FIRE SYSTEMSPipeline

FALL 2013

w i g i n t o n

TableContents

of

wiginton Corporation

Pipeline Fall 2013

699 Aero Lane

Sanford, Florida 32771

Phone 407-585-3200

Fax 407-585-3280

wiginton.net

qualityfab.net

Creative Services

SiX Degrees

Marketing/Insights/Creative

1217B N. Orange Avenue

Orlando, FL 32804

407-730-3178

sixdegreeshigher.com

Managing Editor

Steve Browne

Contributing Editors

Steve Browne

David Capalino

Mark Erickson

Martin Morales

Don Wiginton

Alan Wiginton

01. when a Plan Comes together Joe, Don and Alan Wiginton

03. operations Update Mark Erickson

05. Quality Corner Dave Capalino

07. Human Resources Spotlight Steve Browne

09. Safety Update Martin Morales

10. Featured Letter Joe Wiginton

11. Updates / information technology Bryan Benton

12. Branch Updates Atlanta, Jacksonville, Daytona, Houston,

Orlando, Ft. Myers, Gainesville, Pensacola

Miami, Melbourne, Tampa & West Palm Beach

16. Updates / Benefits / Corporate

03

07

09

10

11

01

13

05

In October of 2006, after 39

years in business, Joe Wiginton

- 73, Don Wiginton - 47 and

Alan Wiginton – 44, convened

to address ongoing concerns

expressed by key executives

curious about the disposition

of Wiginton Corporation.

They had seen many of their

competitors gobbled up by

private equity investors and

bigger fish, and intuitively knew

Wiginton would be a target.

01

Ala

n w

igin

ton

//

Jo

e w

igin

ton

//

Do

n w

igin

ton As owners of Wiginton

Corporation, it was nice

to have options. Thanks

to a roaring economy and

easy credit, there was

quite a market demand

for specialty contractors

like ours. We engaged the

most respected investment

bankers to “ping” the

market. We were delighted

to hear how much our

company was worth. As

a seller, our timing was

impeccable. However, there

was something that didn’t

feel right about selling

our “baby” that way. Our

name was attached to

the company. 40 years

of blood, sweat and tears had gone into building the

Wiginton brand. Could we trust our name with investors?

Rarely had we seen mergers and acquisitions actually

work without the loss of key employees, a loss of

identity, and sometimes a loss of reputation. It was

more than just a financial decision.

By August of 2007, we selected the option that we

believed would create the most good for the most

people and decided to go 100% ESOP. We would take

advantage of the tax incentives offered by ERISA and

IRS, transferring ownership in time to our employees, and

in the process, keep control of our culture and destiny.

This was a bold and noble gesture, but was it smart? It

didn’t appear that way when the bottom dropped out of

the market in 2009 and the reality of IRS rules on debt

forgiveness left us with no option but to refinance the

entire transaction. We did what we had to do to save the

ESOP. There was a lot of faith required of everyone back

then, and now, seven years later, it would appear our plan

is coming together and everything is going to be fine.

We made good decisions and they paid off for us.

At the current velocity of monthly earnings, our bird is

When a Plan Comes Together

flying under power again. We are implementing a

fantastic way to sell, own and run a business.

As we sit here buzzing along the horizon, finally

able to say: “It was what it was!” … still in one piece,

looking out into our future, it’s very fulfilling to

remember that we not only survived, but we also

expanded over the last five years.

• we remained profitable with no wholesale layoffs or organizational trauma.

• we maintained team cohesiveness, our quality standard for workmanship and customer service.

• we planted our flag into the mega-markets of Atlanta and Houston.

• we became Florida’s #1 fab and supply source to mechanical contractors too.

• we delivered on our claim of “always there, always ready” – growing our service and maintenance business.

• we grew our Florida market share.

• we doubled our national cold storage

business.

We are very well poised to take advantage of the

recovery that is now occurring. The clouds are

parting and the sun is coming out again. We are on

the climb. We need dedicated recruits right now

who are ready, willing and able to take their next

step toward learning the business so they can lead

us through the next 20 years of success. Fresh

ideas are needed to keep growing our reccurring

service business. The timing is right for investments

in training and technology. Yes, we are on the

climb again and will continue to grow, providing

opportunity for people to grow like very few other

companies can.

Success is 100% guaranteed to individuals and

teams that embrace and demonstrate certain

immutable attitudes and behaviors that we know

to be successful. Periodic individual and team

introspection is required to keep our formula for

success dialed in and calibrated. To this end, your

new leader, Mark Erickson, is sponsoring training and

encouraging everyone in our company to embrace

their responsibility and accountability to achieve

results, regardless of the circumstances. There is a

“Wiginton Way” and IT WORKS! However, it’s much

more than process perfection. It’s about seeing,

acknowledging, solving and doing whatever is

needed to produce the results we want.

We couldn’t be more pleased with our selection of

Mark Erickson as our new, and future leader. We

are confident his fresh leadership will enable our

“goose” to continue laying golden nest eggs for our

retiring owners and our family’s dream of employee

ownership and continued prosperity.

We are extremely excited for the young people just

now joining the company, and those with 20 years or

more to devote to our cause. We experience ups and

downs, but as you can see by the graph above, we

have always rebounded and kept growing. It’s great

to be a part of a growing company. It’s even better

to be an owner of a growing company. At this point,

all we have to do is maintain the current level of

revenue and profit to have the legacy debt paid off

according to terms. But if we can judge our future by

our past, we will continue to grow and, by doing so,

be able to own our company unencumbered earlier

than currently scheduled. We want to acknowledge

and thank all of you for the sacrifices made and faith

displayed. You guys are the best. Stay alert and keep

the passion high.

There is a

Wiginton Way and it woRKS!

