|
Archives
Rankin Construction Cools the Pentagon
Following the attack on September 11th, 2001 on the Pentagon, in Washington
D.C., the U.S. Armed Forces found themselves between a rock and a hard place.
Our Nation was thrown into a war that would need the full resources of our Armed
Forces and we had lost vital war planning and administration abilities in the
very building where war planning would take place.
To confront this problem, our nation had to turn to the best and brightest
construction resources available, and they had to have these resources immediately.
That's one reason why Rankin Construction Heaters, Inc. received the call
to provide dehumidification and air conditioning at the Pentagon. Today they
are still providing these services even as Armed Forces personnel begin to reoccupy
some of the areas stricken during the attack.
Chicago area Chief Engineers have been relying on Rankin for years to provide
for both their construction heating and portable cooling needs. Their rapid
response to emergency conditions and the highly dependable equipment their well-trained
service representatives provide have built a reputation for the company that
is now spreading throughout the United States.
The Chief Engineer paid a recent visit to Rankin's headquarters in Chicago
to find out how this company has grown and how it consistently provides such
excellent service to facility operators and managers throughout the country.
Jack Rankin heads up the Rankin team along with his brother, Michael. Jack
is a graduate of Union College in Schenectady, New York. While there, he excelled
as a member of the hockey team where he was named to the All American team in
1977. Upon graduation, Jack joined the Detroit Red Wings organization and played
two seasons with their club.
Jack began his career in the construction heating and portable cooling business
in Chicago in 1981, where he learned what it takes to develop customer relationships.
According to him, the most important things he learned were how to bring safety,
service and economics to his customers.
In 1987 Jack and his brother Mike started their own company and began their
success story by delivering customer focused service. In 1990, he expanded Rankin
by opening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Four years later, he expanded again to St.
Louis, Missouri. Today Rankin has additional offices in Kansas City, Washington
D.C., Philadelphia, and Orlando.
Providing construction heaters, portable cooling, dehumidification and ventilation
fans, Rankin officers respond to calls 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, making
them a vital resource for building managers, general contractors and operators
who may need fast service during emergencies.
The key reason for such success is the commitment of every employee to deliver
uncompromised service, safety and economically sound systems to every customer.
According to Jack Rankin, the entire inventory of products the company carries
is approved by national agencies for safety. Rankin's products must also
meet their own exacting standards as they relate to energy efficiency. That
efficiency really adds up to significant savings for their customers. Jack also
points to the highly trained and motivated service staff at Rankin for much
of the company's success. "Our service people are the most direct
contact we maintain with our clients," he said. "That is where our
reputation for service and dependability is built".
As we toured the Chicago offices of Rankin, which are actually located in
suburban Lombard, Illinois, we were constantly impressed by the number of large
scale projects the company has successfully undertaken. We were also impressed
by the helpful courteous staff members who quickly answered our questions and
took the time to explain to us how everything worked.
We thanked Jack for taking the time to show us his operation and we left with
a good idea of how his company remains so successful. Throughout our tour, everyone
we spoke with knew just how things worked within the company and was well trained
on how to provide service and solve problems. Whether it is the experience of
having been a team player with the Detroit Red Wings organization or just natural
leadership ability, one thing for sure is the Rankin team spirit that we found
is a major part of this company's success story.
Archives
|
