Moore says he is currently building a new facility in Longview and that Keith Franke, a multiple winner of the Diamond Award, Linc's highest sales honor, is now the general manager of the Longview office.

"Longview, Wash., is a growing market with a substantial industrial presence," said Moore, whose company was recently named the 2005 Linc Service Contractor of the Year. "We feel that having a closer proximity to our customers here will make it easier for us to serve this area in a more timely fashion."

H.E. Neumann, one of the largest contractors in West Virginia, became a part of the Linc Service Network in 1993. The Pittsburgh branch is the company's first franchise location in Pennsylvania and fourth overall, joining the offices in Wheeling, Morgantown, and Charleston, W.Va. President Rodney Boniti believes the concentration of business opportunities in western Pennsylvania presents the perfect opportunity for his company to move forward.

"This market has unlimited prospects and an endless potential customer list," Boniti said. "The diversification of the economy in western Pennsylvania is something we have not had the opportunity to experience. We feel that we understand the culture, pace, business needs, economy, and people in Pittsburgh, and there are many similarities to our current business strategies."

Star Service Inc. is also expanding into a new market in a new state. Building upon its already strong presence in the Linc Service Network, Star Service added its seventh franchise location when it opened the Houston office for business. With multiple Linc Diamond Award winner and newly appointed General Manager Susie McMullan at the helm, Star Service Inc.-Houston already has begun implementing the Linc System's operating procedures and tools to service its new customers throughout the surrounding area.

"I think our ability to combine a competitive price with exceptional service will be well received in the Houston market," said Star Service President Bob Work.

"In our organization, the customer is always at the top of the food chain, so we will continue servicing our customers as much as possible in order to differentiate ourselves from other service companies."

Continuing the "new market-new state" trend, Haynes Mechanical Systems Inc. added its first franchise location in the southwestern U.S. - and fourth overall - when the company purchased an agreement to work in the Phoenix market. Haynes Mechanical President Kraig Haynes, Chief Operating Officer Steve Moss, and Vice President Terry Koenig will oversee operations at the new location until a selling general manager is in place. As Koenig put it, company executives had been looking to expand for some time. So when the availability arose with the Phoenix market, they saw the opportunity as a chance not only for the organization to grow, but also for some of their associates to further their professional development.

"As one of the fastest growing markets in the country, and with an obvious need for air conditioning, Phoenix is a very attractive area in which to expand," Koenig said. "Many of our current customers also have businesses, or conduct business, in Phoenix. The city blends well with our business strategy for the western U.S., so we think it's a great fit."

"I think it says a lot about what we have to offer when several franchise locations continue to expand their presence within the Linc Service Network," said Scott Giacobbe, Linc Network president and CEO. "This is an exciting period of growth for our organization and many of our customers, too. We're confident that our business system will continue to serve them well and prove to be an ongoing formula for success."

For more information, visit Linc's Website at www.lincservice.com.

Publication date: 05/15/2006