02

120,000,000

100,000,000

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60,000,000

40,000,000

20,000,000

1st Generation 2nd Generation 3rd Generation

Branch Offices

Quality Fab

WFPE

JD Edwards

Aero Lane

ESOP

2.5% Annual G

rowthAtlanta, Houston,

Mech Fab

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79 81

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89 91

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33

Wiginton History

On a recent visit to our Atlanta branch I noticed

something on the white board that caught my

attention. There was a line drawn on the board,

above the line the following was written: “See it”,

“Own it”, “Solve it”, “Do it”. Below the line were

words or phrases like: ‘they did it to me’, ‘it wasn’t

my decision’, ‘I didn’t have the right information’,

‘helplessness’, and ‘blame’.

I was interested so I asked Patrick Cordi what

that was all about. He shared with me that

he had recently read a book entitled the “Oz

Principle” and suggested I also read it. I needed

another good book so I decided to get a copy.

As I read (OK, actually listened, iTunes is a

wonderful thing) I found that the principles in

the book were just that; principles, not a fad or

the latest management strategy, but just basic

principles. The main principle is the principle of

accountability. I know, not the “A” word again. Yes,

we have all heard that management was going to

crack down and start holding people accountable.

For most of us, that probably brings on a feeling

of fear or begs the question, whose fault was it?

However, the key to a successful organization is

joint accountability or an organization that

is interdependent.

Webster’s definition of accountability is:

“Subject to having to report, explain or justify;

responsible; answerable.”

The OZ Principle’s

definition of accountability

is: “A personal choice

to rise above one’s

circumstances and

demonstrate the

ownership necessary for

achieving desired results;

to See It,® Own It,® Solve

It,® and Do It.®”

See, based on the above

definition, if we ever fail

to deliver a great product, fail to make a

budget or fail to give the customer the service

they deserve, we are all jointly accountable. At

some point in the process if we asked ourselves

“What else could I have done”, we could always

find something we could have done to ensure the

team met our goals, even if those things may be

outside your area of responsibility.

I think our company lives by the principles in the

book, however, from time to time, we all fall into

the “Victim Cycle”. You can recognize when you’re

there if you start feeling like you have no control

of the situation, no control of what is happening to

you or if you find yourself blaming others for the

circumstances. The ‘Victim Cycle’ is a place where

someone is doing something to you. It’s what the

book calls “below the line”. In the caption you will

see above the line and below the line behavior.

Operations Update

By Mark Erickson

03

Above the Line®

04

Above the line behavior is:

See it – Acknowledge reality and seeing things

as they really are allows you to escape the

feeling of powerlessness.

own it – People who own the circumstances

never allow the actions of someone or

something else to keep them stuck Below

the Line.

Solve it – The wisdom to Solve It includes

anticipating what could occur and preparing

for the worst. The Solve It attitude and behavior

stem from constantly asking the question,

“What else could I do?” By constantly and

rigorously asking this question, you avoid

slipping back into the victim cycle whenever

certain events occur that would otherwise

seem to block the road to results.

Do it – Personal accountability means

accepting full responsibility to achieve results

and Do It. If you don’t Do It, you’ll never reap

the most valuable benefit of full accountability:

Overcoming the obstacles and achieving the

results you want. By stopping at any step

short of Do It, you will never fully achieve a

permanent position Above the Line.

People who make it happen! People who watch it happen. People who wonder what happened. People who never knew anything happened.

There are four types of people out there:

First half highlights! • We have grown our company’s

top line 26%!• We are three times more

profitable than we were this time last year!

• We have sold as many heads as we have installed, keeping our backlog strong!

• We have grown service & Inspections by 12%!

• All branches are profitable!

By Dave Capalino

Juan Carlos Gomez is a professional truck driver

who has been with Quality Fabrication & Supply

since 2003. Juan has one of the most critical jobs in

the company and, along with our other professional

drivers, is tasked with transporting millions of pounds

of steel up and down our state’s highways each

year. They do it with great professionalism

and enthusiasm.

I want to share the journey of Juan’s life that brought

him to us – it’s not a story you hear every day. Juan

was born in Santa Clara, Cuba in 1962 after the Cuban

Revolution under the Castro regime. Juan’s family

has a history of serving in the Cuban Air Force; his

dad flew for the Batista Government prior to the

revolution. After the revolution, Juan’s dad flew

bi-planes working as a crop duster while trying to

earn a commercial

pilot’s license to take

his family to America.

However, Juan never

knew his father; he

was killed in a plane

crash just after

Juan’s birth.

In 1980, Juan was

drafted into the Cuban

military, as all Cuban

men are expected to

serve in the military.

He initially trained in

Special Forces-warfare

but was redirected to

the Air Force by a friend of his father. 1982 was also

the year Juan got married and then had two sons,

Carlos and Frank.

Juan went into training in 1981 at Santa Clara Air

Base learning to fly Russian MIG 21s and eventually

MIG 23s. In addition to his Air Force training, Juan

attended UCLV Marta Abrus, a university in Santa

Clara, and received degrees in both accounting and

finance. Juan’s Air Force unit was sent to Angola

to support a Soviet invasion of the African nation.

Juan flew many combat missions for the Cuban Air

Force but, as time went by, he started to question

the mission and the collateral damage he saw on

the people of Angola. The government media was

tightly controlled so there was no way of getting

reliable information. Juan thought something was

wrong and began to have somewhat of a personal

moral dilemma, which he shared with his copilot

during his return from a mission in 1986 – which was

nearly a fatal mistake. Cubans were raised to spy on

their neighbors and to report any anti-government

sentiment. He was immediately returned to Cuba to

face a military tribunal where he was convicted of

treason and sentenced to 16 years hard labor at a

prison camp called Manga Larga.

Conditions there were deplorable, cutting sugar cane

from sunup to sundown, abused by the prison guards

and fed unspeakable food. At one point, Juan was

taken by boat offshore and thrown in the water and

was told to swim to America, while guards shot at

him with machine guns loaded with blanks just to

terrorize him.

