BORN OUT OF NECESSITY AND DESIRE
In 1979, the fire sprinkler business Gene was working for closed its doors. Faced with a fork in the road, he decided to venture out on his own. Wyatt Fire was started in a bedroom of Gene’s condo in Beaverton with nothing but a 1976 Chevrolet pick-up with a pipe rack, a phone and a desire to work for himself.
From day one, Gene knew that success was based on his relationships with his customers, loyalty and high-quality service. Committed to providing the best service he could, the steadfast and loyal man carried quarters in his pocket so he could stop at a phone booth (no cell phones at that time) and call the customer if he was going to be late. After years of looking for phone booths, he jumped at the chance to purchase the newly introduced grey, brick-sized gadget called a cell phone, even though it was a costly expense for the small company.
Once a foundation was built, Gene started hiring employees and expanding his business. His personal commitment to the customer did not end there. Always a man of his word, if Wyatt Fire was supposed to be at a job on a certain day and Gene didn’t have a man to send, he would go and do the work himself.
Wyatt Fire continued to grow and in 1987 Ken Sutherland joined the team as a fitter. After 15 years of working in the field, gaining invaluable industry experience, and growing in the customer-oriented culture of Wyatt Fire, Gene appointed him successor and promoted him to Vice President. Ken has been managing the business since Gene retired in 2000. Ken matches Gene in his dedication to the customer and high-quality service, and continues to grow the business.