I often use this space to talk about the people of this industry. There are so many family businesses, so many second-, third- and fourth-generation plumbers and drain cleaners. It gives the whole industry a family culture, and I appreciate that.

I was talking to a third-generation plumber the other day. He owns a plumbing and drain cleaning operation in Philadelphia and was one of the first contractors I got to know after I started at Cleaner. I see him every year at the WWETT Show, and he calls every once in a while just to see how things are going and talk about the industry. He pointed out that I probably have longtime friends who don’t call, but I’ve met people from all over who’ve dedicated their lives to this industry and who do call, just to talk or offer ideas or thank me for a story.

One of those conversations led to the profile on Wisler Sanon and All Service Plus in last month’s issue. Sanon came to the United States from Haiti in 1992. As an adult, he spent 10 years working for several plumbing and drain cleaning companies before deciding to open his own business in 2012. He now employs five people and serves Philadelphia and all of New Jersey. And he says he couldn’t do it without the help of his wife and son.

Family is also an important part of Dave Sigfrids’ business. Sigfrids, the owner of Great Lakes Pipe Service in Superior, Wisconsin, worked for the City of Superior’s wastewater department for 20 years before putting his knowledge and experience to work on the private side.

Great Lakes, profiled in this issue, specializes in cleaning and inspecting municipal sewer lines. Today, Sigfrids’ two sons, Dave Jr. and Dylan, play important roles with the company, which has been built around a culture of service and commitment. He’s established good relationships with his clients and considers them friends. He says being a small, personal company is important because his customers know they can talk to him or one of his sons when they need help.

In next month’s issue, you’ll be able to read about O’Connor Plumbing & Heating in Germantown, Maryland, another multi-generational company. O’Connor, which has been in business for 65 years, added a drain cleaning division about three years ago. Today, the division runs nine service trucks, employs 17 people and contributes about 33 percent of the company’s total gross revenue.

The story is a great example of the opportunity this industry provides, as well as how viable the traditional family business still is in this industry. Both of those things are pretty cool, and for me, they’re a big part of what make it interesting to cover the industry.

You can read about products in a lot of places, but we tell your stories and help you write the next chapters. That’s rewarding.

Enjoy this month’s issue.