Gallo Mechanical, the New Orleans specialty mechanical contractor majority-owned by Citation Capital, has added Cherokee Mechanical, Inc. of Calhoun, Georgia. Gallo announced the combination on October 6.
The asset.
Cherokee Mechanical is a licensed heating and air-conditioning contractor providing installation, replacement, repair and maintenance to commercial and industrial customers throughout Northwest Georgia. It has served the region since 1995, is a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer, and offers 24/7 emergency service and recurring maintenance agreements. Cherokee brings an established local brand, a commercial and industrial customer base, and an experienced leadership team supported by factory-trained technicians. Neither announcement names Cherokee's owners or says whether they stay in operating roles.
The platform.
Gallo was founded in 1945 in New Orleans and is in its fourth generation. It provides complex HVAC and plumbing construction, retrofit and maintenance services to healthcare, hospitality, education, industrial and high-tech customers across the Southeast. In June 2025, Dallas-based Citation Capital acquired a majority stake, with Gallo's management retaining a significant interest. At the time, the company described a footprint running from Houston to the Carolinas and pointed to data center expansion, manufacturing reshoring and energy-efficiency demand as growth drivers. JP Hymel is CEO and president, and David Gallo is chairman. Citation's portfolio also includes Aptive Environmental, the residential pest control company, and snack manufacturer Cibo Vita.
Filling in the Southeast map.
Gallo says the Calhoun location extends its reach into Northwest Georgia, bridges gaps between existing markets and puts teams closer to customers and projects across the region. Calhoun sits on the I-75 corridor northwest of Atlanta.
Cherokee's book is commercial and industrial service and maintenance, which lines up with the industrial and high-tech work Gallo has been adding to its healthcare, hospitality and education base. Other commercial mechanical groups have used the same local add-on approach, including Waldinger with United Mechanical Group in Central Illinois and Medford Wellington with MCL Mechanical Services in New England. In Georgia, Heartwood-backed Norlee Group acquired Ireland Electric.
What it means.
Gallo is an active, PE-backed buyer of commercial and industrial HVAC and mechanical contractors in the Southeast, and Cherokee shows it will add established local brands that connect its existing markets. Commercial service contractors along I-75 and around Atlanta's industrial base now have one more platform with a stated reason to be in their market.
Running a commercial or industrial HVAC shop in the Southeast?
Specialty mechanical platforms weigh service agreements, project work and account concentration differently. Schryver & Co. advises commercial mechanical and MEP owners with roughly $5 million to $100 million of revenue on which buyers fit their book. Write to will@schryverco.com to start the conversation.
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