InTents April/May 2020 - 34

BRIGHT FUTURES

N

ot everyone who ends up in the family business
grows up dreaming about doing so. In fact, some

swear they would never make such a move, after
observing how much work their parents do for
the business.
Scott Alexander, now president and owner of
Alexander Party Rentals in Kent, Wash., graduated from
college in 2009, at the height of the recession, and
went to work for the business started by his father to
help him through the downturn.
"I swore I'd only give him a year, max," says
Alexander, who graduated with degrees in biology and
history. "It didn't quite work out that way."
Alexander says he discovered he liked the work. "I
found success in it," he says, "and enjoyed the fact that
we were doing well."
He bought the company from his father in 2014. "It
was a huge opportunity," Alexander says. "I'm very
fortunate to have had the challenge."
Jeff Ginty, president of Durkin's Inc., a five-generation
fabrication and rental company based in Danbury,
Conn., also planned for a different future.
"Although I grew up working in it my whole life,
afternoons from grade school and summers through
high school and college, I did not have intentions with
working for the family business," he says.
Ginty went to college, finishing with a double major
in business management and marketing, with a minor
in finance.
"In my senior year, I prepared my thesis revolving
around our family business," he explains. "My
professors were so intrigued, which drove me to dig
deeper. I realized there was more potential once I
scratched the surface.
"I recognized the value in Durkin's and realized that
it had a bright future," he adds. "I found that working for
myself one day was the answer. Our family business
was somewhat antiquated, but I knew it had big
potential. I knew we could dominate the field in our
industry with the right people, along with a long list of
satisfied clientele. I approached my father, who was
president at the time, about the potential and, with
welcoming arms, here we are thriving today."

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outside sales. "I saw there was business
out there we could tap into," he says. "I
wanted to stay."
The company incorporated in 2001, at
which time the three sons were given an
ownership stake. But it wasn't until 2015,
when Vasquez's parents began planning
their retirement, that the family started
to look at what the next generation of
the company should look like.
It's been a slow process, says Vasquez,
who now serves as CEO. "We look at
it when we have a free moment, and
sometimes there isn't a free moment."
But they are now working with a
consultant, and Vasquez's parents are
taking an advisory role, while he and his
brother, Kevin, lead the company (the
other brother is no longer involved in
the day-to-day operation).
"It's been a process moving from
a mom-and-pop shop to one with
processes and procedures in place," says
Vasquez. "One thing I've learned is that
you can't just have the company handed
to you. You have to visualize how you're
going to advance the business; you have
to learn how to deal with people, with
the equipment, and understand how to
maintain customers.
"We're a very close family," he adds.
"My parents have given us the tools
to succeed but never forced us to do
anything. It's played out very well in
what we do. We rely on each other, and
we always listen to what the others have
to say."
Jeff Moravec is a freelance writer based
in Minneapolis, Minn.

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