Routine Danger In Grand Rapids

Sam Rodriguez, with Award Window Cleaning Services, cleans the windows of the JW Marriott in Grand Rapids. The hotel is cleaned twice a year. More pictures at the link.

23 stories up, window washers dangle high above Grand Rapids, MI – Dangling over 200 feet in the air, four men inch their way down the face of the JW Marriott while wiping each window clean. The building's height and its unique shape make rappelling from the roof the most efficient way to ensure that the windows shine on the riverfront hotel that has become a Grand Rapids landmark.

The work is not for the faint of heart. "Terrifying," window cleaner Sam Rodriguez said of his first trip down the JW Marriott. "You finally get to the ground and you almost want to kiss it." One "drop" or trip down the face of the hotel takes more than an hour.

From left, Sam Rodriguez, Brenden Riggins, and Tim Scott, all with Award Window Cleaning Services, clean the windows of the JW Marriott in Grand Rapids.

The first time Rodriguez performed the task as part of the Award Window Cleaning crew, it took him twice the time of an experienced window washer. With each swipe of his squeegee, he felt sure something would go wrong. After six years of working high above the ground, like any other job, it becomes routine. Now, he has to remind himself that it's dangerous and to check and double check his equipment.

What's one thing facing window washers that passersby can't see from the ground? "Spiders," said Mark Reinhart, Award Window Cleaning's president. The eight-legged creatures leave cobwebs for the cleaners and sometimes crawl up their pant legs. Before pesticide use, window cleaners would duct tape their pants and shirts closed to keep them out. Now, there aren't nearly as many, but they still can be found even on the highest buildings in town.

Grand Rapids' most recognizable buildings, including the Amway Grand Hotel, Bridgewater Place and the JW Marriott are cleaned twice a year, moments that often draw the attention of downtown crowds.

Owner Sells Window Cleaning Company

Mark S. Reinhart, Award founder and sales manager, watches his book of business grow with each addition to the Grand Rapids skyline.

Owner sells window-cleaning company: The owner of a local window-cleaning company has sold his operation to pursue other business ambitions. Award Window Cleaning Services has acquired Blue Sky Window Cleaners. Both companies are based in Grand Rapids and provide residential and commercial window cleaning services in West Michigan. Terms of the deal, which was announced today, were not disclosed.

Nate Wood founded Blue Sky Window Cleaners in 2009. Since that time, he has grown the company to multiple crews.  “It’s been a great ride, and I’ve had a lot of fun building my company,” Wood said. “But now it’s time to move on.”

Wood said Mark Reinhart, president and CEO of Award Window Cleaning Services, has a “great business” with an “excellent reputation.” “I’m certain my customers and employees will be treated very well,” Wood said.

Reinhart, who has 25 years of experience in the window-cleaning industry, said customers of Blue Sky can count on the same “high-quality work” and “positive attitude” they’ve come to expect from Blue Sky.

Wood will continue to guide the company through the transition. Calder Capital of Grand Rapids sourced the buyer and brokered the sale. Max Friar, managing partner of Calder Capital, said he has seen an increased level of interest in business acquisitions during the early spring months of 2016. “Many individual and strategic buyers are actively seeking to acquire small service, distribution and manufacturing companies in West Michigan,” Friar said.

He noted lending conditions and the strength of the local economy make this “a great time to buy.” Friar also said the transaction between Award and Blue Sky typifies a trend in the marketplace: established buyers acquiring small businesses where non­-retirement age owners are seeking a new path in life.

Also see:

Making the Skyline Shine

R.I.P. Tyler Cotter

Three For Friday

Debris scooped out from Dane Mitchell's gutter goes in to an Ettore window cleaners bucket.

Recent rain means big business for gutter cleaning services  (DALLAS) -  Dane Mitchell has been meaning to clean out the gutters of his North Dallas home. Take one look at his roof, and you'll understand why he's been putting it off – it's tall and steep. "I'd get me a ladder from Home Depot and do it myself, but here I am three years later and I've never touched it," Mitchell said. Thursday he brought in a professional. Mark Brown of Brown's Painting and Window Cleaning is a tough get these days. "It won't stop ringing, I've got 20 calls, I'll go spend a whole day doing estimates and I've got another 15 to 20 calls," he said.

