By Greg Roumeliotis and Soyoung Kim
NEW YORK, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Leonard Green & Partners LP isexploring a sale of Brickman Group Holdings Inc that could valuethe largest commercial landscaping company in the United Statesat up to $1.5 billion, three people familiar with the mattersaid this week.
Leonard Green, a Los-Angeles based private equity firm, hasasked Barclays and Morgan Stanley to run anauction for Brickman, said the people, who asked not to beidentified because the process is confidential.
Representatives of Leonard Green and Brickman did notrespond to requests for comment. Barclays declined to commentwhile Morgan Stanley did not immediately respond to a requestfor comment.
Gaithersburg, Maryland-based Brickman tends to gardens ofoffices, campuses, hotels, shopping centers, healthcarefacilities, industrial parks and homes, looks after trees,removes snow and maintains sports turf across 29 states.
Leonard Green acquired a majority stake in Brickman inJanuary 2007 in a $847 million deal in which members of theBrickman family and the company's management retained equityinterests. The buyout firm committed $222 million of equity tothe deal, according to a November 2006 regulatory filing.
Scott Brickman, whose grandfather founded the eponymouscompany in 1939, stepped down as chief executive last year after14 years at the helm to become its chairman. He succeeded hisfather Dick, who became chairman emeritus.
Brickman's CEO is now Andrew Kerin, a former seniorexecutive at Aramark Corp, another private equity-backedcompany. Aramark, which provides food and facility services, isowned by GS Capital Partners LP, CCMP Capital Advisors LLC,Thomas H. Lee Partners LP and Warburg Pincus LLC.