Dispatch, a field service software provider backed by private equity firm Vista Equity Partners, has hired Autotask and ClickSoftware veteran Patrick Burns as president and CEO. Burns succeeds Dispatch founder and CEO Avi Goldberg, who shifts to chief strategy officer.
Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Boston, Dispatch develops a software platform that connects enterprise, service provider and customers together to create a service ecosystem. Dispatch revenue was roughly $7 million in 2018, and grew more than 1,000 percent over a three-year period, according to the Inc. 5000 report for 2019.
Burns is well known across the MSP (managed IT services provider) and field service management software market. He played a key role shaping Autotask's products for a decade, first on the PSA (professional services automation) front and then in areas like RMM (remote monitoring and management).
Burns exited the Autotask business shortly after Datto acquired Autotask in 2017. More recently, he worked closely with former Autotask CEO Mark Cattini to grow ClickSoftware ahead of that company's recent sale to Salesforce.com for $1.35 billion.
Dispatch Names Patrick Burns CEO: Next Moves
In a prepared statement about the CEO hire, Dispatch said Burns will focus on "accelerating Dispatch's growth and revolutionizing the home services market to enable customers to unlock the full potential of flexible, independent service networks."
Also in a prepared statement, Burns said:
"Field service management is an increasingly competitive field, and with Avi's influence and guidance, Dispatch has quickly proven itself to be one of the most innovative companies in the industry. We are experiencing great momentum and are in a position of strength in the marketplace. I look forward to working closely with Avi and the rest of the team to lead the company into its next phase of growth."
Added Goldberg:
"Pat was our number one choice as Dispatch's next CEO given his significant operational experience with high-growth enterprise software companies and his extensive experience leading high-performance, high-achieving teams. I'm thrilled that he's joining the company and eager to start working with him to continue innovating and delivering the value that our customers expect."
Private Equity: Vista Equity Partners Backs Dispatch
Vista Equity Partners, a top private equity firm, invested in Dispatch in September 2018.
At the time of that 2018 investment, Rene Yang Stewart, principal at Vista Equity Partners and co-head of the Vista Endeavor Fund, said:
“We are thrilled to partner with the Dispatch team to help accelerate growth and continue to enhance the value they bring to home service providers. Dispatch has established a unique position in their ability to connect homeowners, enterprise brands, and service providers which creates a strong platform that we’re excited to help grow and innovate with the Dispatch team.”
Fast forward to present day. Vista Equity and new Dispatch CEO Patrick Burns know each other well. Vista acquired Autotask in 2014, and then combined the business with Datto in 2017.
