Defender Direct sells Williams Comfort Air to old owners

In late 2012, Indianapolis-based home-security firm Defender Direct Inc. made a big move to diversify its service offerings by acquiring local heating, cooling and plumbing powerhouse Williams Comfort Air and Mr. Plumber.

Just over two years later, Defender Direct has decided to concentrate on its core business and is selling the operations back to the previous owners.

Carmel-based WCA Group LLC on Monday announced that it has acquired Williams Comfort Air and Mr. Plumber. It also bought two other heating and cooling subsidiaries from Defender Direct: Thomas & Galbraith Heating Cooling and Plumbing, and Jarboe's Plumbing Heating and Cooling.

WCA Group includes four of the six previous owners—Joe Huck, Jacob Huck, Josh Huck and Dan Lockart Jr.—who sold Williams Comfort Air and Mr. Plumber to Defender in October 2012.

Terms of the deal, which closed last week, were not disclosed.

Williams Comfort Air and Mr. Plumber, based in Carmel, has about 235 local employees.

Cincinnati-based Thomas & Galbraith, acquired by Defender in 2013, has 15 employees.

Louisville-based Jarboe's, bought by Defender in 2013, has 30 employees.

All three businesses account for about $35 million in annual sales, the new ownership group said.

Jim Boyce, CEO of Defender Direct said the decision to divest its HVAC-related businesses would help the company live up to its foundational principle: "Focus equals growth."

Concentrating on security and home automation is what made the company grow over the years and would continue to drive it in the future, he said.

"We learned a lot from the experience," he added.

Joe Huck has worked in heating and cooling since 1974, and founded Huck Heating in 1985. He sold the company in 2001 to Maryland-based Bluedot, where he worked until 2007.

In 2007, Huck, along with four business partners, acquired Carmel-based Williams Comfort Air. The partners bought the then-41-year-old company from Jim Williams Sr., who was preparing to retire. Williams then founded another HVAC company with family members called Edge Guys.

Huck said former Williams Comfort Air owner Tom Doll will continue to lead the heating and cooling sales teams at all locations. Former owner Jeff Kirkhoff will work as a consultant to the plumbing division. Jacob Huck will lead the companies as president.

"It seemed only natural to buy the business back when it was available," said Joe Huck, former president of Williams Comfort Air, in a written statement.  "We have a great team and we want them to continue to prosper. We also have a very loyal clients and we want to make sure they receive the best client experience possible. So, getting the band back together seemed like the best way to make that happen."

Defender Direct, founded in 1998, was one of the area’s fastest-growing companies for years and is now among its largest private companies.

The business ranked 29th among private companies in the state and 17th in the area with $424.5 million in revenue in 2013.

Defender Direct has about 2,200 employees at 140 offices in 48 states, with more than 700 in Indiana.

The  company is ADT Corp.’s only authorized provider and also sells Tyco Security Products.

Defender Direct went through a leadership change in January when it promoted Boyce to president and CEO. Boyce took the CEO's job from founder and chairman Dave Lindsey, who filled in when former CEO Marcia Barnes stepped down in August 2013.