10/06/2022
Senior (Dave) went through five years of apprenticeship with Local Union 433 from graduating Crown Point High School in 1968. Until 1973 when he received his journeyman's license he worked for Whiting Plumbing and Heating, Roche Plumbing and Baltas Plumbing before going to work for U.S. Tubing Specialties as a pipefitter in 1981. The Tube Mill closed its doors forever in1983 which prompted Senior to re-study his plumbing books and take the Contractors Test in Indianapolis.
"Wild Dave the Plumber" began business on March 15, 1984. Senior ran his business out of his home, with one truck at that time. His business card read:
The office in the breezeway consisted of one card table and one small plastic index card box. Until 1990, Seniors wife Kathie was the business secretary, bookkeeper, gopher, and main advertiser. Besides taking care of their two children and running their household! She would design flyers, advertisements, and the business cards and have them printed. The children would hand them out at the town parades and also put them on car wiper blades at the grocery store.
"Wild Dave" turned into "The Plumber, Inc." in 1990 until that year he was Thee Plumber -- The only one.
In 1988 the business moved to a bay at S.L. Storage on Indiana Avenue because the inventory grew too large to fit in their garage. The business end still ran in the home office. By 1990 the business had grown too large for Kathie to handle both home and business, so they hired two other plumbers, a secretary, an accountant, and purchased two trucks.
In September 2000 The Plumber, Inc. moved into their very own 4 bay garage and office facility at 1280 N. Indiana Ave.
As of 2008 the business has grown to 10 plumbers, 5 Trucks, a secretary, and an accountant.
