Kennewick company earns UW William D. Bradford Minority Business of the Year Award
Discipline fuels success at Apollo Sheet Metal
Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle) - by Brad Broberg Contributing Writer
Apollo Sheet Metal Inc. was not an overnight success.
"It took a while," said Bruce Ratchford, founder and CEO. "I used to have to drive around in my truck looking for jobs. I still have it ... a 1977 GMC Silverado. I put three engines in it myself and drove it for the first 15 years I was in business."
Ratchford's truck -- or, more to the point, his prolonged use of it -- reflects the discipline with which he built his mechanical contracting business.
"Some people win by overextending themselves, but a lot more lose," he said.
Ratchford was determined not to lose.
In the early days, Apollo workers could not start a new job until the old one was almost finished because the company did not have enough ladders to tackle two jobs at once.
"When you start from scratch, you always need more ladders and tools and trucks and things," said Ratchford. "But it takes time. You have to crawl before you can walk."
Today, the business Ratchford founded 26 years ago is well beyond walking. It's sprinting.
It's also the winner of this year's University of Washington Foster Business School's William D. Bradford Minority Business of the Year Award.
Located in Kennewick, Apollo Sheet Metal is the oldest of three sister companies founded by Ratchford. The others are Apollo Inc., a general contractor, and Apollo Federal Services, which specializes in embassy renovations and other government projects. Together, the Apollo family of companies employs 600 people and expects to finish the year with $140 million in revenues.
Born and raised in Kennewick, Ratchford is proud of his Muskogee Indian ancestry. Although Ratchford's heritage was not initially a factor -- plus or minus -- in the growth of his business, Apollo is now TERO (Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance) certified. Adopted on a tribe-by-tribe basis, the TERO program gives Indian-owned contractors -- as well as employees and subcontractors -- bidding and hiring preference.
"As the tribes continue to grow, we're putting more emphasis on that," said Ratchford.
Even as a teen, Ratchford was driven to succeed. At 14, he went to work at McDonald's. By the time he left at 18, he was a manager. Ratchford's next stop was Columbia Basin College, where he studied business management. Later, he managed clothing stores before jumping into construction as a sheet metal worker.
Eventually, Ratchford ended up running an HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) company. However, he didn't own it. And that was his dream.
"I was always going to be in business for myself," he said. When Ratchford's employer declined to sell that business, Ratchford started his own mechanical contracting business.
It was a gutsy call for a young husband with a pregnant wife.
"I think my wife was a little scared, being pregnant and everything, but I was pretty determined to be in business for myself," said Ratchford. "I knew I could get it done."
He was right, but he doesn't take all the credit.
"Besides my own determination ... I'm successful because of the people I surround myself with," Ratchford said. They include a number of family members.
"Building people who build great things is our mission statement," he said. "You have to grow in order to give people opportunity."
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