WD Door is celebrating 20 years of serving residential and commercial builders and homeowners as Iowa’s leading overheard door and operator company!
May 5, 2003, Steve Bouchard and Jeff Myers officially opened the company for business – under the name “Wayne Dalton Doors.” Starting out, there were just 6 team members grinding day and night to get the job done right for our customers.
“I was super nervous on this day,” remembers WD Door General Manager Steve Bouchard. “We just started a family and had no idea of income and a wife that stayed home to raise our newborn daughter. We both had lots of love and support. We both were competitors that wanted to win and make a name for ourselves. We always tried to do the right thing for others before ourselves.”
“Seems like it was not that long ago we started this thing!” said WD Door General Manager Jeff Myers. “It was stressful, busy, but extremely fun. We started the business in the back warehouse that we still utilize today at 375 Oralabor Rd. in Ankeny.”
The Key to Success
Bouchard and Myers agree the key to success over the past two decades is keeping the needs of customers and team members at the forefront.
“We are always honest with our employees and customers. Doing the uncomfortable things. Doing what it took to be profitable,” Bouchard said.
“We have learned that we are only as good as the people that work with us,” added Myers.
Several team members have been exceptionally loyal, working with the company for more than 10 years, including: Bob Halferty (19 years), Brad Wharff (18 years), Ryan Spooner (18 years), Marge Brown (17 years), Merle Pottorff (17 years), Heath Hutchison (17 years), Brent Flickinger (17 years), Darren Franzenburg (16 years), Mike Sheeks (14 years), Jonathan Weaver (12 years), Craig Foster (11 years) and Michael Frogge (10 years).
Promising Future
Surprisingly, a garage door company was not the original plan for WD Door’s founders.
“Our first business idea was to start a lawn care business,” said Bouchard. “We had a name (Advanced Lawn Care), business plan and logo that we presented to Jeff’s dad and after 5 minutes into the presentation he told us we were stupid, and it was a dumb idea. He recommended we go a different direction – turns out he was right.”
Today, WD Door is a thriving family and employee-owned business with locations in Ankeny and Cedar Rapids. In January 2022, WD Door became part of the Kinzler Corporation family, beginning a new, exciting chapter for the company.
“I am excited that we are in good hands with Kinzler Corporation!” said Myers. “I believe that we are taking this business to the next level to become the leader in overhead doors throughout the Midwest and further. I believe other companies will eventually envy what we have built and are continuing to build.”