Brown's company has been around for 22 years. The most recent storms have produced the most water he's ever seen. He's one of a half-dozen cleaning crews we called that's all booked up. "Some people have even told me, they've never even thought about cleaning their gutter until all this rain," Brown said. Mitchell admits, he's one of those people. He's watching safely from the ground as Brown carefully scales a two story ladder to investigate. "When it shoots past my gutters and doesn't even stop and doesn't collect and doesn't go down the downspouts, then I'm kind of concerned that there is some blockage there," Mitchell said.

Mitchell was right, and the proof is in the yellow bucket. "And this is just leaf debris and stuff that comes out of the gutters, that was just across four or five feet," Brown said. Debris that Brown says will eventually weigh down the roof and damage the gutters. And standing water isn't good either, it provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes. When Mitchell's gutters were clear, Brown was off to the next house with weeks of backed up drains ahead of him.

In 1915, a small window cleaning company was cleaning the dirt and smoke generated from gaslights off of buildings in downtown Grand Rapids, MI. 

Happy 100th birthday... how a small Grand Rapids window cleaning company grew to one of the largest cleaning operations in Michigan: In 1915, a small window cleaning company was cleaning the dirt and smoke generated from gaslights off of buildings in downtown Grand Rapids, MI.  Now, that same company, Grand Rapids Building Services, is turning 100 this year. How did a once modest company turn into one of the oldest and largest custodial contractors in the Midwest?

Versatility:  GRBS has always demonstrated an ability to serve a wide range of clients. The facilities in their repertoire are quite diverse, ranging from universities and K-12 school districts to office, government, medical and light industrial buildings. The custodial team has prevailed over a century by proving they can meet the challenges of the most demanding industries.

Customer Dedication: The company knows they would not be in business if not for their faithful customers - some of GRBS' clients have trusted in their services for over 50 years, notably 5/3 (Old Kent) bank and the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. You cannot retain decades-long patrons without making dependable customer service a top priority, which is exactly how GRBS approaches every client – old or new.

Employee Care: The people of GRBS think of their employees as family. They believe the key to a successful team is through respect and constant collaboration. Employees are team members, not subordinates. GRBS has only become a better company by believing everyone is integral to their success.

Life Long Learning: Whether it is the always-changing landscape of cleaning technology, equipment or chemistry, GRBS has stayed ahead of the curve by keeping an open mind. By keeping up with contemporary practices, the company has not only been able to succeed for a century, but also expand. They currently service over 30 million square feet throughout Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, and have a team of over 1,300 employees.

This little company out of Grand Rapids has grown to be a custodial force in the Midwest. And it is these core beliefs that have allowed Grand Rapids Building Services to become the model for longevity and success. Yes, they have set new standards for the custodial industry, but any small business with large goals can learn from GRBS' dedication to keeping an open mind, and most of all, treating clients and employees like friends and family.

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Men in Kilts blow into Houston and they're ready to do some heavy-duty cleaning: Making household maintenance fashionable and fun, an all-male crew of professional cleaning technicians, Men In Kilts, hits Houston today. They not only do windows but, in a nod to company founder Nicholas Brand’s Scottish ties, all employees do their chores while rockin' a tartan plaid kilt.  Men In Kilts enters the Texas market thanks to Houston oil and gas entrepreneur — and kilt enthusiast — Bob Cavnar (pictured), who is often seen wearing the Scottish garb at black-tie events around town.

