Oak Hill Capital is buying Hunter Communications, Oregon’s largest privately-owned fiber-optic internet provider, from Grain Management for an undisclosed sum.
Hunter Communications has more than 3,000 route miles of fiber infrastructure, and Grain Management initially invested in the company in 2020. Much of Hunter Communications’ growth in terms of markets served and products offered happened under the ownership of Grain Management.
“Hunter’s mission has always been to deliver fast, reliable fiber connectivity and exceptional service to the communities we serve,” Michael Wynschenk, CEO of Hunter Communications, said in a prepared statement about the Oak Hill Capital purchase.
“With Grain’s support, we have significantly expanded our reach, invested in our infrastructure, and strengthened customer experience. We are excited for the opportunities ahead with Oak Hill, whose commitment aligns with our vision for continued growth and service excellence.”
Grain Management has been a major fiber network consolidator. When it initially purchased Hunter Communications, the company had a 2,000-mile fiber network.
Beyond the purchase of Hunter Communications, Oak Hill Capital has been busy in the broadband industry. Just this year:
- Early this month, Oak Hill Capital was one of three investors helping Omni Fiber get $200 million in financing
- In November, Greenlight Networks, the majority owner of which is Oak Hill Capital — acquired FastBridge Fiber in November
- In July, Oak Hill joined forces with Guggenheim Investments to make a $235 million investment in Wire 3
- Also in July, Oak Hill Capital and Pamlico Capital invested in IdeaTek and Socket Telecom
“We are impressed with the business that Hunter management and its employees have built and share Michael’s conviction in the Company’s growth prospects,” said Oak Hill Principal Jeff Butler about the acquisition of Hunter Communications. “We look forward to partnering with Hunter’s talented team to accelerate adoption of their fiber network solutions across the Pacific Northwest.”
