Our Story
Life can lead us down some interesting and challenging paths. Day by day, we collect a very unique set of knowledge and skills. At the time, it’s hard to see around the next bend or curve in the road, but something keeps pulling us in that direction, so we keep moving forward. Then, many years later, these paths, seemingly by some crazy cosmic coincidence, converge and we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of an opportunity that looks like it was tailor-made for us. That’s what happened to Chief Bill Jahnke.
Combining Firefighting & Construction
While in college, Bill volunteered for the rural fire department in Crawford County. In 1970, he returned to Overland Park, KS, and volunteered at the Overland Park Fire Department eventually becoming chief and serving for 11 years until his retirement in 1997. While Jahnke was busy being a volunteer firefighter, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Technology and worked in construction management. During the construction of the Overland Park Fire Training Center in 1997, the two sides of Jahnke’s life collided irreversibly. Jahnke was the acting general contractor on the site of the department’s fire training center when he met Bernie Padgett.
An Unbelievable Opportunity
Padgett owned a training tower company that he had started in 1980 and he was now ready to retire. When he heard Jahnke had retired from his position as chief, the two began talking. It was almost like Jahnke had been preparing his whole life for this opportunity. With his 28 years of firefighting experience and 45 years in construction management he was uniquely qualified to not just build fire training towers but to build fire training towers that met the specific needs of the fire service industry. Ever since then, WHP Trainingtowers™ has been building fire training towers with an undeniable dedication to quality, innovation, and firefighter safety.
Bernie Padgett & Bill Jahnke
WHP Is a Family Company
Today, Chief Jahnke is enjoying a semi-retired role. He is leaving the day-to-day running of the business in the capable hands of the next generation of leaders, Maggie Scaletty (President & Chief Executive Officer), Steve Jahnke (Chief Production Officer), Joe Kirchner (Chief Operating Officer), and Amanda Jahnke (Director of Marketing and Financial Controller). But everyone at WHP Trainingtowers™ is considered family. It takes many skilled people to design and build fire training towers of this quality and every member of the “family” takes pride in being part of this special group.
“We are a very family-oriented business and it’s very common to see kids from all employees in the office from time to time,” said Amanda Jahnke. “It’s nice because we get to know each other’s families.”
Steve Jahnke agreed. “There is a big difference between a ‘family company’ and one that is just family owned,” he said. “WHP Trainingtowers™ is a family company!”
Maggie Scaletty added, “I think it goes without saying that we also consider the firefighter community family. That is a group that forms strong bonds just by the nature of the jobs they do. We understand that and we consider it our job to keep them safe.”
WHP Today has a Truly Global Reach
With over 1,000 training towers worldwide including towers in Canada, Italy, Asia, Germany, and the Middle East, WHP Trainingtowers™ has provided the fire service with more pre-engineered metal fire training towers and buildings than any other supplier in the world. Even when Bill Jahnke is fully retired, his presence will be felt. His life and legacy will continue to inspire, and his training towers will continue to save the lives of firefighters worldwide.