QualityCorner

One Man’s Journey

05

Juan Carlos Gomez

At one point, Juan was taken by boat offshore and thrown in the water and was told to swim to America, while guards shot at him.

Manga Larga was for political prisoners. They were

dissidents, journalists, lawyers and the like. Simply

anyone who disagreed with Cuban government policy.

They were not hard-core criminals.

While in Manga Larga in 1988 Juan’s first wife divorced

him. Most of Juan’s family left Cuba during the Mariel

Boat Lift in 1980. His mom, stepdad, brothers and

sisters came to America and were placed around the

country where they had found sponsors.

In 1990, for reasons not totally clear, the Cuban

Government decided to let 700 political prisoners

go free. Juan was transported to Havana and put on

a Cuban plane to Jamaica, transferred to an American

Airline plane and flown to Miami. Five days after

leaving ‘Hell on Earth’ at Manga Larga Prison, Juan

walked out of Miami International Airport a free man.

There, his mom, stepdad and 14 other family members

greeted him. Juan did not speak a word of English.

He eventually made his way to Orlando and got a

job washing dishes at Florida Hospital and attended

Orlando VO Tech to study English. That is where

Juan met his current wife, Patti. She was working at

Florida Hospital as a department secretary at the time.

Patti didn’t speak a word of Spanish but they had a

common connection in their love for one another.

They communicated with a hand held electronic

translation device and were married three months

later. Together they have a daughter Ashley who just

turned twenty. Juan eventually was able to bring his

sons to America: Frank in 2005 and Carlos in 2007.

Juan worked hard at Florida Hospital, eventually

moving into their food distribution division where he

first earned his commercial driver’s license. In 1995,

Patti and Juan moved to North Carolina to be near

Patti’s mom but returned to Central Florida in 2000.

In 2003 we were fortunate to have Juan join our

company. Juan is kind, energetic and comes to work

every day with great enthusiasm for his job.

Sometimes we take our co-workers for granted.

We think their past must be much like our own.

This is just one man’s journey but one I thought

you may like to know.

06

07

Human ResourcesSpotlight

07

By Steve Browne

When we were kids, people asked

us this question. Maybe you had

to write an essay on this when you

were in elementary school. Surely,

many of you spent some time

when you were young thinking

about what you would be in 10, 20

or 30 years. I don’t know about

you, but I’m not what I thought

I’d be when I was a kid or even as

a young adult. My life has taken

many twists and turns along with false starts,

dead ends and U-turns. I’m sure many of yours

have too.

Regardless of what journey has led you to where

you are today, you stand on a road with about

350 other people. All of us are at an important

crossroads. We have emerged from the worst

economic conditions in 75 years. We work for

a company that we own and that company is

strong, solid and has tremendous opportunity

to grow. We hold financial interest in this

company that has the potential to give us a very

prosperous future. In order for all of this to work

(our growth, our future, our retirement, the ESOP,

the company) we need to have the right people

in the right places.

We have always been a company that has

promoted people from within. We have four

branch managers (Mike McKeever, Alan Tuck,

Robert Cariveau and Patrick Cordi) who started

as helpers at Wiginton. Additionally, Chuck

Patrick, who was recently named to succeed

Mike as Orlando Branch Manager, started as a

helper here. We also have a sales manager (Jim

Erwin) and Assistant Plant Manager (Jeysson

Geronimo) who started in the thread shop at

Quality. We have countless other people who

have advanced their careers from the shop, field

or service to design, sales, and management.

While it’s a nice thing that we do as a company,

it’s also something that is extremely valuable.

When we promote people from within, we

ensure that we have people in key roles who

understand the culture, live the values (quality,

integrity, dedication and innovation), and know

what needs to be done and how to do it. When

we bring someone in from the outside, we don’t

know if they bring those things to the table. It is

much easier to train someone on the technical

aspects and the requirements of a position

than it is to train them to fit our culture or to

understand the “Wiginton Way.” Our success rate

with internal candidates is much higher than our

success rate with external candidates.

However, you cannot microwave stars and you

can’t turn a lump of Kingsford Charcoal into

a diamond (unless you are Superman). These

things take time and effort. In order for us

to meet the demands of the ESOP and the

shareholders (that would be US), we must grow.

We must either prepare people to meet the

challenges and be ready to move up or we will

continue to look externally and spend additional

time and money finding someone who may or

may not “fit” with the company or the job.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

08

So… if you are looking to advance your career and grow with the company, ask yourself these questions:

How am I preparing for another opportunity? What sacrifices do I need to make to get to that level?

Am I willing to make those sacrifices?

Have I reached the highest level I want to achieve at Wiginton?

That’s not a bad thing if you have, I have. I’m good here and

would be comfortable spending the rest of my career doing

what I’m doing. However, it’s important that I constantly

learn more and grow in my position to meet the demands of

the company.

Have I discussed with my manager what mycareer goals are?

Am I willing to do what it takes? Am I able to do what it takes?

The last two questions are very important and very different.

What you are willing to do is about your motivation and

desire. What you are able to do is about your ability. I may

be willing to do whatever it takes to become a starting

center in the NBA, but no matter how hard I work, I won’t be

able to overcome the fact that I’m 5’9” on a good day and

I’m about five and a half years older than the oldest player in

the NBA.

And finally, if the opportunity is not in my current location, would I be willing to go somewhere else for the right opportunity?

Mobility is important if you want to keep moving up. As

you move up an organizational chart, you’ll notice there are

fewer and fewer positions near the top. Each level you rise,

you will find there are less people at that level. If you want

to increase your chances for advancement, you need to be

somewhat mobile.

They say that luck is where opportunity and preparation

meet. We will provide the opportunity, but you must be

prepared. Answer these questions for yourself and we,

as a company, will work to build our future together.

By Martin Morales

People have very different ideas

about who society’s heroes are.

