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.
Issue link: https://idoi.epubxp.com/i/255259
34 International Door & Operator Industry™ Chris Cunningham, the youngest of the siblings, is now the President of the company, and he credits his father's creative approach to succession for enabling he and his brother, Kevin, and sister, Cindy, to continue leading Cunningham Door & Window in the manner he led the business for decades. "The best thing he (Charles) did in his succession plan was set us up to succeed," said Chris Cunningham. "We didn't start out working in a nice offce; we started out in the warehouse. He moved me to sales when I came home from college with some business and marketing skills. All of us were taught the business and trained. None of us were ever given our roles with the business as if it was our entitlement." Brother Kevin is the Vice President of the company and sister Cindy is the Treasurer. Kevin runs the commercial and gate departments in the company, based on his success in building those segments of the company. Cindy, a for- mer professional educator, maintains the business side of the management team. The father also had an innovative approach to grooming his children for running the company. During the 1990s, Charles L. Cunningham, Sr., began taking vacations on a regular basis. Then, the vacations became more than regular – they became frequent, and sudden. Trips to Florida were often announced the day before departure. There was a purpose to the vacations that went beyond a love for sunshine. Mr. Cunningham was turning more of the responsibility for the day-to-day decision- making to Chris, Kevin and Cindy. "Our father was driven by giving his kids responsibilities," Chris Cunningham said. "He was taking vacations with little advance notice to create self-reliance on our part. He was making himself dispensable, by design." Like Father, Like Son PAWNEE, IL – Jonathan Stewart was 11 years old when the frst truck arrived. It was November, 1994, and his parents, Dewey and Carla Stewart, had just formed a new venture, which they called Midwest Garage Door Company. To the youngster, growing up among the endless cornfelds of Central Illinois, this was an exciting day. It wasn't until 2008 that Jonathan would decide he would choose the business as a career, but he grew up in it nonetheless. Jonathan's brother, Josh, also spent some time working in the family (continued from page 32) Continued on page 36 business, but has chosen to pursue a career as a museum curator. He currently works at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in nearby Springfeld, Illinois. Jonathan offcially became an employee of the company as a high school student, but as a standout member of his school's football team, his mind wasn't set yet on a life in doors. He planned to continue his football playing days in college, but suffered a shoulder injury in his senior year of high school. The doctors gave him a choice: have surgery or don't play football in college. There was no guarantee the surgery would be successful, so faced with limited options, Jonathan put away his pads. As a full-time employee of Midwest Garage Door Company, Jonathan began in commercial installation. When the company added a branch in Bellville, Illionis, near St. Louis, Dewey tapped Jonathan to manage that location. It was there that Jonathan began learning the importance of working with people, appreciating their efforts and providing the support needed to ensure the satisfaction of customers. The year 2008 stands out for a lot of reasons – it was the year the housing bubble burst and dramatically impacted door companies throughout the United States – but for Jonathan Stewart, it was a year of signifcance for additional rea- sons. The economic collapse forced the closure of the Bellville branch, at which time he transferred to the Pawnee head- quarters. It was also at that time that he made the decision to make the business his career. "I knew when I came back to Paw- nee that this was what I wanted to do," Stewart said. "I had learned a lot of lessons from watching my dad run the company. He always served customers the way they deserve to be treated, he takes care of employees and lets them know they are wanted. He is always honest with everybody – customers, vendors, employees and every person who walks through our front door." Jonathan Stewart MANAGEMENT 1/24/14 10:51 AM