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History
In 1958, Wayne Garceau was distributing small wood framed, steel clad buildings as a residential contractor. When Timberib, the manufacturer of his small steel buildings went under, Garceau recognized the opportunity for something great and started up Garceau Steel Structures. His builder network was established from his history as a contractor. All he needed was some extra manpower. The original corporate structure consisted of only three men, from start to finish.
Not long after, in 1967, Garceau sold 26 percent of the company to ASC Industries; his original supplier of panels and trim. ASC would later be integrated into Gifford-Hill. In 1971, Garceau’s first all-steel, solid-framed building was purchased by the U.S. Government as a cable-reel support building, housing the mechanism used for lowering a nuclear test device underground at the Amchitka Island testing sites in Alaska. When the device detonated, it lowered the landscape 12 topographic feet. The only damage sustained by the metal building was a sliding door that became unhinged from its track.
Garceau Steel Structures became Garco, Inc. in 1974.The company had a new name and a new focus: fully-integrated manufacturing. Garco would be completely self-sufficient. Garco steel buildings were raising the bar within the industry. Garceau decided he was ready to buy back his 26 percent in 1976. Gifford-Hill counter offered, resulting with the complete acquisition of Garco, Inc. The following year saw the development of the current headquarters located in Airway Heights, near Spokane, WA. In 1978, two gentlemen within the company, Tim Welsh and Bob Carter, offered to buy Garco’s construction segment from Gifford-Hill. Carter-Welsh, Inc., dba Garco Construction was born.
Garco was up for sale, yet again in 1982. In 1983, Terry Middaugh, the general manager under the Garco, Inc. banner purchased Garco’s assets. He then took on the role of CEO and President of MIDCO Mfg., dba Garco Building Systems. He would retire ten years later and leave then General Sales Manager, Bill Savitz as Executive Vice President and General Manager. Then in 1996, Savitz and his executive team successfully completed the buyout of Middaugh’s majority shares of the company and Savitz succeeded Middaugh as Chairman, CEO, and President of Garco. Continuity has allowed the company to maintain its focus on personal relationships and conducting business face to face.
In 2007, Garco became a member of the NCI Building Systems family, and Savitz was named Executive Director of the NCI Green Building Initiative in 2008. Jeff White, the company’s former CFO is the current President of Garco Building Systems and we remain the leader in metal building systems in the Northwest through this same tried and true means of building relationships with our customers and making sure their needs are being met. |
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