“Three years ago, I saw it (the company) on the national news and really liked the entire concept. First off, because of my own affinity for wearing kilts, and also because of my family’s Scottish background,” Cavnar tells CultureMap. With his interest peaked, Cavnar flew to Vancouver to meet with the founder. “I really wanted to have a piece of the action because I thought it would be fun. But at the time, I was still heavy in the oil business and didn’t have time. Now I do, so I bought the Houston franchise and plan to expand to all the major metropolitan areas in Texas.“

As for putting together his merry band of kilted men, Cavnar says, “My target employee is military veterans (via organizations such as the Lone Star Veterans Association) and young guys looking for direction. This gives me a good platform to provide good steady jobs to guys who need them. Anyone who is good shape and doesn’t mind climbing on ladder, I will hire.”

Men In Kilts offers a range of household maintenance services.

The Canada-based franchise, with U.S. outposts in Boston, Jersey Shore, Bucks Montgomery, Pa., and Raleigh, offers services including window cleaning, gutter cleaning and pressure washing for residences and commercial businesses. Prices vary according to the size of the job and such factors as the number and type of windows (large pane, divided, high surface requiring a ladder, etc.), window treatments and screens; when we called to asked about the price for a two-story house with 18 windows (half high surface), the estimate came in at around $350.

Cavnar believes Men In Kits has another advantage in that all workers are fully insured. “We have employees, not contractors, and we do background checks. Everyone who works for Men In Kilts is accountable to me.” As for what the men are wearing underneath those pleated wraparounds, Cavnar says, “We never answer that question. No peeking!”

FiSH Window Cleaning Gets New President

FiSH Window Cleaning Gets New President.

Grand Rapids Fish Window Cleaning franchise owner hired as company president: Grand Rapids, MI) - A little over a decade after buying a Grand Rapids area franchise of Fish Window Cleaning Service Inc., Randy Cross has been hired to lead the company.

Cross was named president of the St. Louis-based company, which is the largest window cleaning franchise in the country. Fish provides service to more than 200,000 commercial and residential customers nationwide, the company said.

Cross plans to keep his Fish franchise location, at 2990 Franklin Ave. SW in Grandville, while leading a staff of 25 to support 250 franchise locations and develop new territories.

“Other than decisions of faith and family, joining Fish Window Cleaning has been one of the best decisions of my life,” said Cross. “I look forward to continuing to help others realize their dreams of business ownership and the freedom and flexibility it can provide in their lives.”

One reason Cross was drawn to the Fish franchise: he wouldn't have to work nights, weekends or holidays, which allowed him to have a balanced life with time for his family and volunteering. Before buying the franchise, he was a sales operation manager at Computer Products And Resources.

"I do not let business dominate my life and going back to faith, I believe I have been rewarded for that," said Cross, 44, who graduated from Grand Rapids' Creston High School in 1988 and from Hope College, in Holland, four years later.

Two years after Cross bought the Grand Rapids Fish franchise, he was named “Franchisee of the Year” in 2005.

Cross says franchising has been a good fit for him because it is about following systems and processes, which is his strong suit.

"My wife likes to tease me that I won’t deviate from a recipe when cooking. That same trait helps make me a successful franchise owner," said Cross. "The skills I have taken from the experience of being a business owner will help me in my new role leading Fish Window Cleaning."

He began working for the corporate office in 2008, recruiting franchise prospects as part of the franchise development team, and more recently, leading Fish's franchise support staff.

Owner Mike Merrick, who has served in a dual role of chief executive officer and president of Fish since he started the company in 1978, will remain the company’s CEO and chief financial officer. He and his wife, Linda Merrick, will also continue their full ownership of the privately-held corporation.

“The foundation of Fish Window Cleaning Services, Inc. is well established with over 35 years in the window cleaning industry and over 15 years in the franchise industry,” said Merrick. “These strategic changes will sustain present and future growth. I fully support Randy, and I have no doubt that he will do a fantastic job.”

Fish Window Cleaning, the leader in alternative startup, franchise and small business financing. After seven years in banking, Mike Merrick walked through a brand new “window” of opportunity and founded Fish Window Cleaning in January, 1978. Mike quickly differentiated himself from his competition by providing his customers with uniformed professionals and reliable scheduling at a competitive price. He made each customer feel as though they were the only customer.

