By Melissa Stewart • mjstewart@nky.com
It seemed that overnight “the good ol’ boys” of the Northern Kentucky garage door industry went from local business owners to nationally recognized business owners.
Mike Duwel and Dave Willmes, owners of Overhead Door Company of Northern Kentucky. Melissa Stewart/Staff.
The reason according to Mike Duwel, Scott Siefke and Dave Willmes, owners of Overhead Door Company of Northern Kentucky, is working diligently to be the best.
“We’re a small family-owned company that does their thing every day, and all of a sudden we’re getting national recognition,” said Willmes, who’s been with the company for 17 years said.
Overhead Door of Northern Kentucky offers residential and commercial garage doors and garage door openers, as well as other related industry products. The company’s services include installation and repair. Overhead Door is a manufacturing company that allows distributors, like Overhead Door of Northern Kentucky, to use its name. The manufacturer actually invented the garage door in 1921 and the garage door opener in 1926.
“Overhead Door are the pioneers in the garage door industry,” Willmes said. “We’re the original. It’s like the Kleenex. Instead of saying facial tissue, people say they need a Kleenex – people say they need an Overhead Door.”
The International Door Association (IDA) featured the Northern Kentucky company in their trade magazine in September.
“We were featured because we really stress the idea of having good technicians certified by the IDA,” Willmes said.
In fact, 11 out of their 15 technicians are certified, something that is currently not mandatory to work in the industry, but is still very important, Willmes said.
“This displays a level of professionalism,” he said. “You know that our technicians are trained and they have documentation that says they’re trained. Our technicians take pride in that. They’ve taken tests that says they are the best and they know they’re the best. We abide by certification code of conduct outlined by the IDA.”
According to Willmes and Duwel, their company is the only one in Northern Kentucky accredited by IDA.
Overhead Door of Northern Kentucky was opened 64 years ago by the Roeding family. Ralph Duwel and Chuck Siefke, fathers of Mike and Scott, purchased the business in 1971 and from Covington to Crescent Springs. Duwel has worked with the company for 24 years and Siefke 16 years.
“I enjoy the fact that I’m living the American dream of owning your own business,” Duwel said. “I like helping people, and I enjoy the construction industry.”
He said the goal is to grow the company and keep customers satisfied. Willmes agrees.
“I enjoy the people here and working with the customers,” Willmes said. “We are a family-owned company and would like to see it carried on in the family,” Willmes said. “We want to grow and expand so that this will be something our kids will want to be a part of – we want to grow for the next generation.”
Posted in: Small business spotlight
Tags: Crescent Springs, Kenton County
