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Steve Thornton takes sole ownership of SVC, ushering in new era of growth
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
FAIRFIELD - Schaus-Vorhies Contracting (SVC), a leader in construction and metal building systems, is excited to announce that it is operating under the sole ownership of Steve Thornton, who’s been with the company since 2006. With this significant change in leadership comes many meaningful improvements and changes to give SVC customers a better experience and greater value.
A former homebuilder and carpenter, Thornton stepped away from construction several years ago as the result of an injury, taking on sales jobs instead. But it didn’t take long before he found himself wanting to return to the industry, even if it meant he couldn’t work with his hands like he once did.
To re-establish his construction career, he approached SVC about possible job opportunities and was quickly named superintendent, overseeing construction of the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, which was completed in 2007.
“From that point on, I wanted to keep building the company,” says Thornton. “I loved the work I was doing.”
That ownership opportunity came over time. When Roger Vorhies departed to explore new endeavors in 2019, Thornton and his wife, Kathy, bought out Vorhies’ shares, becoming partial owner and co-owner alongside Gus Schaus. Six years later, when Schaus retired, Thornton had the opportunity to become the sole owner of SVC. In this new role, he has ambitious goals for the company’s growth and success, and he’s already working toward achieving them.
For example, to improve efficiency and communication, SVC now operates from one location instead of three separate facilities. This streamlines operations and improves team collaboration.
“I can meet with the entire crew every morning before we get started to make sure all questions are answered and everyone is ready to go for the day,” says Thornton.
Major investments in new equipment and systems will allow the company to deliver higher-quality work, stay on schedule, and provide better service to customers.
Finally, Thornton is committed to ensuring that SVC takes quality and customer satisfaction seriously, doing whatever it takes to get the work done right. Above all, Thornton wants SVC to be known for keeping its word.
“Every change we’re making is to improve efficiency and enable us to respond faster and more effectively to our customers,” he explains. “As the sole owner of SVC, my mission is to continue to build on the strong foundation we’ve already established and grow the business locally.”
As SVC takes on more general contracting work and scales up its pre-engineered metal building services, Thornton says he’ll also expand the size of SVC’s crews so the company is ready to take on larger and more complex projects.
“This helps provide a stable livelihood for more local families,” he notes. “It’s a win-win for us and for our employees because, when we work locally, they get to be home every night.”
From financial institutions and recreational centers to residential remodels and small-business buildouts, Thornton says there’s no renovation or new construction project too big or too small for his team. They’re experienced, professional, and ready to tackle any challenge.
In step with new leadership and renewed momentum, Thornton says SVC is also refreshing its brand by unveiling a new logo, updating the website, and enhancing communications.
“We’ve grown to serve a wide range of clients, and I want to keep that progress going,” he explains. “I want SVC to be able to provide even better service than we are right now. There’s more news coming soon about how our leadership is continuing to grow and expand its impact, and it will be exciting for the company, our customers, and the community.”
To learn more about SVC, visit www.svciowa.com .
About SVC
Founded in 1986 by Gus Schaus and Roger Vorhies, Schaus-Vorhies Contracting (SVC) is a general contractor and dealer of Ceco and Nucor pre-engineered metal buildings. It’s known for its work on several famous and distinctive buildings in the Southeast Iowa area, including the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center, Ottumwa’s sportsplex, Mount Pleasant’s Mid-American warehouse, a new warehouse and roto molder additions to TrafFix Devices, an addition to Agri-Industrial Plastics, Pilot Grove Savings Bank, and many more. Learn more at www.svciowa.com.