FiSH specializes in window cleaning for low-rise structures, and also provides awning cleaning, gutter cleaning and construction clean-up for commercial and residential customers, who receive a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all work.

FiSH was named to the 2010 and 2011 INC. 5000 list of fastest growing companies. FISH ranks 119th on Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2012 Franchise 500 list, 68th on Dun & Bradstreet’s AllBusiness AllStars Franchise 100 list and 14th among the Top 50 Large Systems in Franchise Business Review’s 2011 Franchisee Satisfaction Awards, which is based on the results of surveying over 22,000 franchise owners representing over 300 franchise brands.

Why a window cleaning business? Where did your initial inspiration come from?

Mike: I was always looking at different types of businesses to own. The guy who cleaned the windows where I worked put his window cleaning business up for sale, and I decided to check into it. The more I learned, the more I thought it would be a good “fit” for what I wanted.

I liked that the business didn’t require an investment in inventory. Because I had a young family at the time, I liked that it was a Monday-to-Friday business that didn’t require any work in the evenings or on weekends or holidays.

My wife’s family had owned a restaurant, and I had seen how that business totally dominated and controlled them. The window cleaning business doesn’t have any perishable items like the food business. And we’re not like retailers who have to wait for the customers to come to them. We go out to our customers.

Bottom line: I can own this business without it owning me.

What influenced the decision to start franchising the company in 1998? Were there any specific challenges you faced when trying to replicate your business model for others to implement?

Mike: I always thought franchising was a great idea, but really didn’t know anything about it. I always wanted to do it, and so I did it. Money wasn’t the primary objective. I thought about it for ten years before doing it. I figured this was a good business for others, too, since it had family-friendly hours and low overhead after start-up.

After I read an article on franchising I followed up with some of the resources mentioned in the article and worked with someone to help me get started and sell my first franchises. I learned some lessons from this experience and used those to refine my franchisee recruitment process.

One of my biggest challenges was that window cleaning is not a glamorous or sexy business. So it doesn’t have instant appeal to prospective franchisees. It became easier to attract franchises after I had the first ten or 15 franchises up and running, but getting there was a chore. My wife and I spent three long, hard years building the franchise organization, working seven days a week and traveling throughout the country helping new franchisees get their businesses up and running.

I also had to adapt to an entirely different role and set of responsibilities. I was no longer running my own business, but coaching others on how to run their businesses. I did not have control of all the factors that can influence a franchisee’s success, but their success was paramount to my success as a franchisor.

The key is to get people to believe in you and what you’re doing. You need successful franchisees who will give positive validation for your system when they speak with prospective franchisees.

When someone buys a franchise they buy a system so you have to be able to take all your knowledge and put it into an operations manual that franchisees can follow. My wife and I thought we could accomplish this in one “long weekend.” Boy, were we wrong. It’s very hard to take a concept and put it on paper. It took much longer to get the initial operations manual put together, and it’s an ongoing endeavor. We’re constantly revising, rewriting everything as our business changes and external factors come into play. Today we give our new franchisees three different manuals—operations, marketing, and personnel.

What are some of the main differences between starting a business on your own and buying a franchise?

Mike: Franchisees don’t have to start from square one. They are given a proven business model that provides guidelines on everything they need to know - how to hire, how to get business, branding and marketing guidelines, billing and accounting procedures, as well as a proprietary software system that helps them run their business. A franchisee can come in and follow the existing system and get started growing their business on day one.

As one franchisee told me, “I don’t have time to develop a database for how I’m going to keep up with my accounts receivable, my customers, my schedule, how I’m going to do payroll, personnel, how many jobs have been done. I don’t want to come up with those systems. The FISH franchise offered me an opportunity to buy into all of these existing systems.”

Our franchisees have the advantage of 34 years of window cleaning experience, a large support staff that’s available to work with them daily, and a franchise community that openly shares information and supports one another. We have regional meetings for franchisees with guest speakers and industry updates. We leverage our buying power to provide franchisees with preferred pricing on window cleaning equipment and tools. We have marketing and branding materials online and in print, as well as targeted marketing campaigns that franchisees can customize for their individual needs.

