International Door & Operator Industry

SEP-OCT 2013

Garage door industry magazine for garage door dealers, garage door manufacturers, garage door distributors, garage door installers, loading docks, garage door operators and openers, gates, and tools for the door industry.

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DOORDEALERDIALOG (continued from page 18) Van Buren might also have noted that it was his vision that led to the "gate" portion of the business, having recognized a market for those products that would likely rival, if not surpass, the company's door business. With a community saturated in luxury homes, owned by wealthy people, he introduced automated gate systems to the local market and is thankful that he did. He credits that diversifcation for helping the company not only expand when times were good, but survive when things went badly. Selling Doors and Gates in Santa Barbara While most of the residents of Americana think of local happenings in terms of county fairs, annual festivals and civic club barbeques, Don Van Buren speaks matter-offactly about things like presidential vacations and a A-List Only celebrity events. This prompts business! (From the left) Galen Lewis, Vice President and General Manager; Geoff Freeman, Ventura County Sales Manager; and Bill Krebaum, Business Manager; shown here at the front entrance of Consolidated Overhead Door and Gate's headquarters in Santa Barbara, California. "You know when someone big is coming to town or something big is about to happen, because you start getting a lot of calls from people who need things fxed or replaced," Van Buren noted with a dry smile. "When Bill and Hillary took a vacation here," a lot of folks called wanting their gates fxed or doors replaced, that sort of thing. Same thing thing happened with the Kardashian Wedding. You always know when there's a big name or event coming to town." There are approximately 90,000 permanent residents of Santa Barbara, and probably a few hundred others that come and go, but whose names are very well known. The celebrity component of the Southern California city is as impressive to a visitor as the steeply vertical Santa Ynez Mountains that form Santa Barbara's eastern veil. Counted among Consolidated Overhead Door and Gate customers are the aforementioned Oprah, actors Kevin Costner, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Rob Lowe, comedian Dennis Miller, golfer Fred Couples, and Forrest Gump director Robert Zemeckis. Those are just a few of the celebrities that have called for Consolidated's products and services. Many others are barons of industry and high technology. Offce administrator Guneet Kaur. "There is a portion of the market in Santa Barbara that is very much on the high end," understated Van Buren. "But they are no more intense than anyone else, or different from other customers. (Kevin) Costner gets very involved in his projects. (Robert) Zemeckis actually helps on his projects. He gets right down in there to work with the installer or technician. You'd never know he was a famous movie director. When Fred Couples needs something, he just calls and says 'Hey, it's Freddie!' He just acts like he's an old buddy. On the Continued on page 22 V o l u m e 4 6 I s s u e 5 2 0 1 3 21

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