Client Spotlight

Glick Fire Equipment

Glick Fire Equipment is a thriving, second generation family business based in Bird-in-Hand, PA. Established in 1987 as a fire apparatus dealership run out of the home of husband and wife team, Dave and Sue Glick, it grew through the years to become a successful enterprise that now includes multiple locations, expanded products and services and 60 employees.

Dave and Sue built the business incrementally on values of hard work and integrity. They brought their children alongside in the business and beginning in 2008, ownership was completely and successfully transitioned to the next generation: Doug, Amy and Jodi.

As their employee group grew, so did their focus on developing people. This has resulted in a caring and committed management group, longevity for employees, and strong emphasis on training for technicians and parts personnel on industry-specific knowledge.

North Group was privileged to support the organization through significant years of growth and transition, providing coaching and consultation. Glick’s describes the support this way:

Our family ownership transition, which started many years before but came to fruition in 2008, was smooth – both in terms of the owners and within the newly appointed management team.

The value of support is somewhat indescribable because daily tasks, decisions and actions may, deep down, stem from a conversation or meeting with a mentor at North Group.

The family owners group, which Dave was a member of for many years, was valuable to him as he established relationships with other local business owners, gained knowledge of small business management, and witnessed other ownership transitions.

Here are some of Glick Fire Equipment’s growth highlights:

  • 1979: Dave builds a strong customer base in Central PA selling emergency apparatus for Pierce Manufacturing
  • 1987: Dave and Sue are offered, and accept, a sales and service dealership for Emergency One, Inc. Dave builds the sales, service and parts business while Sue handles the financial end.
  • 1990: The Glicks’ home is bursting at the seams as the business has taken over the living room, dining room and basement. One sales rep has an office there and four others work from their homes. The service department operates in a leased, two-bay service and parts facility nearby in Smoketown. It is time to build. The result is a two-story office building and expansion of the service department to include four bays and an additional 1,800 square foot parts department.
  • 1998: Another dealership offer comes, this time from the leading manufacturer of fire apparatus in North America – Pierce Manufacturing, Inc. Glick’s market base grows from 821 fire and emergency departments to 1,253 departments, more than doubling established customers.
  • 1999: It is time to build again. New service and parts customers require it. The larger facility, Glick’s current location, incorporates seven service bays, a large parts inventory area, and an attached office.
  • 2001: Another dealership offer comes. Pierce offers 22 counties in western PA. The Glicks accept the challenge and see it as a testament to the company’s strong ability to serve the PA emergency services community.
  • 2005: More building ensues, this time it is a facility on land between Evans City and Zelienople, nearly identical to the existing main office.
  • 2007: Glick’s launches a new offering: Medtec Ambulance dealership serves the entire state of PA. Another kind of growth inspires the whole employee family: The organization identifies and adopts a set of values and an ultimate vision statement.
  • 2008: Again it is time to expand; this time the service department gets an additional 5,000 square feet. Dedicated to fabrication, this area helps efficiency and reduces out-of-service time for apparatus.
  • 2011: Dave and Sue complete the transition from full-time ownership to full-time retirement. Their children, along with key management leaders, begin moving Glick Fire into the next generation, while maintaining their parents’ longstanding vision and values.

For more information visit www.glickfire.com