Soldiers, police officers and

firefighters come to mind, someone

who puts their life on the line for

the benefit of others. But today, and

for some time now, even athletes

and artists are seen as heroes.

Perhaps you heard in the news about “Everyday

Heroes”, someone who works with disadvantaged

kids, feeds the poor, gave their own money to a

nonprofit organization or rescues abused animals.

When I think of heroes, I also think of people who

save others’ lives. Doctors, nurses, paramedics…

I’m certainly not trying to attempt to define who is

a hero in this article, but rather making mention of

some unsung heroes: A group of people I personally

see as heroes, even though they perhaps don’t see

themselves as such, and they are closer than you think.

When I was a respiratory therapist (RT) many

moons ago, I had the opportunity to work in the ER,

intensive care and even surgery at various hospitals.

I remember when I executed my first CPR on a

real person two weeks after taking my first CPR

certification; I was just in my second semester of

college. I never thought I was a hero until 2 years

later when the person who I had performed CPR on

and her brothers recognized me at a coffee house.

They came rushing to me and gave me a big hug,

at first I was thinking - “what the heck?!” Then,

they proceeded to tell me what happened after my

initial rescue. She even showed me the scar of a

tracheostomy performed by the MD in the ER. The

incident happened in the countryside and about 35

minutes from the nearest clinic. At the end of our

conversation she said to me, “Thank you for saving

my life, you are my hero”… WOW! Even though I was

only 20 years old at the time, that event changed my

life forever (now you know why I’m a CPR instructor).

I could also tell you of several other times in which

patients or family members would come to me and

thank me for something I thought was just part of

my regular duties. I write this not because I need

you to see me as a hero but rather, I consider myself

lucky that during my career as an RT, I was given the

opportunity to see and talk to those I had a major

impact on, perhaps even saving their lives. But that

may not be the case with the heroes I’m going to

mention in this article.

One of the reasons I enjoy being part of Wiginton and our industry is because we are in the business of saving people’s lives while safeguarding their property.

From designers to welders and fabricators; from

pipefitters, foremen and their helpers, from inspectors

to alarm technicians; and the superintendents; service

coordinators managers and plant supervisors. These

are just a few of the many heroes we have here at

Wiginton Fire Systems and Quality Fabrication and

Supply. But as such, they may never come in contact

with those workers or owners of those buildings

directly affected by a fire. Perhaps a fire may never

take place or it may be 10, 20 or more years before a

fire occurs. Better yet, our system worked in such a

manner that the fire was mitigated just in time before

it claimed any lives or caused major damages to

the property.

Regardless, if our fire sprinklers are put to the test, you

should take pride in what you do - you may as well

be saving someone’s life… Every pipe you hang, every

weld you do, every inspection you perform and tag

you place, every design you draw has your signature.

And although you’ll never see the people you

impacted by your job, you are nevertheless a HERO.

The next time someone asks you what do you

do for a living tell them first, I work for Wiginton

Corporation and I save people’s lives and protect

their property… Thank you for what you do day-in

and day-out!

Live Long and Prosper. Be Safe. 09

Heroes. who are they?Safety

10

The year was 1973 when the Orlando Chapter of

ABC spun off from the Tampa Chapter. We elected

our own Board of Directors under the leadership of

Bob Buckner, President and Bob Ramsey, our first

Executive Director.

Central Florida, along with every area in the state

of Florida, was awash in new construction projects

that we needed to find a way to serve. Everyone was

short of skilled manpower. For sure, the unions did

not have the capacity or desire to train workers fast

enough to supply the manpower demand. It fell on us,

the open shop contractors.

Our company, Wiginton Fire Sprinklers, was pretty

typical of other general and sub contractors who

turned to ABC for the solution, and we did it

extremely well.

We developed our own training manuals and supplied

the local schools with instructors as prescribed by

ABC and approved by the State. Our company at this

time had apprenticeship training programs in Ocoee,

Seminole Community College, Tampa, Ft. Myers,

Jacksonville, West Palm Beach and Miami. Not only

were we training young apprentices, we had foreman

and superintendent training for the field, management

training for new managers, as well as design and

engineering training. Thanks to ABC, we were able to

continue our growth in these boom years.

Back to the beginning of our new ABC Chapter

in 1973. I was serving on the Board of Directors

as Membership Chairman. Needless to say, any

organization needs new members to sustain our

growth. Our Board asked each Board Member to

assist in bringing in new members during their spare

time. (There wasn’t any spare time!) After analyzing

the situation, I determined we needed some strong

incentive to assist my fellow Board Members to act.

I asked Walt Juergensen and Bon Aagard to build

a goose cage to house a big white goose I found in

Casselberry. I disclosed my plan at our next Board

Meeting. Our President set

a certain number of new

member prospects for each

Board Member. If they

didn’t meet the number they

could expect the Goose and

Caboose to be dropped off

at their office with critical

instructions on how to feed,

clean and care for him.

I introduced the Goose in

his Caboose at our next

meeting at the Hilton Inn

on West Colonial Drive.

I carefully grasped and removed the

Goose from his Caboose and as I held him up for all

to see, he pooped on my new suit and me. The place

roared and I carefully put the Goose in his Caboose

and removed myself from the meeting.

A month later, I delivered the Goose and his

Caboose, along with instructions on his care to a

certain general contractor who did not meet his quota

and who shall remain unnamed. Friends – this is not a

good way to win friends if you know what I mean!

However, our Chapter became one of the fastest

growing chapters as more general, sub-contractors

and suppliers became members.

ABC was the difference during this period of time

that allowed huge growth in Central Florida to be

handled successfully and on time by our great teams

of Merit contractors. Keep up the good work!

