Vermont Business Magazine VHV, a Winooski-based mechanical construction and service company serving Vermont and New Hampshire, celebrates its diamond jubilee this September.
“Honestly, all of the company’s success and longevity can be attributed to our people. Their ambition, curiosity, and commitment to excellence have helped us stand the test of time,” says VHV’s CEO Tom Dacres.
VHV has a storied history full of family legacy, entrepreneurial spirit, and an unrelenting thirst for innovation.
Family Business. Northeast Treasure.
Three generations of Browns sat at the company’s helm, guiding it to achieve unprecedented levels of success.
The impetus for VHV began in 1949 in a humble garage in Burlington, VT. Nathan Brown had a vision that took him from framing to building heating and ventilation systems.
Nathan’s son, Jerry, turned VHV into a household name for education and training both for internal team members and statewide, molding Vermont’s sheet metal trade apprenticeship program. The company garnered many accolades during this time, including the Labor Investment for Tomorrow (LIFT) America Award for education and the Deane C David Outstanding Vermont Business Award.
Jerry’s nephew David took the reins in 1997 and had a singular vision—transforming VHV from a sheet metal contractor to becoming a full mechanical and service contractor, providing a comprehensive, end-to-end experience for customers. Through out-of-the-box thinking and practical design, VHV stood out in a crowded industry and cemented permanent residence as a leader of mechanical contracting in Vermont.
Even today, VHV is a place for family. Dacres says, “My dad worked here. My son works here. It still retains its family business roots. Ultimately, it’s a place of connection.”
People: The Heart of it All
In 2017, the company made a historic move and became 100% employee-owned.
“Now, you’re not just working for the owner, Dacres remarks. “Everyone is an owner. Everyone can share ideas, implement changes, and explore innovations—this is the future.”
The shift to being an employee-owned company has dramatically impacted VHV’s culture.
“We’ve always been all about our people, so we weaved it into the very structure and operations of the company.”
Dacres describes culture as cultivating a thriving garden. You need the right conditions, tools, and habits to keep it nourished. He and his leadership team have taken the challenge to tend to that culture and ensure that employee-owners know their voices are heard, their suggestions are welcomed, and their ideas are implemented.
“If there’s a new or better way to do something, let’s do it! We don’t subscribe to the ‘we’ve always done it that way’ adage; that’s not how we’ve stuck around this long. We’ve thrived because of new ideas and the agility to pivot smart,” says Dacres.
Today, VHV has 184 full-time employees (owners) across 8 departments—and they’re primed for more growth in the future.
This move to employee-ownership was profitable in more ways than one.
As of last year, the company was 100% debt-free and increased in value by 23%.
VHV: Where Innovation Abounds
It takes a concerted effort, creative thinking, and visionary leadership to reach a 75th business anniversary.
And VHV displays all three.
From the Brown family legacy to the employee-owned model, VHV has been synonymous with innovation in the mechanical contracting industry.
In addition to all the advancements in education, training, and market exposure, of late, VHV is most proud of its new technology approach.
They’ve built a robust digital drafting and design tool that’s very cutting-edge in their area.
They’ve also invested a lot of resources in prefabricated materials. Building these materials in a safe, controlled environment has led to product uniformity, operational efficiencies, and reduced labor costs. Most importantly, this model is set to dramatically increase safety for skilled workers.
When witnessing their facilities, processes, and team, prospects have dubbed VHV “the whole package—no one is doing what they’re doing.”
The VHV Value System
VHV is a people-first company, serving its employee-owners, customers, and the people of Vermont and New Hampshire.
When establishing the company’s values, they didn’t want to manufacture them, they wanted to discover them, leaning on their roots and the unique cultural DNA of their organization.
And that’s exactly what they did.
Their core values are:
- Knowing and doing what’s right: They hold themselves to the highest levels of integrity, always operating with honesty and excellence.
- Commitment to improvement: What got VHV here won’t necessarily get them to their next milestone. They embrace change and seek people who challenge the status quo. Education will always be a core differentiator for VHV, and its apprenticeship program has helped develop a robust talent pipeline.
- Team focus: The VHV team isn’t just colleagues, they are co-owners. Everyone takes that responsibility seriously and works together for the common good.
What’s Next for VHV?
VHV pays homage to the people, communities, and ideas that helped them achieve this momentous milestone.
They also keep their eyes on the future and have ambitious plans for the next decade to ensure this company continues bringing value to its owners and communities.
