HEARTWOOD PARTNERS INVESTS IN PATTEN SEED COMPANY

 The recipient of an MBA in entrepreneurship and finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Demetrios Dounis has more than a decade of private equity experience. Demetrios Dounis works as Managing Director of Heartwood Partners. Headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, Heartwood Partners maintains investments in 14 companies spanning multiple industries. In September 2020, its $600 million committed private equity fund known as Heartwood Partners III, LP, invested in Patten Seed Company. A multi-generation family enterprise, Patten Seed operates farms and retail stores in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. It also manages an e-commerce platform and produces turfgrass products for business and individual clients under the Super-Sod brand. Heartwood, which emphasizes partnerships with family and management-owners, was deemed a perfect fit by Patten Seed CEO Ben Copeland Jr. The second-generation owner, in a press release, noted Heartwood's approach is different from other private equity groups and offers benefits including a longer investment term.