Best Regards and Continued Success,

Joe Wiginton

Featured Letter

THE GOOSE CABOOSE &

ASSOCIATION OF BUILDING

CONTRACTORS (ABC)

By Joe wiginton

1 1

By Bryan Benton

The Information Technology

department is currently going

through a leadership transition

as Barry Grable is phasing into

retirement in 2013. Barry has

been with Wiginton Corporation

since 1995. He was hired as the

Director of Information Services

and later was promoted to Vice

President and Chief Information

Officer. During his time here he

has worked on many projects

including the implementation of JD Edwards in

the Quality Fabrication and Supply division and

then when Wiginton Fire Systems came on to JD

Edwards he was involved again. He has built many

custom programs to make JD Edwards work better

for Wiginton over the years. Most recently he has

developed and implemented a tablet based field

inspection program so Inspectors can do inspections

electronically and submit them for final processing to

the customers. He is currently working on an upgrade

to the application so hood suppression and fire alarm

inspections can be completed electronically on the

tablets. Everyone at Wiginton would like to thank

Barry for his outstanding years of service.

I was brought on in Nov. 2012 To replace Barry and

begin to learn the IT infrastructure and Wiginton’s

business during the transition time. In early

2013, I assumed the IT department management

responsibilities. I have been in information technology

for over 18 years and have worked in main different

areas of information technology during that time

with that last 13 years being in management roles.

While I am not a JD Edwards expert, I have worked

with many ERP systems in my career and have been

learning the specifics of JD Edwards since November.

It has been great learning Wiginton’s business and

working with all the excellent people at Wiginton. I

look forward to my future with Wiginton.

JD Edwards has been a focal point during the

last several months as we make sure that we are

supported on the software moving forward since

the decision was made to not upgrade to the latest

version. We have partnered with a company called

Spinnaker Support to provide Tier 1 Help Desk

support on JD Edwards for us. They will also be able

to provide us with long term support, maintenance

and regulatory updates in future years.

Over the years, reporting out of JD Edwards has been

challenging. To provide better reporting out of the

system we recently completed the implementation

of a software add-in that runs within Microsoft Excel

called Global Software Spreadsheet Server. This

program provides a direct connection to the JD

Edwards database and with this connection the time

to run reports has been greatly reduced. Working in

Excel provides users the ability to work in a familiar

environment. This program also provides the ability

to connect to other ERP systems and databases for

greater reporting capabilities.

Also, the Human Resources and Information

Technology departments recently began the roll-out

of a cloud based HRIS system called BambooHR. This

software will allow everyone in the company access

to their personal Wiginton information online and

provide managers a tool to better see and manage

information related to their employees.

I’m excited about the current projects that we are

working on and bringing more technology based

solutions to Wiginton to provide better business

solutions and save the company money.

INFORMATIONtECHnoLogY

U P D A T E S

INFORMATIONtECHnoLogY

Branch UpdatesAtlantaIt’s become routine in Atlanta; we rocketed out of the gate the first six months and slowed a bit to start the second half. Backlog is a bit low, but there are several large projects on the horizon. To use a food analogy for sprinkler work, we have a few steaks waiting to be grilled, but have had enough hamburgers to keep us from going hungry.

This is also the case in a couple other branches, a sizeable portion of our work has been out of town, and we’d like to take this time to say ‘thanks’ to our crews for enduring the labor and taking care of business. Foremen, fitters, apprentices and helpers have always been the backbone of Wiginton, and we’ve got a great crew in Atlanta helping us take care of our customers.

Project spotlight: Physicians Choice Laboratory Services, Rock Hill, South Carolina. 103,000 SF, 485 sprinkler heads, two wet systems and one double interlock preaction system. We faced a few challenges from the start on this one but, in the end, the PCLS folks were glad that we were on the team and made sure to share this with the general contractor who felt the same way.

Atlanta held our 2013 Summer Picnic on Saturday, June 8th. As always, with a low country boil, and burgers and dogs. We played some horseshoes and volleyball, though not as competitive as the Atlanta vs. Jacksonville throw down we had last year, and ended the day with a few hours in the pool. We all had a good time and are already looking forward to next year’s picnic.

DaytonaWe would like to recognize our three new employees:

Deb Cravatta, AAKen Mock, ForemanErin Bullin

David Zeek successfully completed his first year of apprenticeship school.Mark Bielenda has completed his pre-engineered hood system class. Patrick Grubbs has received his inspection permit.

Anniversaries

Jeff Bryant 33 yearstodd Haigh 14 yearsPatrick grubbs 12 yearsBob Skinner 10 years Mark Bielenda 6 yearsnick guerinna 6 yearsAndy Smith 4 yearsDavid Zeek 1 year

We took a fishing trip this year to take advantage of the short Red Snapper season, taking the opportunity to catch our fair share of Snapper. We all had a good time!

Fort MyersIt’s been a busy 2013 so far. We’ve taken great strides to increase our business and resources here.

Todd Carter has just passed his seven-year mark with Wiginton, and his knowledge and enthusiasm is an asset to our operation.

Evan Bryan achieved his Nicet 2 equivalent in wet system inspections.

Eric Stone had his two-year anniversary. He received his fire extinguisher certification and is preparing to take his pre-engineered certification test in August.

We recently hired Parker Middleton as a service department helper. He’s doing a great job in his new role and is a much

needed, welcomed addition. Parker is enrolled in ABC Fitter School and will attend as soon as they start classes.

We created an Administrative Assistant position here, in Ft. Myers, and found Vikki Turner to fill that position. She has a great grasp on the Wiginton way, and is learning and contributing to the operation.

I want to thank our crew here, and I look forward to continued success.

GainesvilleBill Eder and his team continue to be profitable in 2013 and at the current rate, will make 2012 look pale in comparison. Through August, total revenue is $86 thousand above budget and net income is $39 thousand above budget. In June, Bill Eder transitioned to more of a part time role with his predominant duties being sales. This change is his first step toward retirement which will be official December 31, 2013. For the time being, operations for the Gainesville branch are a team effort by all. Ken Murray assists in the daily service needs while I help on the contract side, but it has been a pleasure watching Chuck, Mike and Buddy step up to help out with the daily operational challenges. Mike Ivey is selling inspections in between his inspection route and service calls. Chuck is handling more of a service role while also inspecting, and Buddy is handling everything on the contract side while continuing to train Jay Hyatt. Thanks guys for your efforts.

