ST. LOUIS, MO — August 2026 — ButcherJoseph & Co. (“ButcherJoseph”), a leading middle-market investment bank specializing in M&A and employee ownership transactions, is pleased to announce that it served as financial advisor to Southern Shade Tree Co., Inc. (“Southern Shade Tree,” or the “Company”), a full-service landscaping company with operations throughout the Carolinas, on its recapitalization by Mosaic Capital Partners, LLC (“Mosaic”), a leading employee-ownership focused private equity firm. Fieldstone Partners served as co-advisor alongside ButcherJoseph in the deal.

Founded in 1954 and headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina, Southern Shade Tree works with national and local homebuilders, land developers, and homeowner associations to install and maintain quality landscaping across the Carolinas. The Company employs more than 350 people across 12 operating locations. Southern Shade Tree’s vertically integrated model, supported by its prior acquisition of Bentwood Farms, gives the Company greater control over the materials used in its projects. Southern Shade Tree cultivates more than 4,500 acres of sod production and 100 acres of tree and shrub nurseries across eight professionally managed farms. The investment marks a new chapter for Southern Shade Tree as it partners with Mosaic to continue expanding its footprint and service offering throughout the region.

Roger Braswell, Chairman of Southern Shade Tree, commented, “This partnership allows us to build on everything our team has created over the decades while giving us the resources to grow further across the Carolinas and beyond. Mosaic’s experience with employee-owned businesses made them the right partner for this next chapter, and ButcherJoseph’s guidance throughout the process was invaluable to getting this transaction across the finish line.” Southern Shade Tree’s management team retains significant ownership as part of the transaction.

Consistent with its employee-ownership mandate, Mosaic established an Employee Ownership Trust (“EOT”) to create potential upside participation for all employees at Southern Shade Tree, an element that attracted Mr. Braswell. “Having participated in many transactions throughout my career, I found Mosaic’s employee ownership solution refreshing,” he remarked. “I am excited that our entire team has a stake in Southern Shade’s continued success.”

Tristan Tahmaseb, Director at ButcherJoseph & Co., said, “Southern Shade Tree is the premier full-service landscaping company in the Carolinas. Mosaic provided a differentiated partnership, providing a platform for growth while simultaneously providing the employees with an opportunity to participate in the upside. We were proud to help Roger and the team design a transaction that rewards the Company’s people while positioning the business for its next phase of growth.”

Mosaic and Southern Shade Tree also announced the simultaneous acquisition of Atlantic Coast Landscaping Services, LLC (“Atlantic Coast”), an eastern North Carolina landscaping operation with a complementary service offering. The leaders of Atlantic Coast will remain in their roles. Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

About ButcherJoseph & Co.
ButcherJoseph & Co. is a boutique investment banking firm specializing in sale transactions to strategic and financial buyers, employee ownership transactions (ESOPs), capital advisory (debt & equity), valuations and fairness opinions and ESOP strategic consulting. ButcherJoseph is headquartered in St. Louis with a presence in Austin, Charlotte, Chicago, Miami, Philadelphia, Scottsdale, and Washington, D.C.

About Southern Shade Tree
Founded in 1954 and headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina, Southern Shade Tree is a full-service landscaping company serving national and local homebuilders, land developers, and homeowners associations throughout the Carolinas. The Company employs more than 350 people across 12 operating locations and, through its 2020 acquisition of Bentwood Farms, Inc., cultivates over 4,500 acres of sod production and 100 acres of tree and shrub nurseries across eight professionally managed farms. For more information on Southern Shade Tree, please visit www.treestoday.com.

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