The acquisition brings together two brands with decades-old ties between their respective leadership. Zeus CEO Scott R. Elkins has known SEi CEO Mike Meridith for nearly 25 years, and both sit on the board of NetOne. Following the acquisition, Meredith will join Zeus as senior vice president of corporate development for the Midwest.

“SEi has established itself as one of the most respected security providers in the country through its commitment to customers, innovation and operational excellence,” Elkins said. “Their expertise in commercial security, video surveillance, access control, monitoring, fire systems and integrated technology solutions has made them a trusted partner for customers throughout the region. Their strong culture, talented team and reputation for industry leadership make them an ideal addition to the Zeus family. Together, we will continue investing in people, technology and capabilities that create even greater value for our customers.”

Founded in 1969, SEi provides a comprehensive portfolio of security and life safety solutions, including intrusion detection, video surveillance, access control, fire alarm systems, monitoring services and integrated technologies. The company is recognized for its expertise in designing and supporting complex commercial security environments across healthcare, education, financial services, government and commercial markets throughout the Midwest.

“We are committed, through our house of brands strategy, to ensure the legacy of SEi,” Elkins said. “SEi is an important name in the industry and the local community, and has been since 1969. We’re going to double down and ensure it remains an important name in the market.”

SEi is a highly accretive addition to the Zeus platform, combining immediate scale benefits with significant long-term value creation opportunities. The acquisition strengthens Zeus’s position in the commercial fire and security market by adding a scaled Midwest platform with over 90% commercial revenue, a highly recurring revenue base and a strong market presence across Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas City and Missouri. Beyond the immediate financial benefits, the transaction creates a new regional hub capable of supporting substantial organic growth and future M&A activity.

The partnership also stands as a gateway to a stream of other acquisition opportunities for Zeus. However, Zeus isn’t just looking to acquire a collection of businesses. Its acquisition strategy revolves around investing in companies rather than absorbing them. In fact, every hub for which Zeus acquired has more employees than it did when originally acquired. 

Ultimately, the Zeus Fire and Security team aims to bring the full scope of technology and tools of its acquired businesses in-house to operate a fully integrated business. “Our industry is going through a technological evolution. We want to invest in the products and tools that will help employees operative more effectively,” Elkins said. “At the end of the day, the customer experience is also improved because we provide an increased suite of services thanks to the modern technology and tools that help us interact with our customers.”

SEi is similarly excited about the transaction. “Joining Zeus represents an exciting opportunity for our employees, customers and communities,” Meridith said. “Throughout our history, we’ve remained focused on building lasting relationships and delivering solutions our customers can depend on. Partnering with Zeus gives us access to additional resources, expertise and growth opportunities while preserving the customer-first approach and local relationships that have defined SEi for decades.”

The partnership is also strong from a cultural standpoint. Prior to the conclusion of the deal, both brands launched EOS (entrepreneurial operating system), which identifies and revisits a company’s core values. There was a significant amount of carryover between Zeus and SEi; both brands care deeply about people and partners, integrity, grit and being better together. “When you acquire a business, you need to make sure there’s a good cultural fit,” Elkins said. “We’re confident we’re acquiring a company of like-minded individuals.”

Matt Vellek, president, SEi, added, “From our first conversations, it was clear that Zeus shares our values and long-term vision. This partnership allows us to accelerate growth, expand opportunities for our team members and enhance the services we provide our customers. We are excited about what we can accomplish together as part of the Zeus family.”

The addition of SEi further strengthens Zeus’s growing national footprint and enhances its ability to deliver comprehensive fire and security solutions across Zeus’s cohesive regions and end markets. “We believe we are set up to be an even stronger player in those markets on a go-forward basis,” Elkins said.