The Story

I have been, quite literally, in heating and air conditioning all of my life.  My Grandfather; Ralph Bruce owned Jampolis Coal Company in Chicago.  A premier coal and oil delivery company.  In 1938 he started a small division called Reichert Burner Corporation.  This service arm of Jampolis was set up to install and service oil equipment.  The addition to his company worked so well he later changed the name to RBC Automatic Heating, Inc. to encompass the "automatic" nature of oil burners--no more stoking the coal fires!  

My dad; Wesley M. Boughner married into the business and soon took over as the Service Manager of RBC.  When my grandfather died his partner sold the company off, including RBC.  My father went with the new company; Liquid Fuels.  When Liquid Fuels sold the oil delivery business he purchased the service division for himself.  I remember running on midnight service calls to keep my dad company for many years, I was the tool and light holder.  I worked at the company doing odd jobs, oil clean and checks and helping on installations as soon as I was old enough to hold my own.  I went off to college and earned a degree in photography from Columbia College in Chicago than went to Northern Illinois University to earn a degree in Economics with a minor in Finance.  During all this education I spent my summers and breaks working with my dad.  When it came time to graduate he kept whispering in my ear that I had a place to work if I wanted it.  I tried my hand at investment and banking for a short period and decided that I liked to work hands on instead. 

The day I started at RBC my Dad handed me a broom and told me to get to work organizing the warehouse.  I protested that I knew everything about servicing our customer base but my Dad maintained that the owner's kid had to work his way up just like everyone else.  I did stocking, equipment clean and checks, service calls, installations and then sales.  I bought the business from my father and ran it many years until I finally sold in 2000.  I have given lectures, training, and written books about technician training and small business management.  I am presently a sales professional for R.H. Witt in Glenview, Illinois where I live with my wife of 27+ years and our four children.