It was his family that convinced Douglas Hurrelbrink to launch Austin’s Pumping Service in 2010 in Strafford, Missouri.
His brother-in-law, Jack Crow, had already established Action Rooter Sewer and Drain a few years earlier and encouraged the Hurrelbrink family to move from California. Family members have always been an integral part of the team and are likely to carry on with the business into the future.
The two companies have united under a single corporation, although they still maintain their individual names. Hurrelbrink’s wife, Elizabeth, and sister, Lora Crow, handle accounts, while son Chad, and nephew Tristan Crow are dispatch supervisors. His son, Austin, handles inspections and assists other team members as necessary.
Hurrelbrink is looking to Austin and Chad to bring their unique talents to head up the business in the future. Austin worked summers for the business before serving 10 years in the military. He returned in 2018.
“I like the service aspect of the business and interacting in person with customers,” he says. “I enjoy working with my hands, being outside, performing maintenance on trucks and even working in a ditch some days. I appreciate the satisfaction of customers calling us back and saying we did a good job and that I was part of it.”
Chad graduated from the police academy but realized his interests were also more closely aligned with the family business. He’s worked with the company for a decade, including many critical service positions. However he’s found a niche for himself in dispatch and is also looking to expand his role in sales and marketing.
“I enjoy the administration side of things,” he says. “I’m a people person, and I’m on the phone every day, talking to customers or our supply houses. I hear everybody’s challenges and problems and enjoy coming up with solutions.”
The elder Hurrelbrink says his goal is to let his sons take over the day-to-day details while he slowly moves into the background as he helps them behind the scenes.
In addition to family members, the company employs 10 service technicians who form the backbone of customer service. Many employees are members of the armed forces and the company prides itself on offering full pay to workers during military training sessions and deployments.
“You can be a one-man band running a pump truck,” says Hurrelbrink. “But we couldn’t have built a business without dedication from our families and the commitment of a quality service crew.”
Read more about Austin's Pumping Service in the October 2025 issue of Cleaner magazine.
