Response Fire Protection seeks to build a best-in-class full-service national fire and life safety organization led by an experienced team of industry veterans including Steve Shaffer and Justin Kuhlman
Bear Castle Capital (“Bear Castle”), the leading building industry-focused private investment firm, has launched a new fire and life safety (“FLS”) platform, Response Fire Protection (“Response”). The company has been formed with a vision shared by Bear Castle and Response leadership to build a customer-centric, people-focused organization.
Response installs, services, repairs, monitors, tests, and inspects fire suppression and life safety systems throughout the Central Texas region. The Company offers a comprehensive suite of systems and services to a diverse customer based including, but not limited to, the mission critical, industrial, healthcare, government, education and commercial markets.
Robert B. Lane, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Bear Castle, said, “We are extremely proud to formally announce the formation of Response Fire Protection. Our team at Bear Castle has multi-generational ties to the Texas building sector and the FLS specialty services segment. We are proud to partner with an exceptional leadership team, most of whom we have known for over a decade and with whom we have previously worked with. Response’s founding team are each elite operators with a field-driven philosophy. We are confident that Response will become the leading service provider in the Central Texas market.”
Steve Shaffer, Chief Executive Officer of Response Fire Protection, draws on over forty years of experience in the fire and life safety specialty services industry to lead the platform. Mr. Shaffer most recently served as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Endeavor Fire Protection, one of the largest FLS platforms in North America prior to its sale to APi Group (NYSE: APG) in 2024. Prior to joining Endeavor, Mr. Shaffer was the Founder and former President of Impact Fire Services (currently operating as AI Fire Protection). Steve led Impact Fire Services, a platform which operated throughout the state of Texas, from start-up to $70 million in revenue in 2017. Prior to founding Impact Fire Services, Mr. Shaffer served as President of Consolidated Fire Protection growing revenue from $75 million to $150 million largely through adding new greenfield operations until its sale to Gryphon Partners. Mr. Shaffer commented, “Choosing to partner with Bear Castle Capital to form Response Fire Protection was an easy decision for our team. Bear Castle is unlike any other private investment firm. Each member of the team not only comes from multi-generational building industry backgrounds, but has decades of operational and managerial experience running many of the most successful multi-billion dollar platforms in the construction services space. The Bear Castle team has unparalleled networks in the building industry. After also having worked with the team for years, the Bear Castle team’s focus on respect for the field and people development is simply unmatched. I could not be more excited for our future together.”
Justin Kuhlman, President of Response Fire Protection, is also a two decade veteran of the Texas FLS industry. Justin was previously one of the most successful leaders in the history of Impact Fire Services, serving as General Manager of Impact’s Central Texas operations. Mr. Kuhlman, added, “We are delighted to be partnering with Bear Castle Capital as we seek to become the best fire protection service provider in Texas. Bear Castle’s focus on respect for the field and people development strongly resonated with our entire team. We are on a mission to not only be the very best FLS operator, but also be the very best place to work for our employees. Bear Castle’s access to growth capital, talent resources and deep industry relationships will allow us to dramatically accelerate our growth.”
Jennifer F. Fish, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Bear Castle, noted, “Bear Castle Capital is grateful for the opportunity to partner with one of the elite management teams in the industry to create the leading FLS services provider in Texas. We are off to a lighting fast start and look forward to creating a differentiated experience for our customers, along with providing meaningful development and growth opportunities for our employees.”
About Bear Castle Capital
Bear Castle Capital (“Bear Castle”) is the leading private building industry-focused private investment firm. Founded by Robert B. Lane and Jennifer F. Fish in 2021, Bear Castle is building America by investing in innovation and empowering industry entrepreneurs as they work to solve the building needs of our changing world.
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