Winston-Salem Business Magazine - April 2008 - (Page 22)

Serving Winston-Salem For 80 Years BY KITSEY BURNS to be able to afford that. We never did find out what he needed that twentytwo dollars for,” Cook laughed. Since that time, Cook and his family have continued to run a business with a focus on professionalism and care for the customer. “We take care of you like family,” Miller said. After putting in 60 years with Piedmont Sheet Metal, Cook is just now starting to take it a little easy by taking Fridays off. Nevertheless, taking a personal (Left to right) Connie Miller, Office Manager and Officer, Phil Lanier, Officer and Bill Cook, President of Piedmont Sheet Metal interest in the jobs being done for his customers is still his number one priority, Miller explained. “In a lot of cases Dad will go out there himself.” Customers aren’t the only ones treated like family, employees of Piedmont Sheet Metal are just as important to Cook, said his daughter. “He is a very family oriented man. For the past eighty years Piedmont Sheet Metal has been keeping their customers comfortable by providing the best in heating and cooling systems. “Everything we do is like a personal signature. We do the job the way we would expect it to be done in our own homes,” said Connie Miller, office manager and corporate officer at Piedmont Sheet Metal. Miller’s father, Bill Cook, began working at Piedmont Sheet Metal just a few days shy of his 17th birthday. He has many wonderful stories about his 60 years working in Winston-Salem with Piedmont Sheet Metal. “I grew up in the mountains before I came to Winston-Salem,” Cook said. “My first day of work was June 17, 1947.” Cook recalled a certain piece of equipment he was told he couldn’t use because he only 16. He wasn’t too worried since his birthday was in a few days. Cook quickly proved his worth by working hard and taking on many of the jobs the older employees didn’t want. In 1965 the company owner W.L. Rothrock was diagnosed with cancer and told he wouldn’t live much longer. Cook and his brother Ted then bought the company from Rothrock. Miraculously, Rothrock’s cancer left his body without a trace, Cook explained. “We bought it and almost a year later Mr. Rothrock came in and wanted to know if we needed help,” he said. “I told him we could always use good help. He said he needed twenty–two dollars a week and I told him we ought Bill Cook at age 17 22 APRIL 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Winston-Salem Business Magazine - April 2008

Winston-Salem Business Magazine - April 2008 Contents Wake Forest University Smitty's Notes BBB Marketplace Ethics Awards Better Business Bureau A Winning Market Strategy ENFO Solutions Serving Winston-Salem for 80 Years Business Bites Money Matters Intelligent Communities Smart Marketing Local Business Calendar

Winston-Salem Business Magazine - April 2008

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