How are SEO (Search Engine Optimization), SEM (Search Engine Marketing) and social media helping support your business?

Mike: We proactively monitor and continuously optimize our franchisee’s Web sites to produce optimum results. We want to ensure a positive customer experience for users who are looking for a window cleaning service. We want it to be easy for them to find FISH so we work to maintain a top three placement in searches. We include an online estimate request form to help garner leads. We offer customers the option to pay their bills online. We use automation to keep things easy for the customer and the franchisees. We also maintain a presence on Twitter, LinkedIn and FaceBook.

You regularly publish and update a list of suggested books for entrepreneurs and franchisees to read. What book recommendations do you have for our readers?

Mike: In addition to The E Myth, which I recommend to every prospective franchisee, I also recommend Good to Great by Jim Collins. The book addresses the question, “Can a good company become a great company and if so, how?” Collins concludes that it is possible, but finds there are no silver bullets. He and his team of researchers sorted through a list of 1,435 companies, looking for those that made substantial improvements in their performance over time. They finally settled on 11, and discovered their common traits that challenged many of the conventional notions of corporate success.

The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack and Bo Bulingham. The authors describe a company that is run on democratic principles–the same principles we demand in every other aspect of our lives–and came up with a revolutionary approach to reviving industrial America. This book is for people who are fed up with management systems that don’t work, and for managers who have tried every motivational tool and still can’t get employees to perform up to their abilities.

Great by Choice by Jim Collins and Morten Hansen. This book looks at why some companies thrive in times of uncertainty, even chaos, and others don’t. Again using research and interviews, Collins and his co-author uncover and enumerate the principles for succeeding in unpredictable, turbulent times.

What’s the most exciting thing on the horizon for Fish Window Cleaning?

Mike: January 2013 will be the 35th anniversary for FISH and the 15th anniversary for our franchise organization, and we plan to celebrate this all year. We are seeing record growth from our top performing franchisees and the synergy of the brand nationally. For example, Mrs. Smith may have FISH clean her condo in Florida, but she also has FISH clean her home in Michigan. A restaurant manager, who previously managed a restaurant in Knoxville where FISH cleaned his restaurant’s windows, looked FISH up when he was transferred to Jacksonville and asked them to come and clean the windows there. We’re getting noticed nationally all across the country. This provides tremendous momentum that we plan to build on and keep going.

We’re also expanding our brand presence by making our proprietary FISH Foam glass cleaner available for sale to the public. It’s been reviewed by several influential bloggers who give it high ratings, and we now receive orders for it daily. In fact we just restocked it in our warehouse this week.

Halloween Window Cleaning Super Heroes

Halloween treat: Superman and friends seen flying outside DeVos Children's Hospital.

'Superhero' window washers visit DeVos Children's Hospital (Grand Rapids, Mich.) - A day filled with treats, spooky stories and dress-up, Halloween is many kids' favorite time of the year. A group of superheroes in Grand Rapids wanted to make sure that those spending the occasion in a hospital bed still had an epic experience. Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Flash and The Hulk scaled the walls of the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Wednesday, and inside, kids had the chance to watch--and for a minute, forget why they were there. This is the first year the hospital has done this. They had some help from the superheroes at Modern Window Cleaning.

Superheroes drop in on young patients: Superman may come knocking at your door tonight, pillowcase in hand, but first he has to finish his day job. In this economy, even superheroes have to work for a living. That’s why many of them could be seen hanging around — literally — Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital during the lunch hour today, much to the delight of the hospital’s young patients. Employees of Modern Window Cleaning, all gussied up in their superhero finest, dropped in on patients today as part of their day jobs, many of them hanging from ropes outside of various patient playrooms. After waving and interacting with the patients through the window, the superheroes joined the kids for a Halloween party.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Superman and a few of his superhero friends flew outside the 14-story Spectrum Health DeVos Children's Hospital Wednesday, waving and giving a Halloween treat to the young patients inside. Connor Videtich, 4, of Muskegon, and Randall "Rico" Simmons, 13, of Howard City, saw the Man of Steel, Hulk, Flash, Spiderman and Captain America outside their ninth-floor window on Wednesday, October 31, 2012. In reality, the super heroes were employees of Modern Window Cleaning, the company contracted by the hospital for window washing. The company and a child life specialist at the hospital came up with the idea to don costumes and hang from ropes outside the building to give hospitalized children a holiday surprise. Crowds gathered outside, looking skyward as the crusaders braved a chilling wind for the descent. Jaws dropped and smiles formed. In reality, super heroes. 