HoustonThis January will mark our second year in Houston, Texas. I’m excited to report that we have turned the corner, and on budget, in 2013. In addition Wiginton Fire Protection of Houston is now proving to be a strong competitor by continuing to provide outstanding customer service to our newly acquired customer base making friends and creating advocates.

One of the most recent advocates comes from the Cato Industrial Group – they’re a high pile storage fire protection consultant. While working on some issues with one

Red Snapper Fishing Trip

12

of their customers and finding solutions to their problems we were referred to as the “experts in high pile, cold storage and big box warehouses”. As everyone knows having a fire protection consultant as a friend can bring a lot of business your way and it has just started to take off. This year we were recommended over two well-established local companies and were awarded a $320 thousand ESFR job and today we are again about to close on another $167 thousand rack project, not because we were the lower price, but because we were highly recommended.

As in all new organizations we’ve had our growing pains. The business plan has always been to grow Houston organically at an even pace by pursuing the inspection and service business while maintaining a small support group of fitters, apprentices and balancing our overhead with a designer/sales and management/sales multitasking daily as needed. The service business has had steady growth however; I am forecasting it to take off quickly after March of 2014 due primarily to the completion of several major construction projects. Exxon has moved its corporate headquarters to Woodlands, Texas, just north of Houston. This has created some vacancies in the downtown area and three other locations, which will soon become tenant build outs for new companies moving to Houston.

The new facility will create over 4,000 jobs and a large amount of new construction including new tilt wall warehouses, shopping centers and housing.

We have been blessed with a good bid market which has allowed us to cheery pick the construction projects that fit our business model. Randy Almond has made several visits to Houston and has started to build some relationships with some local general contractors.

As we grew this year there were a few changes in personnel that were deemed necessary. With those changes and growth comes opportunity for Wiginton employees. Bill Shelton has been a recent addition bringing his much needed design skills and filling in a sales gap as well. Bill and Mona relocated to Houston on June 10, 2013 and have settled in Cypress, Texas, a suburb west of Houston. Although it is well known that Bill is a huge Florida Gators fan he was recently spotted at a Buffalo Wild Wings cheering for the Texas Aggies and Johnny Football! Mona has already found a great job with a local OBGYN taking up where she left off in Orlando and enjoying all that Houston has to offer.

Joe Bertrand has been honing in on his leadership skills and working towards a construction superintendent position when the time comes. Mauro Barrera is now studying for his NICET and will be taking the RME-I test. If all goes well he should be out doing inspections and drumming up new business for us next year while still performing his duties as a service foreman. Alfredo Rivera has continued to take on more responsibility and will be working on moving into a service truck in the near future.

Our most recent team member is Artem Kapustin who will be joining us in an apprentice role.

Artem is fresh out of high school however, he has many accomplishments starting with being fluent in the Russian language and playing Tight End for Bellaire High School, he also was a life guard for the past two summers taking his job seriously with a strong work ethic and being responsible for the safety of young swimmers. It comes as no big surprise with his 6’6”, 250 pound frame he was a life guard and first string tight end now ready to start his career as a fire sprinkler apprentice helping to save lives. Effectually known as “A.K 47” by his friends we are happy to welcome Artem to the Wiginton team.

In closing, the success we have had this year would not be possible without all of the support we received from the Jacksonville and Orlando offices. We are looking forward to future success and a prosperous year in 2014.

JacksonvilleWith $1 million in contract backlog coming into 2013, we looked to do much better than 2012. However, unexpected job delays hurt us in the first quarter, so financially we stumbled out of the gates. But then everything hit all at once in March and we were off to the races. I’m proud to be a part of such a strong team and the numbers show it. Through August, we are $1.2 million above our budgeted revenue and $136 thousand above our budgeted net income. A big ‘thanks’ to the entire sales team including Matt Creasman, Charles Chancey and Troy Carter locally, but we are also grateful to Pete Aziz, Mitch Bortner and Randy Almond for the contributions. To handle the increased design, Kyle Cochran joined the design department in early March and has contributed greatly. As in past years, the contract guys are spending incredibly long periods of time on the road and away from their families. A special thanks goes out to

Walter Blessing, Evan Taylor, Christopher Coffman and Luke Miller. What you guys do every day is greatly appreciated! To handle the massive contract backlog, Wayne Faircloth has been on a hiring rampage. He has added Kyle Hydeman, Jacob Terherst, Ronald Gardner, Coy Fogarty, Michael Carter and Stephen Collins to the contract department. Our service department is also very busy, so Ken Murray hired Weston Johnson and, most recently, Curtis Young. We’re looking for big things from all of our newly hired field personnel. Welcome to the Wiginton Team!

In June, we held our annual branch picnic at the always-beautiful Marywood Retreat located on the quaint St. Johns River, just south of Jacksonville. The attendance was pretty good and the food was even better. Steve Browne, Mark Erickson and Bill Eder all made the trip up to Jax to join in the festivities.

In early July, we watched yet another member of our team retire. After 10+ years of hard work and dedication, Valerie Beer decided to go travel the world. We recently received a post card from her while she was in Russia. She is obviously enjoying a much deserved retirement and we wish her the best. With Valerie departing as our senior administrator, Sarah Polson accepted the new position and is doing a great job learning a whole new side of our business. With Sarah leaving the S&I department, we needed someone to fill her position. We are pleased to welcome Fallon Mayville to the Jacksonville team and so far, she is handling all aspects of the S&I business very well.

Also in July, Aaron Bellemore decided to leave Wiginton after 12+ years in our contract department as a foreman and field superintendent. He will be sorely missed.

