G.F. Bowman Inc. Marks 50 Years in Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning Business
When George and Esther Bowman established their
refrigeration contracting business in the garage of their Cleona home a
half-century ago, they had one priority: to deliver top-quality service to
their customers. Today G.F. Bowman is still headquartered in Cleona and its
focus on customer service remains the top priority. But over the course of 50
years, many things have changed.In 1972 the Bowmans relocated the business to a
larger space in Cleona and four years later added a 6,000-foot-warehouse.
During the same period the business expanded beyond serving the refrigeration
needs of mom-and-pop grocery stores to include heating and air conditioning
services.
Larry Bowman, George and Esther’s son, became president in 1984, added plumbing services, further expanded the office and warehouse and computerized the business, including installing two-way radios in the service vehicles.
Over the next decades, as customer needs evolved so did the
services G.F. Bowman offered. In the 1990s, the company met customer demands
for indoor air quality testing, geothermal heating and cooling solutions, water
testing and zoning controls. Energy conservation and health preservation
services, including water conditioning, softening and filtration, as well as
tankless water heaters, emerged in the 2000s. Ductless
heating and cooling solutions were also gaining in popularity.
Since 2010 G.F. Bowman has been under the leadership of Larry’s daughter, Jamie, who serves as president, and son Brad, vice president. With a sales office in Harrisburg and more than 45 employees, the company has grown to serve customers from Harrisburg to Reading.
Although the Bowmans are proud of the growth they’ve achieved over 50 years and three generations, they are most proud of the ways in which they haven’t changed.
“We are proud that we have continuously expanded G.F. Bowman to be a top plumbing, heating and air conditioning resource in southcentral Pennsylvania,” Jamie said. “And we’re grateful for the support our customers have shown in our half-century of being in business.
“But we are most proud of our commitment to upholding the values of our grandparents, George and Esther Bowman, who founded the company,” she added. “We instill those values in each member of our team and believe it is our focus on customer satisfaction that keeps them coming back.”
G.F. Bowman Inc.