Window Washer Dies in Fall: Grand Rapids

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. A 21-year-old window washer died after falling about 45 feet from the Grand Rapids Art Museum . Capt. Jeffrey Hertel told 24 Hour News 8 the man died after falling off a scaffold while washing windows around 3 p.m. Early reports indicate the man, who was working for Award Window Cleaning Services, Inc. had something go wrong with his harness. The man was working with a partner, who was not injured. Police and emergency crews are still on the scene, and will remain there for an investigation into what happened.Police and emergency crews are still on the scene, and will remain there for an investigation into what happened.

GRAND RAPIDS - A 21-year-old man has died after falling about 40 feet while washing windows at the Grand Rapids Art Museum about 3 p.m. The employee of Award Window Cleaning Services was pronounced dead at Saint Mary's Health Care, Grand Rapids Police Captain Jeff Hertel said. Witnesses Kristin Schrewe and her husband, Todd, both 32, saw the fall near their car on Ottawa Avenue NW while getting ready to enter the museum. The couple and their 2-year-old son are in Grand Rapids on vacation from Illinois. They said they heard a commotion and saw the yellow scaffolding the man was standing on collapse, and the worker fall to the ground. The man landed on his head and was unresponsive. "He didn't move or scream or flail his arms or anything as he came down," said Kristin Schrewe (pictured), who called 911.

Her husband ran over and checked the man's pulse, which Todd Schrewe said was about 50 beats per minute. A nurse from a nearby building cleared an airway because the victim was choking, he added. "All I heard was a guy yell, and I see the scaffolding come out of the sky. It was all right in front of us," Todd Schrewe said. Police have closed about one block of Ottawa Avenue to investigate the fall.

Making the Skyline Shine

It's difficult to think of an occupation where getting high on the job is acceptable, much less a requirement. But that is the case for employees of Grand Rapids-based Award Window Cleaning Services, Inc. — strictly in the literal sense, of course. Mark S. Reinhart, Award founder and sales manager, watches his book of business grow with each addition to the Grand Rapids skyline. He is responsible for keeping the hard-to-reach windows on structures such as Bridgewater Place, DeVos Place, and the new JW Marriott hotel glistening on the horizon. When he ventured into the field, little did he know what an important role it would become. “I loved cleaning windows from the minute I got started,” said Reinhart. “I never saw the growth coming.” Reinhart discovered his calling in 1983 on the facilities team of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. While dangling outside the 30th floor of what was then Grand Rapids’ tallest structure, hooked to a line, Reinhart became, well, hooked. Window washing appealed to his desire to be outdoors while harnessing his maintenance proficiency. Twenty-five years and many, many buckets of soapy water later, the hotel is one of Award’s oldest customers. Every occupation has its quirks, but those of being a window cleaner differ from the foibles of most jobs. For one thing, looking in people’s windows sometimes can’t be helped. For another, you’re always on stage.
“Everybody’s looking at you because you’re dangling from a rope 20 stories up,” says Award Safety Coordinator Mark Reinhart II, the second-generation of Reinharts in the window cleaning business. While employees are washing, tenants are inside conducting business, often in suits and ties. As such, the company emphasizes professionalism. Workers are in uniform and doing what they can to make a good impression. Washers don’t try to see inside buildings while wiping the windows clean, and facilities generally alert staff and visitors before a scheduled washing, but still — things happen. Washers have seen women’s phone numbers — and body parts —pressed against windows. Then there was the larger gentleman who, despite his awareness of the man outside, lounged blithely in a brightly-lit hotel room — in the buff. “[The employee] cleaned that window the fastest he had ever cleaned,” says Reinhart, Sr. So if the stage is a board with a bucket and squeegee, the audience is everyone, inside and out. And this audience is not averse to joking with — and sometimes heckling — the actors. They’ve seen and heard everything from knocks on the windows to the classic ‘You missed a spot!’ and ‘Hey, can you get my car windows?’ For car window requests, Reinhart II shouts down a quote of $20. So far, no one has taken the deal.