Last but not least, we ask that everyone keep Mark Fretwell in their daily prayers as he is fighting for his life. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2012 and had it beat, but he recently suffered a setback when the cancer metastasized in his brain. He is currently undergoing more chemo and radiation and will get his next checkup in mid October. Mark has 16+ dedicated years with Wiginton in our inspections department and is Wiginton through and through. We wish him well and hope fora full recovery. God Bless, Mark!

13

Melbourne The Melbourne office is having another great year. Our team of associates is providing fantastic customer service.And as we approach the final quarter of the year, we’re confident it’ll be an outstanding year for all of us.

Reuniting with Harris Corporation has proven to be very rewarding. Our service team and Inspectors are providing the Wiginton Way of doing things again with Harris Corporation. They really appreciate all the hard work we’re doing.

We are preparing the TWIG Office to become a branch Office at the beginning of January 2014. A big thank you goes out to Mark Erickson and Mike McKeever for providing this office the opportunity to step up and compete with the big guys. This growth, by combining the Daytona and Melbourne TWIG, will be exciting. To all the managers and staff in Sanford that have helped us in the past, we’re very grateful for all the assistance. Wayne,Tom, Scott and Todd; thank you all forall the help growing these TWIGs to the point they are now.

In preparing for the new opportunity, we’ve been focusing on training more than ever. Ricky Martin will have his Hood Certification by October. Kevin Morrison will have completed his Fire Extinguisher Certification by October, as well. Ronnie Grove will also have his Fire Extinguisher Certification by the end of the year. David Walker has received his Backflow Repair Certification. Robert Blake is in theSanford Branch for Designer Training. From everyone’s comments he’s goingto be a star for the company. Can’t wait‘til he gets home!

Our office staff is outstanding! Miss Beth, Miss Jenny and Miss Mom [my secret agent] are the best a manager could hope for. Every task is handled in a professional and timely manner. Miss Beth is the glue that holds this place together. We’re very fortunate to have these great ladies assisting us.

I would like to take the opportunity to celebrate the life of Steph. As most people know he was the other half of the Lynch Team. He will be missed by all. His opinions and quick wisdom will be forever remembered by those who knew him.The backbone of this office, Mr. Dibble, continues to make my job easier. He is one of the most talented Sprinkler Men I have ever worked with. His knowledge of systems, and more importantly people, make him extremely respected. His crews

are becoming more and more talented.His management of the service and contract departments is reflected inour profits. Steve, keep up the good work, your leadership continues to inspire the rest of the team.

A big ‘thank you’ to all the apprenticesand foremen goes out to you guys. I could not be more proud of all of you. I get the calls from customers requesting the next job to be done by Josh, or Harold, or Dave. These calls are the measuring stick for business. We get more calls thanking us than I can remember. To all of you a big ‘THANK YOU!’

So for now, from Melbourne, we sign off knowing we’re going to have a great 2013, and a better 2014. Thank you to all for this!

MiamiAnniversaries

Javier Morffi – 5 yearsJosue Sampedro - 5 yearsivan Santana - 5 yearsAldo Lopez - 10 yearsRobert Castro - 12 yearsHector Ramirez - 18 yearsAlan tuck - 24 years

on March 23rd, the Miami crew got together for some bowling. it was a fun event with delicious food!

on June 1st, the Miami branch had their annual fishing trip… as you can see by the photos, it was a great day and we all had fun!

OrlandoOur goal for 2013 is to be profitable as a branch and continue to contribute to the financial success of the corporation. Our first of the year, six month report card reflects we’re trending in the right direction, profits are up and we’re selling local work within the Central Florida area, while reducing our footprint nationally, so we can bring our field personnel home. As we enter the final quarter of the year, our larger projects like Michelin, US Cold Dallas, US Cold Fresno and Whole Foods are winding down and crews will be returning home, finally “right”. A special thanks to Joane Suarez and Heather Spangler (our design wrangler) for helping with the training process for Beth Smith and Deb Cravatta. They will be handling the loads for their Melbourne and Daytona offices within the upcoming year.

Service Dept. Continues to Dev.Scott Holland closed three Disney service contracts for $62,000 which we are hoping is just the beginning of a new and profitable account. Alarms are continuing to grow and develop under Danny Harrods’ direction and tutelage. Danny continues to support our national alarms; the plan is instead of subcontracting our work out, it will not be a necessity but an option. We would like to thank and acknowledge Debbie Kell on her promotion to corporate, she has been a vital and valued employee in our service department and we wish her the best. We also would like to welcome Rebecca Price to our service team who came to us highly recommended.

Design growth and Change within the orlando Design Dept.This year has produced exciting changes and career opportunities for the Orlando/Sanford Design Department. As the economy continues to recover, more than one experienced designer has moved on to pursue promotions within the company, a foreman from the Melbourne branch hangs up his pipe wrench and picks up a drafting pencil, and the department welcomes new and familiar faces to the team. Bill Shelton accepted the position of Operations Manager for the Houston branch and relocated to Texas to work side-by-side with Kenneth Trevino to grow and develop this newly opened office. Dave Hart has recently accepted a sales position for the Orlando/Sanford office and will begin training in the beginning of October.

Among the new faces are Robert Blake, Bobby Myers, Eric Heston, Chad Sheffield and Heather Spangler. Robert is yet another prime example of the Wig way.

Bowling Night

Annual Fishing Trip

14

After starting as helper and being promoted to foreman, Robert has chosen to widen his career path and begin his design apprenticeship at the Orlando/Sanford branch, to ultimately become the Melbourne office’s first designer. Bobby joined the team in April and has already proven to be an experienced designer and excellent mentor to Robert. Eric, a veteran of cold storage design, comes to us from Indiana and is currently working remotely out of his home office, only a few miles from one of our national salesmen.

Who knows what the future could bring for this duo? Chad, a familiar face, rejoined the team this September. His design experience and ambitions to grow will quickly open doors for him.

