DAVE CAMPBELL

Former Owner | Head of Operations at Entek Corporation

FAST FACTS

Key Dates

Joined Entek: 1985

Became Entek Owner: 2008

Partnered With Midway: 2022

Entek Career

Current Position: Head of Operations

Starting Position: Service Technician

Learn About Entek

MEET DAVE

Dave Campbell has been positively shaping Entek culture since 1985. His service and wealth of experience continue to impact people in Washington and Oregon, where Entek is based, and within Midway. As an early Midway partner, Dave’s feedback has been particularly helpful as Midway has established routines and structures with new brands.

THE EARLY YEARS

“We didn't feel like we had to make every dollar off of every customer. We were very relationship-focused, both with customers and employees.”

Dave started at Entek, then called B&B Air Conditioning, when he was 20. He jokes about how the owners captured his loyalty with a birthday cake on his second day. A hard worker, he quickly moved from entry-level technician to service supervisor, and he eventually bought a stake in the company.

He and other senior management had a vision to make Entek the Les Schwab of the HVAC industry. He says of that time, “We didn't feel like we had to make every dollar off of every customer. We were very relationship-focused, both with customers and employees.” He describes how the profits came naturally with that focus.

JOINING MIDWAY

"When we met [Midway Leaders], immediately it felt like, ‘OK, this is right.’”

At the time that Entek joined Midway, Dave and his partner Alan Shero were the two owners. When considering selling their company, their primary concerns were ensuring the well-being of the employees and maintaining the high level of service provided to customers. They were adamant about not selling to someone who would dismantle what they had built.

They had around 70 potential buyers who expressed interest. After meeting with their top three, they felt uneasy about any of the options. It was then that they received a call from their broker about Midway. Dave says, “Honestly, when we met you guys, immediately it felt like, ‘OK, this is right.’” They felt alignment between Entek and Midway’s vision and core values. “It felt like we were going to be able to stay intact,” he reflects, “There would be a lot of business as usual.”

FACING THE CHALLENGES

But it didn’t start off perfectly: “When we made the announcement, there were people that didn’t know ahead of time that found out in that moment, and they were hurt because they’d been in the company for 30 years.” However, as time passed and as the team found out that the important things remained unchanged – “we’re still taking care of customers, still led by the same core group of leaders” – the team settled in and adjusted nicely to the transition.

“We’re still taking care of customers, still led by the same core group of leaders.”

When asked about the pains of the transition, Dave is very open: “We’ve had to get used to doing projections and budgets that historically have not been part of our process.” Additionally, finding the right rhythm and cadence of meetings took time. As Entek was one of Midway’s early acquisitions, both Dave and the Midway team acknowledge that they experienced growing pains together, including making decisions quickly, honing into the most profitable parts of the business, and making sure leaders were in the field more than in the office: “We spent a lot of time on budgets and projects, which is important. However, any time we focus more on taking care of customers, the projections and revenue and profits always follow. And we’ve both had to bend in finding a happy medium.”

Despite the challenges, Dave remains optimistic: “There are always obstacles, but I have no regrets. Talking with other owners who have sold to Midway, I think everybody is just pleased that they found a way to transition to a group that cares about its employees and takes care of the team.” Dave continues to recommend other owners to speak to Midway about transitioning as they are ready, noting that, despite his being a “self-inflicted workhorse,” he is “taking some Fridays off here and there, and [his] wife has been able to travel abroad twice since we’ve sold.”

“There are always obstacles, but I have no regrets. Talking with other owners who have sold to Midway, I think everybody is just pleased that they found a way to transition to a group that cares about its employees and takes care of the team.”

A LASTING LEGACY

We wouldn’t be where we are without Dave Campbell – his ability to build culture, inspire and train the best technicians in the Pacific Northwest, and help improve our processes at Midway make him a foundational part of our team. We are grateful for Dave’s continued partnership in building technical trainings that benefit technicians across our company, for his dedication to delivering excellence to all of our customers, and for his experience and leadership in building the foundation of Midway Mechanical.