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There are other, more serious questions the Reinharts here on and off the buildings. “Everyone wants to know: ‘what’s your secret?’” says Reinhart, Sr. They are seeking the brand name of some miracle cleanser or product, but there is no secret. Just a good tool: the squeegee. In fact, Reinhart has used hand soap from a bathroom when he has run out of his own soap and still ended up with sparkling windows. “The real trick is not to drink too much coffee,” he jokes.
Thrill-seekers need not apply. For much of its existence, the company has operated in an industry with no formal safety protocol, with the International Window Cleaning Association only recently drafting a set of safety standards. Reinhart II has has been washing windows for his dad since he was 14 and officially went to work for him at 18, but his zeal for the industry didn’t emerge until he attended a 2000 IWCA conference. "The IWCA convention was definitely an eye-opener," he says. "We realized that there were so many things we were doing wrong. There were so many changes we had to make." Since that conference, Award has developed a written training program and implemented monthly safety meetings, while growing from a five-employees to an 18. Reinhart II attributes the growth, in part, to lessons learned at the IWCA convention.

So who are these people that want to rappel down the sides of skyscrapers, secured by a 7/16-inch work line and a half-inch safety line, all to make the view a little nicer? They’re not necessarily the same high-risk folks going skydiving and cliff diving. When job applicants come to an interview and play up their bungee-jumping and hang-gliding experience, "We don't want them,” says the younger Reinhart, “not to say they wouldn't be good, but that's not who we are looking for. “We want them to be a little afraid. I'm afraid, too.” It’s the fear, he says that makes them respect the calculated risks they take every day and ultimately, makes them safer. If someone gets spooked while in the air — for whatever reason — Award has the employee do something else that day or simply head home. Everyone has days like that, they say, and keeping a washer outside could compromise safety. To keep the wheels of fear from turning, the safety coordinator turns on his iPod and avoids looking up, which, he says, is worse than looking down. Remembering that, statistically, it’s more dangerous to drive a car down the road than to wash the windows of a tall building provides a measure of comfort, too. When watching a big building go up, most of us don’t think about how the windows will get clean. “Most architects don’t either,” asserts the younger Reinhart. But more and more, architects are turning to Award for advice on how to incorporate window-cleaning efficiencies during the design phase, saving property owners hassle and cost down the road. There also are opportunities to use window washer expertise for the greater good. Reinhart’s staff was on hand for the highly publicized River House for the Michigan Community Blood Centers earlier this month, assisting the $1,000-a-head donors and an assortment of media types on their descent. The Reinharts also see their work as a small measure of community service on day-to-day basis as well. It is their company’s job to keep the city skyline clean and beautiful.

“There is a high level of satisfaction in knowing that you provide a clear view for anyone who has to look through that window,” says Reinhart, Sr. “ When you’re done and you look at the result, you feel like you’ve accomplished something.” And as long as there are big buildings with windows, there will be a need for someone like the Reinharts to clean them. “It’s a great occupation,” adds the owner. “There’s no other job like it.”

Virgin Rappelling in Grand Rapids

Reporter Chris Knape, who covers development issues for The Press, has watched River House rise along the banks of the Grand River. Friday, he took his reporting to new heights when he accepted a challenge to rappel down from its 32nd floor. Window washers are my new heroes.
"We have window cleaners that do this every day. You're perfectly safe here." That was what Mark Reinhart Sr. from Award Window Cleaning Services said to help ease my nerves as I hung 385 feet over downtown Grand Rapids. In other words, man up. I'm supposed to be a word guy: Learn about something, string words together and tell a story. But words pretty much failed me as I rappelled down from near the top of River House at Bridgewater Place Friday morning.
I was among 30 members of the media and VIPs such as the Grand Rapids Police Department's Special Response Team who made the controlled descent down the nearly complete $80 million building.

