Warwick-based Garage Headquarters Companies recently announced their milestone 50th anniversary of serving Rhode Island and Massachusetts clients in all their residential, commercial, and industrial door projects’ needs. For the last nearly 20 years, they have expanded to several spin-off companies to better serve their customers and communities in the region and nationally.
Garage Headquarters President Scott Grace said that the company’s longevity is the result of their ability to listen, evolve, and adjust to the ever-changing needs of its increasing roster of customers, while keeping a strong corporate team culture.
“Our team is the backbone of our success in developing new dynamic solutions to the evolving needs of our customers,” he said. “Regardless of whether a team member started working with us 50 years ago, or simply a few months back, the professionalism, loyalty, and eye for detail are seen in everything we do, individually, and as a team.”
A series of recognitions marked the anniversary milestone, including citations from Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee. At an anniversary celebration event, Overhead Door Corporation executives in attendance said that the significance of reaching such a milestone was not lost on them.
“Fifty years do not happen every day with our distributors,” said Jeremy Harris, Vice President and General Manager of Overhead Door Corporation. “This is a true accomplishment, and we truly appreciate everything the Grace Team does and its partnership with the Overhead Door Corporation.”
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
The company’s beginning started out of necessity. Jim Grace worked in the building materials industry growing up and held a senior leadership position with a regional lumberyard. In 1973, Jim learned of an opportunity to lead a Rhode Island distributorship for the Overhead Door Corporation. That distributorship was Overhead Door Company of Providence, based in Warwick, RI.
A decade passed before Jim purchased a neighboring Overhead Door Corporation distributorship in New Bedford. The distributorship extended the company’s service area by expanding from Rhode Island out to the Bourne Bridge, the gateway to Cape Cod, MA.
Nearly two decades later, in 2004, their reach expanded into Boston, with the launch of Overhead Door Company of Southeastern Massachusetts.
In 2005, after over a decade of sales and leadership positions with IBM, Scott Grace returned to lead the company and its future regional and national expansion.
“We went from a local player in Warwick, Rhode Island back in ‘73, and with our great people, investments and innovation, we now have a presence throughout North America,” Grace said.
GARAGE HEADQUARTERS IS BORN
Garage Headquarters was born as result of a new diversified set of companies and products to better serve the market beyond the Overhead Door Corporation brand.
In 2006, the company launched Specified Building Products Corporation. The new enterprise produces and installs custom fire and smoke resistant doors. Some notable clients include Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, the University of Rhode Island’s College of Engineering, and Novartis in Cambridge, MA.
In 2015, the expansion continued as the parent company founded DoorWall Systems Corporation, a company focused on custom high-end commercial and institutional architectural doors. The company has innovated a patented door that has been a basis of design for construction projects across the country from California to Massachusetts, including a recent installation in Manhattan.
COMMUNITY
The company is also no stranger to community service. Garage Headquarters Companies supports several charities, including The McAuley House in Providence, which helps feed the homeless and offer assistance to battered women and their children. Also, the Ron Burton Training Village in Hubbardston, MA, which helps provide character building in the inner cities.
For additional details about the company, please visit their website at www.garageheadquarters.com, or you can reach out to Scott Grace directly at sgrace@ohd.com
