Forward Janesville - TheReport - Fourth Quarter 2023

Prent’s focus on family and continuous improvement can be seen and felt in Janesville. Janesville is the company’s world headquarters and center for research and development. The company’s thermoforming machines and supporting equipment are designed by local engineers and the company’s vertical integration model is visible through its offshoot GOEX Corporation, which manufactures the sheet plastic used in Prent’s thermoforming process. As Andres notes, “The people [keep us in Janesville]. We have great people here and have hired multiple generations of employees. We love to promote from within and find the best local talent.” Westphal & Co. “Family businesses remain family businesses when the family is involved in the business,” John Westphal, third-generation chief executive officer. Westphal is proud to say he’s never received a W-2 from anywhere besides Westphal & Co. He started working at 11 years old as a janitor and worked his way through the company, taking over at age 24 after his father passed away. The business was founded in 1931 as an electric motor and sales repair company by John’s grandfather, Fred H. Westphal. In the 1960s and 1970s, Westphal’s father, Fred T. Westphal, expanded services and helped develop the business into the commercial and residential electrical contracting firm it is today. With offices in Wisconsin and Iowa, Westphal & Co. employs more than 600 people and serves customers in almost state, three foreign countries, and Antarctica. Pride for his father and his family has been a significant motivator. “The family business is the family members’ identity, reputation, and brand,” remarked Westphal. Two of Westphal’s three children are active in the company. Both have worked hard, earned respect from their co-workers, and made important decisions that have proved their leadership. Ultimately, the decision of who will take over the company once Westphal is ready to hang it up will come down to who is most qualified, not DNA, he said. Westphal’s approach to focusing on quality and preparedness in succession planning, versus family ties, is consistent withWestphal & Co.’s commitment to excellence in the electrical contracting industry. The company’s professional reputation is supported by a strong internal culture based on work ethic and skill, which was cultivated first within the family. “We believe our longevity and success is due to a number of factors which include: continual hard work, excellent craftspeople, a conservative approach to business that focuses on long-term profitability and growth, deep day-to- day ownership and involvement by our family, highly intelligent and hardworking coworkers, reinvestment of profits back into the business, and company leaders who are passionate about what they do.” To Westphal, there’s not much to balance in regards to tradition and innovation. The company must be flexible and adapt to changing times no matter what. “We consider ourselves humble grinders,” Westphal said. In 2022, Westphal & Co. was the recipient of a Wisconsin Family Business of the Year Award. The Pregont Family of Prent Corporation Fred T., Martha, Helen Westphal working in motor shop (1951) Westphal & Co. crew at Rock River Gen, Fred H. Westphal 2nd from Rt, Clarence Brown on end (1954) www.forwardjanesville.com | 11