Legacy
The founder’s story · from the public record“Cobalt's track record and values mirror the culture we have worked hard to create.”Michael McDade · Cobalt, Aug 2025
Michael McDade started Galaxy in the early 1980s the way a lot of integrators start: nights and weekends, installing security systems and business phone systems in homes and small businesses, 'learning as I went.' What he noticed was that the big companies struggled to get quality installations done on time, and he built the business around beating them on speed, cleanliness and efficiency. In the beginning it was him and a few apprentice helpers. Michael McDade, Founding Story on cobaltsp.com · Cobalt announcement, Aug 2025
He says he was on every job site in the early days, training crews shoulder to shoulder and working days that ran from 4 AM to 9 PM, seven days a week. That became the company motto, 'Whatever it takes,' which is still the first line on Galaxy's homepage today. By 2018 the company described itself as serving police stations, regional airports, schools, a transit authority, a major sports venue and healthcare organizations across New England, New York and New Jersey, and that year it offered no-charge security assessments to any school in its service area after a run of school shootings. Michael McDade, Founding Story on cobaltsp.com · PR Newswire, Feb 26, 2018 · Galaxy homepage
Today Galaxy calls itself one of the Northeast's premier technology integrators, with a site that counts more than 100 security professionals, 2,000 customers, 5,000 projects and 20,000 cameras, working across campuses, hospitals, correctional facilities, municipalities and commercial property. Its homepage carries the logos of The Kraft Group, MassDOT, Dartmouth, Curry College, Bryant University and Emerson Health, and it holds a GSA schedule contract. The company operates from Waltham, MA and a second office in Plainview, NY. Galaxy About page · Galaxy homepage · GSA eLibrary contractor listing
McDade says the greatest reward has been watching team members embrace the 'whatever it takes' mindset and 'grow into roles they never imagined for themselves.' The clearest example is John Gulezian, who was Executive Vice President when the company made its 2018 school-security announcement and who became CEO when McDade stepped back in 2025. Cobalt announcement, Aug 2025 · PR Newswire, Feb 26, 2018
When it came time to find a next owner, McDade framed it as finding the right fit rather than the best price: a partner with 'the same uncompromising commitment to quality, accountability, and people.' He said Cobalt's track record and values mirrored the culture Galaxy had built over four decades of complex, high-stakes work for education, healthcare, real estate and government clients. The deal closed in July 2025 and was announced that August; McDade transitioned out of day-to-day operations and Gulezian took over as CEO. Michael McDade, Why Cobalt on cobaltsp.com · Cobalt announcement, Aug 2025
The team
The people who built itRead the detail
Galaxy's site has no team page. The people named publicly are the founder, John Gulezian (EVP, now CEO), Mansour 'Manny' Tannas (program director in 2018) and Andrew Herchek, who joined via Galaxy and is now Cobalt's Regional President, Northeast.
In the community
What they gave back · on the record- GivingIn February 2018, after a series of school shootings, Galaxy offered complimentary security assessments to every school in New England, New York and New Jersey, from single elementary buildings to whole university campuses, with a named program director to run it.
- CommunityGalaxy holds a GSA schedule contract and displays Massachusetts public-procurement marks (OSD, MHEC, MDCAMM) on its homepage, signalling long-standing work for public agencies, municipalities and state institutions.
- JobsThe careers page advertises ongoing training and development and advancement opportunities alongside a take-home vehicle and 401(k) match, consistent with the founder's account of training crews in the field.
In their words
4 public statements · founder first- 2025Michael McDade · cobaltsp.com (Our Companies)
What it says
First-person account: starting nights and weekends in the early 1980s, seeing big firms miss deadlines, building around faster and cleaner installs, 4 AM to 9 PM days that became the 'whatever it takes' motto, pride in watching staff grow; and choosing Cobalt as the right fit on quality, accountability and people.
- 2025-08-21Michael McDade; Anthony Gonzalez · cobaltsp.com (News & Insights)
What it says
Buyer's announcement of its 15th and 16th deals. McDade is quoted on the early days with apprentice helpers and on Cobalt's values mirroring Galaxy's culture; Anthony Gonzalez is quoted on founders who built through grit and integrity. Names Gulezian as CEO and says McDade transitions out of day-to-day.
