The Centerra Group, the security firm previously known as G4S Government Solutions that was acquired by private equity firm Alvarez & Marsal Capital Security Holdings, is planning an ambitious expansion under its new owners, President and CEO Paul Donahue told NS&D Monitor yesterday. Speaking a day after the $135 million sale of the company—once known as Wackenhut—was completed, Donahue said Centerra was planning to broaden its offerings and expand its customer base around the world beyond security and fire support services. Such expansion wasn’t possible under its previous parent company, United Kingdom-based G4S. “Day to day, G4S was great, they never got in our britches on anything. But new markets, acquisitions, we were the tail wagging the dog,” Donahue said. “We were a half billion company in a $14 billion conglomerate. They treated us fine but we never were going to be treated like their first son.”
Donahue promised that Department of Energy security work would remain the company’s top priority, and he said the company would be hiring additional “bench strength” to shore up its DOE work andis pursuing its first acquisition involving a company with DOE experience. “We’re going to invest more into DOE because that’s still our primary customer, always has been and always will be,” Donahue said. Beyond DOE work, Centerra divisions will focus on federal and commercial security, fire and emergency services, base operations support and training, facilities maintenance, and fleet maintenance and construction services.