Most people know WHP Trainingtowers for our amazing fire training towers or our innovative equipment and revolutionary materials that help firefighters train more effectively. But there’s something else about us that makes us unique. We’re lucky enough to be a family company. The fire service is often described as a brotherhood. It is much the same at WHP. President and owner, Bill Jahnke, is a retired fire chief, and he brought the culture of the fire service with him when he started WHP.
Chief Bill Jahnke admits that working with family members brings unique challenges. “You have the family history and love of one another, but you have the cold reality of running a company,” he said. “This presents unique pressures on you as the owner, and as a father. Sometimes you have to remember which hat you are wearing when you make decisions. There have been times that, for the good of the company, the family has to adapt to the reality of the business world and accept those decisions.”
Daughter, Maggie Scaletty, Chief Operating Officer at WHP, has over 15 years of experience in business and construction management and handles the day to day financial management, operations, and business development. “Family knows who you are – the good, the bad, the ugly. There is no hiding, which can be frustrating at times, but also incredibly reassuring,” she said. “We are each other’s biggest cheerleaders and push one another to succeed. We pride ourselves at WHP in being very family focused.”
Son, Steve Jahnke, manages design and in-house fabrication and handles research and development projects. He says that working with family members can be hard because there is always the tendency to ask the family member for more, or go to them first when something is needed. But he also said camaraderie is one of the best benefits of working for a family-owned company. “We help each other more, and not just the family members.”
Covid really was a time for the company to shine. “We had children set up doing remote school in the conference rooms if our in-person employees needed it,” Steve said. “We even helped make sure people had what they needed as toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and masks became harder to get. There is a lot more flexibility when a company is family owned.”
When asked about family squabbles at work, Steve replied, “No, never.” Then quickly followed up with, “Just kidding. I don’t believe I have ever heard of a family business that didn’t have some disagreements on the job. But, it’s not overly common.”
“There is a big difference between a ‘family company’ and one that is just family owned,” said Steve Jahnke. “WHP Trainingtowers is a family company!”
If you’d like to learn more about our WHP Trainingtowers, call: 1-800-351-2525 (for international calls: 1 913-385-3663), or, contact us online today!
