Faces of Family Business: GEO Heat Exchangers

August B. Ohmstede, Gene E. ‘Buddy’ Ohmstede Jr. and Gene E. Ohmstede III

GEO Heat Exchangers was established to fill the need for high-quality, fast-turnaround heat exchanger repair and fabrication. Once properly equipped, both the office and shop were staffed with the most knowledgeable people in the industry. Because of our achievements over the years, we are poised for continued growth and success in the future. Our values are based on more than 100 years of family experience—in safety, relationships, integrity, quality and service. We have grown exponentially by learning from our successes and our failures. We consider both to be a blessing.

HAS YOUR BUSINESS STAYED TRUE TO THE FOUNDING FAMILY’S ORIGINAL VISION?

Yes, we started as a family business and still regard that close-knit relationship as one of our core values. We extend that value to all of our employees and treat everyone as family. Over the years, our vision has changed with technology, safety, efficiency and geographical service, but we have never compromised our integrity or the relationships we have worked so hard to build.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED?

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is to know our strengths and weaknesses. This applies to our growth strategy and our employees. Success lends the ability to grow quickly. We’ve learned that our quality products, service, and relationships with employees and clients are the backbone of what we believe in. Long after a project is complete, our relationships will always stand strong.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK WITH FAMILY?

It’s a blessing. Our older generation has years of wisdom and experience, while our younger generation is skilled at finding more efficient ways to preemptively solve issues. We often challenge each other to come up with better processes and policies, and everyone has a say in the final decision. At the end of a meeting, we all agree on a logical, sound solution. We work long hours together, but we believe in “family first.”

WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON FOR YOUR COMPANY?

We are gearing up to celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2021, and we are proud to serve our community, friends, family and customers, not just here, but also in the US Virgin Islands, Canada and Puerto Rico. We are proud of the relationships we have formed, and are excited about the multi-site agreements we have in place with several large refineries and chemical plants. We recently expanded our Field Services Division, which will allow us to provide even more services to our customers and continue doing what we do best.

3650 CYPRESS AVE. • ST. GABRIEL, LA 70776 • 225.642.8900 • GEOHEAT.COM


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