While they have a strong footing in the construction side of the business, their loftiest goals sit in the services side of the business, aiming to grow it by about 300% in the next 10 years. This move will help them serve their customers in an even more robust way, which is something leadership is really excited about.
“Is this goal big? Yes. But we’ve got the team to make it happen,” Dacres states.
A Celebration for the Ages
A 75th business anniversary wouldn’t be complete without a party, and VHV has planned a celebration for the past and present of the VHV legacy.
September 12-13, 2024, the VHV team will host their 2-day celebration at the Vermont Jay Peak Resort.
The festivities begin with a charity golf event and dinner to raise money for the Vermont Children’s Hospital.
“As an employee-owned company, making meaningful financial contributions to our community is so important to us,” Dacres says.
To recognize former VHV employees, the company has decided to do a “hall of fame” induction ceremony, where they recognize former VHV employees who have been with the company for ten or more years and put their photos on a wall in the company’s headquarters. Over 50 people share this honor, and they are delighted to add several more this year.
They will also host its apprentice graduation ceremony, ushering in a new generation of talent. Vermont Secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development Lindsay Kurle and Josh Reap the president of the Association of Building Contractors (ABC) will address a contingent of newly certified tradespeople on September 13th as part of the 75th VHV celebration and graduation ceremony for VHV’s four-year apprenticeship program. VHV launched its comprehensive apprentice training program in 2017 with the aid of Vermont Training Program (VTP) funding. Vermont State Appropriations approved $66 million in Fiscal Year 2023 to train, retain, and recruit more workers, and $87 million for initiatives that will help retain jobs, support businesses, and strengthen communities. VTP awarded VHV a grant of $149,000 in 2023 to bolster this successful program.
With meaningful keynote speakers like Cindy Turcot, Chair of the Employee Ownership Foundation, and Lindsay Kurrle, Secretary at Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, this will surely be a must-attend event.
In closing, Tom Dacres brought the conversation back to the most treasured part of this company: the people. “Yes, all of this technology and all of this innovation is great—it’s cool stuff. But for me, VHV was, is, and will always be about the people: the owners who make this company great and the community we serve along the way.”
Agency of Commerce Joins Celebration, Apprenticeship Program
Agency of Commerce and Community Development Secretary Lindsay Kurrle is helping VHV (formerly Vermont Heating and Ventilating) celebrate 75 years in business.
“VHV is a Vermont institution,” said Secretary Kurrle. “They have left their mark on countless buildings in Vermont and New Hampshire over the years all while maintaining a commitment to their employees. My agency is proud to support VHV in its mission to educate Vermont’s tradespeople.”
VHV’s apprenticeship programs in sheet metal and HVAC follow the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) model. The program requires apprentice candidates to complete 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and 4 years of classroom study. Individuals earn national recognition for studies upon completion of an NCCER apprenticeship.
VHV’s apprenticeship programs have benefitted from two Vermont Training Program (VTP) grants totaling $230,000. VHV used the first grant to create its Sheet Metal and HVAC apprenticeship programs. The rest of the funding went to upskilling workers enrolled in VHV’s apprenticeship programs as well as the Plumbing Apprenticeship Program at the Vermont State University-Randolph Center campus.
Friday, Secretary Kurrle will speak at an apprenticeship graduation for seven newly certified tradespeople (three sheet metal workers, one HVAC technician, three plumbers), honoring the importance of VHV’s efforts to fill high-paying jobs that keep Vermont competitive in today’s workforce landscape. Association of Building Contractors President Josh Reap will also speak.
In 2017, VHV became employee owned. Today the full-service mechanical contractor has 184 workers at facilities in Winooski, Vermont and West Lebanon and Littleton, New Hampshire.
“Now, you’re not just working for the owner,” said VHV President & CEO Tom Dacres. “Everyone is an owner. Everyone can share ideas, implement changes, and explore innovations—this is the future. We’ve always been all about our people, so we weaved it into the very structure and operations of the company.”
VHV is celebrating their 75th anniversary Thursday, September 12 and Friday, September 13 at Jay Peak Resort. Thursday features a charity golf event and dinner to raise money for the Vermont Children’s Hospital. Friday is the graduation.
About the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development
The Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development’s (ACCD) mission is to help Vermonters improve their quality of life and build strong communities. ACCD accomplishes this mission by providing grants, technical assistance, and advocacy through three departments: The Department of Economic Development, the Department of Tourism and Marketing, and the Department of Housing and Community Development. For more information on ACCD please visit: accd.vermont.gov.
Source: 9.9.2024. VHV Company - Winooski www.vhv.com. Montpelier. Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development
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