- 2018-02-26Founder Galaxy Integrated Technologies Announces No-Charge Security Assessment for All Schools pressMichael McDade; John Gulezian · PR Newswire (also SDM Magazine, Feb 27, 2018)
What it says
Company release quoting McDade as Founder and CEO on offering free school security assessments after recent shootings and on 34 years serving police stations, airports, schools, a transit authority and a sports venue; Gulezian as EVP on working with any school in the service area; names Manny Tannas as program director.
- undated (page updated Jan 2026)About Us postGalaxy Integrated Technologies · galaxyintegrated.com
What it says
Company statement, not bylined: founded in the early 1980s to deliver faster, cleaner, higher-quality installs; 'Whatever it takes'; now one of the Northeast's premier integrators; mission statement.
Founder Q&A
In their own words · by email · published with permissionWe’d like Michael McDade to tell this story in their own words. Ran this company, or built it alongside the founder? Ten questions by email, answered at your pace, published only with your OK.
The sale
As both sides told it · on the public recordCobalt announced Galaxy on August 21, 2025 alongside System Integrations as its 15th and 16th acquisitions, describing Galaxy as a leading Northeast security and low-voltage provider known for craftsmanship, speed and attention to detail. Anthony Gonzalez said Cobalt was proud to partner with founders who built enduring businesses through grit, integrity and commitment to their teams, and wanted to help them scale while honoring the legacy. Cobalt's company page dates the acquisition to July 2025; Alpine's 2025 year-in-review counts it among Cobalt's six 2025 deals.
Michael McDade said finding Galaxy's next partner was about finding the right fit, and that he chose Cobalt because it shared the same commitment to quality, accountability and people; Cobalt's track record and values 'mirror the culture we have worked hard to create,' and the partnership would keep service levels for customers while giving the team resources and a platform for greater impact.
What happened after
Public signals since the sale · dated5 dated public signals in the 13 months since the sale: leadership 2 · other 1 · brand & site 1 · reviews 1. The record, not our opinion.
- Jul 2025
- Aug 21, 2025LeadershipCobalt announces the dealsource
Detail
Cobalt announces the deal; Michael McDade transitions out of day-to-day operations and John Gulezian, formerly EVP, becomes CEO.
- 2025-10 to 2026-01Brand & siteGalaxy's website is rebuiltsource
Detail
Galaxy's website is rebuilt (WordPress uploads dated June to December 2025; About page last modified Jan 13, 2026). The new site's footer reads 'A Cobalt Service Partner company' with a link to cobaltsp.com. Several industry blurbs on the live site are still lorem-ipsum placeholder text.
- Feb 19, 2026ReviewsCobalt's 2025 year-in-review names Galaxy among its six partner companies added in 2025source
Detail
Cobalt's 2025 year-in-review names Galaxy among its six partner companies added in 2025; Alpine's own year-in-review does the same.
- Sep 28, 2026LeadershipCobalt's team page lists John Gulezian as 'CEO, Galaxy Integrated Technologies' and Andrew H…source
Detail
Cobalt's team page lists John Gulezian as 'CEO, Galaxy Integrated Technologies' and Andrew Herchek, who 'joined Galaxy from East Range Group', as Regional President, Northeast. Galaxy's careers page shows one open role (security installation technician, $40 to $50 per hour).
Then and now
Founder and leadershipCompanies Cobalt Service Partners also bought
20 on the public recordSources
Everything above, dated Sept 28, 202614 sources · open the list
- Cobalt: Our Companies, Galaxy Integrated
- Cobalt: Cobalt Acquires System Integrations and Galaxy Integrated Technologies (Aug 21, 2025)
- Cobalt: Year in Review and Acquisition of STS360 (Feb 19, 2026)
- Cobalt: Our Team
- Alpine Investors: 2025 Year-in-Review
- Galaxy: Home
- Galaxy: About
- Galaxy: Careers
- Galaxy: Contact
- Galaxy: Industries
- PR Newswire: No-Charge Security Assessment for All Schools (Feb 26, 2018)
- SDM Magazine: same story (Feb 27, 2018)
- GSA eLibrary: contract GS-07F-0472U
- BBB profile (not fetched; blocked)
Unverified at publish
No photo of Michael McDade on any permitted source (Cobalt's page uses a building photo; the company site has none); whether he retains any advisory role after 'transitioning out'; the exact founding year (1984 per the company, 'early 1980s' per the founder); when the HQ moved from Brighton to Waltham and when the Plainview, NY office opened; the site's 100+/2,000+/5,000+ counters are the company's own claims; no LinkedIn URL for any Galaxy person surfaced in a public search result; Yelp and BBB not fetchable.