Sean McDougall Joins VERTESS

FORT WORTH, Texas (August 10, 2021)—Health care mergers and acquisitions (M+A) advisory firm, VERTESS, announced that Sean McDougall, a widely-recognized expert on reentry and substance abuse treatment operations, has joined the company as a managing director. 

McDougall started his career by founding a substance abuse treatment and community correctional company located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania. As the chief executive officer, McDougall provided the guiding vision for the organization while offering strategic input and supporting the team in their execution of the company’s business plan. Over his 30-year career, he has been involved in the development and acquisition of more than 1 million square-feet of treatment and housing real estate spanning over 1,000 treatment and SUD beds. McDougall has worked with some of the largest New York and California private equity groups, hedge funds, family offices and health care real estate investment trusts (REIT), as well as negotiated buyside and sellside acquisitions with several publicly traded companies. In the past 12 years, he has owned, operated, and invested in over 22 companies and investment partnerships.

During McDougall’s career, he was the CEO and principal owner of several health care companies—MinSec Companies: MinSec Behavioral Health, Diversified Health, Visionary Companies, Crestview Recovery, Inc., Crest View Health Ventures and Logan Plaza Partners, LLC—all of which McDougall founded between the years 1995 and 2019. McDougall was instrumental in his organization becoming one of the largest providers of substance abuse treatment for governmental agencies in the Mid-Atlantic region. Under McDougall’s leadership, MinSec operated community facilities, behavioral health treatment centers, intensive out-patient treatment, in-patient treatment, and out-patient programs for the treatment of chemical dependency and mental health disorders. McDougall has been instrumental in developing and acquiring over 22 companies and investment limited liability partnerships. In 2011 McDougall, in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania, developed the program and outcome measurement guidelines for the Veterans Treatment Facility located in the city Philadelphia, a 60-bed “Safe-Haven” pilot-program for chronically homeless veterans. This program was fully funded by Department of Veterans Affairs. This program was a model for housing and treating homeless vets.

Under McDougall’s executive leadership, MinSec Companies was of the top performing privately held treatment company in Pennsylvania. In the twelve years since its founding, the company averaged a compounded annual growth rate in net operating income over 26%. In addition, the companies achieved an average census occupancy of 95.7% and produced positive EBITDA growth each year for 10 years. In addition to the operating company, the real estate division rental and lease revenues and net operating income grew each year, even during the Great Recession. The company developed strategic and contractual relationships with the Department of Justice, Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Department of Corrections, 53 county agencies in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Colorado, and New Jersey, the Veterans Administration, Cornell University, UPenn-Wharton School, Temple Health and Drexel University.  

In 2013, McDougall successfully negotiated the sale of the operating busines to a publicly held company. Later in 2015 he structured the sale of a community treatment facility to a publicly traded REIT. In 2016 McDougall formed Actus Health Ventures for the purpose of continuing to invest and support treatment companies and the founders.

“I had looked at a few deals represented by VERTESS and knew they were a reputable firm. As I considered transitioning to strictly M&A work, I viewed their team as the best fit for my experience, aspirations, and personality. I am excited to dive in and help other business owners in the addictions treatment market reach their goals,” McDougall stated. “In many ways, I feel that my work with VERTESS will give me an opportunity to continue impacting the industry I have spent my life supporting and the VERTESS team has been incredibly encouraging of my vision.” 

Brad Smith, VERTESS Managing Director/Partner, said, “It is always our focus to provide the best support and guidance to our clients. Sean has built an admirable reputation and pedigree in the SUD treatment community—we are thrilled to have him working with us as we continue to expand our reach in the health care market.”

Visit vertess.com for more information.