Building Partners, Homewood Holdings, and U.S. Fence Solutions/Binford Supply.
Most recently, BIP launched the new West Coast Lumber (WCL) with four locations in Southern and Central California along with sights set on future expansion on the near horizon.
