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A day in a soldier’s life
February 25, 2010
With almost 40 years of service under their belts, Valure Electric and Air Conditioning, Inc., does its best to create a friendly atmosphere for its customers.
“We do what we can to be a part of the community,” said Louis Valure III, who runs the company with his nephew Eric Valure. “We know that people who are calling with electric or air conditioning problems are already in a bad mood, so we do our best to ease their problems and make things better for them. We want to give our customers some peace of mind.”
Louis Valure III’s father, the late Louis Valure Jr., started L&E Electric and Refrigeration company in the summer of 1970.
Louis III worked with his father full-time from 1979-84, before leaving to seek another opportunity.
The 1980s were a busy time for the company as they dealt with the nation’s slow economy.
“We felt it like everyone else did,” said Louis III. “Those were tough times.”
But Louis Jr., changed the name of the company to its current name in 1985 and worked the company to a more stable level.
“It took him a lot of time, but he built it back up,” Louis III said. “He slowly got it back up, working out of his house. He increased clientele and then started to hire some more people.”
Louis III said he had inklings to work again with his father at times, but did not want to displace anyone who was already on the staff.
“I would work overseas and when I was home, I would work and help out here,” he said. “But the company wasn’t yet stable enough to put me here full-time and I didn’t want to take anyone’s job. My father was a loyal man. When he hired someone, they were here to stay.”
But that changed in 1999 when Louis III got tired of working across the globe and settled in back home as an electrician for his father.
“I got in there full-time and just worked my way up,” he said.
With his father approaching the end of his career, Louis III and his nephew Eric began to maintain the company in the middle part of the 2000s.
Eric became a part of the company in the mid 1990s when he completed school.
Valure Electric offers a wide range of electrical services, ranging from air condition repair; refrigerator repair and generator work in commercial, residential, industrial and marine fields.
But in addition to their many services, the company offers a friendly, family atmosphere.
From Louis III, having his nickname, “Chubby” across his work coveralls to the employee’s joking personality, Louis III said the company’s customers are a part of their family.
“I know almost all of my customers on a first-name basis,” he said, “I go out and socialize with a lot of them. If we fix something and then our customer calls three days later with the same problem, then we’re not doing our jobs. We’re not about doubling or tripling up our service in the same place. We’re about doing it correctly the first time and hoping people call us if they have a problem in the future.”
And even though Louis Jr. passed away last November, Louis III said his family would not run their business any other way.
“It’s all about Dad,” he said. “We’re just trying to run the same type of business he did. We’re trying to earn the same trust and respect he did all throughout his life. Dad was an honest man, who had a great relationship with almost everyone he encountered. We’re trying to follow the same example he set.”
Louis Valure III (right) and his nephew Eric Valure (left) pose in front of a picture of Louis Valure Jr. Louis Jr. Valure Electric is heading into its 40th year of service this summer. * Photo by CASEY GISCLAIR