Rounding out the group is veteran, Chris Hendricks, and the meticulous, Frank Petersen. The two of them share an astounding 48 years of design experience. The “glue” of the department comes in the form of one Heather Spangler. Her energetic and cheerful attitude, along with her administrative skills, makes her a valued member of the team.

C.S. Lewis once said, “Mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, and where there is no continuity there is no growth.” During my six year tenure at Wiginton Fire Systems, I have witnessed this company grow. The next time I hear someone say “that is the Wiginton way”, I will be reminded of all the recent changes to undergo the Orlando/Sanford design department and how this culture we are all so fond of ensures continuity and results in growth for all employees and the company as a whole.

Special AnnouncementsA big “welcome” to our new employees, that have joined our family. First joining our design team here in Sanford, we have Robert (Bobby) Myers. Working remotely from Fort Wayne, Indiana Eric Heston, and former designer returning home, Chad Sheffield. Also joining our field team William (Trey) Simpson, Donald Norris, Daniel Oliver, Phillip Bowman, Josh Durham, Dallas Barker and Kevin Brown.

Allen Scott is a proud granddad, his son Harry Allen Jr. and soon to be wife Krissy had a baby girl on September 7, 2013, she’s 7lbs 12oz and her name is Khloee. Way to go, Allen!

Our leader in dry chemical, Bobby Swartz got engaged to Carly Miller on August 24th congratulations Bobby and Carly!

Pensacola2013 is proving to be another good year. Through August, total revenue is $19 thousand above budget and net income is $11 thousand above budget. The Ascend Plant decided to part ways with FM Global, so it’s back to business as usual. Herman and Bert continue to take care of the plants needs while also working at the Ascend Plant in Foley, Alabama. Cerex and Exxon are also big clients for the Pensacola team. In April, Steve Browne, Martin Morales, Matt Creasman and Robert Cariveau visited the guys in Pensacola and while there, attended a minor league baseball game between the Jacksonville Suns and the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. What a coincidence? The two teams playing at the same time we were out there. We all had a great time, and even a few friends from the Ascend Plant joined us with their families. I think it’s worth mentioning that the Suns were dominant over the Blue Wahoos that night… even if we lost the series. While at the game we recognized Herman Suero for his 14 years of dedicated service. Congratulations are also in order for Bert Wynne as September marks his 5-year anniversary with Wiginton. Keep up the good work, guys!

TampaThere are many exciting things happening in Tampa this summer. As our backlog continues to grow, so does our amazing team.

• Bobby taylor achieved a promotion to Foreman 3

• After a tough 4 years of ABC apprenticeship, t.J. Brewer earned a promotion to Foreman 1

• After recently achieving his Nicet Level 2, Designer Josh Pfeiffer graduated from Associate Designer to Designer 1 Congratulations, Josh!

In other news, we’ve been working very hard for the last several years to create a culture where safety is our priority.It’s been tough, but the Tampa crew has really stepped up to the plate and we’re beginning to see the results ofthe hard work.

West PalmNew Hires:

Scott Sutherland – SuperintendentRyan Rodriques – Field Formanwilliam Shores – Designer iiScott Katcher – Contract SalesLillia Commacho – Service Customer Service Representative.welcome Mike thompson back as Designer ii

Other noteworthy subjectsLarry Boraiko will be sitting for the PE Exam in October

Gary Endicott has taken over as interim “Service Manager” while we perform due diligence to replace the position

West Palm Office has signed another 5 year lease and is undergoing some much needed office improvements to spruce up the place.

We are looking forward to the “Side by Side Burn Season” with Alan Wiginton spearheading the new “Burn Trailer” and Wiginton being actively involved in the South Florida Area Side by Side Burn Demonstrations.

Another noteworthy issue is we want to thank Alan Tuck and the Miami Branch, Robert Cariveau and the Jacksonville Branch and Mike McKeever and the Orlando Branch for their assistance with Manpower over the summer as it has been a challenge and we couldn’t have done it without their assistance, also in order for Bert Wynne as September marks his 5-year anniversary with Wiginton. Keep up the good work, guys!

Bobby Taylor Promoted to Foreman 3

T.J. Brewer (right) Promoted to Foreman 1Josh Pfeiffer Promoted to Designer 1

15

Benefit UpdatesOpen enrollment is around the corner. Remember that this is the time to make any changes to your medical, dental, vision, medical spending, or life and disability insurance. We will be completing our informational meetings by November 15th and all forms will be due on November 22nd. Lots of information will be available at the meetings, but as a preview, not much is going to change including any costs or any out of pocket expenses. We are doing a great job of controlling our costs and that, in turn, saves us all from having to pay more. Just like the ESOP, with benefits we are all in this together.

Speaking of ESOP, statement meetings have been completed. If you were out of town or if you missed your meeting for some reason, please call Steve Browne at (407) 585-3218 with any questions. If you didn’t receive a statement, or you lost your statement, please contact Anita Mann at (407) 585-3246.

Corporate UpdatesCongratulations to Debbie Kell who joined the corporate team as a Premier Accounts Customer Service Representative. Debbie had been working in the Orlando Branch as a Service AA since February of 2009.

Congratulations also to Melissa Caggiano who married Brian Kendall on August 17th.

Nick Guerrina from the Daytona office shows

off his big catch

Anniversaries

Mike thomas -21

Lee Brow - 20

Jason godown - 18

Mark galavan - 17

Joel Summerfield - 15

Larry Boraiko - 13

Ken Chennell - 12

gary Endicott - 11

Jose Quintero - 7

Pat Donnelly - 6

Yean Fernandez - 6

Mike D’Amore - 3

Jason Endicott - 2

Kraig Million - 1

Reeve King - 1

Alex Valdez - 1

Mark Sweet - 1

QFS Sanford Bowling Night

16

AtLAntA // DAYtonA BEACH // FoRt MYERS // gAinESViLLE // HoUSton // JACKSonViLLE

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