FROM THIS MANS BLOG: I'm supposed to be a word guy: Learn about something, string words together and tell a story. But words pretty much failed me as I rappelled down from near the top of River House at Bridgewater Place Friday morning. I was among 30 members of the media and VIPs such as the Grand Rapids Police Department's Special Response Team who made the controlled descent down the nearly complete $80 million building. Friday's drops were a prelude to Saturday's main event - a fundraiser for Michigan Community Blood Centers. For $1,000 a drop, about 70 people have signed on to take the plunge. The event is coordinated by Over the Edge, a Canadian firm that does these kinds of signature events all over North America. Grand Rapids' own Higher Ground Climbing Center and Award Window Cleaning Services helped train and prepare us. Now that the cramping in my hands has subsided I've been trying to reflect and search my soul for any profundity that occurred while I was dangling off the tallest building in town. Here's what I came up with: Window cleaning is not the career for me. I'll spare you the four-letter interjections that made up the bulk of my thoughts while I was trying to look brave and have some sort of Jon Krakauer moment. There is no doubt it was thrilling, the chance of a lifetime. But, hell yes, I was scared. I woke up at about 4 a.m. with a quick heartbeat and rolled around in bed until about 6. My gut refused to listen to my brain's reminders there was nothing to worry about. Not long after arriving at the Bridgewater lobby I saw Rod Kackley, news director with WOOD radio. He wore a jubilant grin as he took off his harness following his descent. "It was incredibly cool," he said. "I would do it again in a heartbeat." Everything was going to be fine, I thought to myself. If he can do it.... I took the construction elevator up to the 30th floor, then walked up two more floors to the 32nd. This is one of the last areas in the tower where windows haven't been installed. The only thing preventing someone from strolling over the edge are some braided steel cables and their own sanity. Reinhart and his son, Mark Jr., strapped me in. Jonathan Graham, chief technical officer for Over the Edge, lead me past those steel cables. Graham was the first to rappel Friday morning, dressed as Griff, the Grand Rapids Griffins mascot. Down in the parking lot, across the street. I could see my wife, Amy, and sons Ben, 8, and Will, 6, who took time out of school to watch their old man try to be brave. My knees felt a bit wobbly as they slipped disposable blue booties on my shoes to avoid scratching the windows. A few last-minute safety checks and tips and the next step was simple: Lean back and stick my rear end out a bit. The two ropes, each of which I had been assured could hold more than 5,000 pounds, were all that was preventing an ugly, gravity-fueled date with Bridge Street. My first words as I dangled there, looking down at the ground and at the reflection of the city in the glass, were less than profound: "OK, this is really, really nerve wracking." As I swung and dangled, the life-affirming moment I thought I might enjoy on the way down never happened. I was thrilled, frightened and those booties kept slipping off the blue tinted windows still wet from the overnight rain. After descending three floors , I realized this was going to be tiring. My hands were gripping far too hard. Feeding the rope through the lever and pulley system was more difficult than expected. Was that clip on all the way? I had a serious wedgie. I turned around and waved to my kids. I could tell they were smiling. A construction worker poked her head out a balcony and said "Hi. Are you scared?" "A little bit," I answered. "It's a long way down." Press photographer Cory Olsen had put a mic on my shirt, but after that brief exchange and another with a worker who let me know I was on the 19th floor, I didn't do much talking. Ground approached about 8 minutes after I started. Gravity was my friend this day and so was the safety equipment. I was glad to be back on the ground, not as game as Kackley to get back in the harness and do it again. I let out a triumphant whoop and headed over to my wife and clearly impressed sons who were waiting outside the River House construction zone. Ben gave me a hug. The life-affirming moment happened on the ground.