Yellowstone’s Austin Outdoor Expands in Florida

Austin Outdoor, the Florida-based division of Yellowstone Landscape Group, has acquired the landscape management division of Cornerstone Solutions Group.

BUNNELL, Fla. – Austin Outdoor, a commercial landscape services firm, has acquired the landscape management division of Cornerstone Solutions Group.

The merger of Cornerstone’s operations with Austin Outdoor’s substantial Florida presence has created a diverse organization capable of serving commercial clients with statewide operations.

“The merger of Cornerstone with Austin Outdoor is a natural fit.  Between the values they share and reputation they both have for high quality, these two organizations complement each other perfectly,” said Edward Schatz, Jr., Austin’s founder and current president of the southeast region for Yellowstone Landscape Group, which acquired Austin in 2008. “The result for our clients will be even more resources and seamless service across Florida.”

Cornerstone Solutions Group steadily developed since 1984 under the value-based leadership of John Faulkner, who grew the landscape business in the Tampa, Sarasota, Orlando and Jacksonville markets. “This a great move for Cornerstone because it allows us to reach our goals of building a great, nationally-recognized company founded on principals of quality, integrity and culture,” Faulkner said. “For the past several years the economy has been increasingly dictating the options available to us. We feel that there are still tremendous opportunities in markets that we couldn’t fill quickly enough. With this merger, we’ll be poised to jump to the next level in the landscape industry.”

For Cornerstone, the focus has always been on building strong relationships with customers. “We have always felt that our clients are our partners,” Faulkner said.  “With this merger, they will instantly have access to the vast resources that a large regional company offers, bringing more value and depth to the services that we provide.”

Austin Outdoor maintains many premier commercial properties in the markets it serves. William Dellecker is Austin Outdoor’s president and has guided its operations since 2002. When asked about the merger with Cornerstone, he said, “Our focus has always been on what’s best for our clients and we’re constantly seeking opportunities to improve our service offerings. There are many companies in our industry, but Cornerstone is unique; they share the same core purpose and their long-standing relationships prove it.  I’m excited about working with John Faulkner and his team.”

Yellowstone Yellowstone Group is a portfolio company of GridIron Capital, LLC, based in New Canaan, Connecticut.