OUR HISTORY
At thirteen years of age, armed with a limited
tool supply and a small shop on east Burnside in Portland, Tom Heitzman began
painting and repairing cars. However, what started as a small enterprise
soon became quite a large business for young Tom. In 1937, after 9 years
of repairing vehicles, the young entrepeneur bought his first piece of land
in Hillsboro. The booming establishment remained there for a number of years
until he invested in another property in Beaverton, a bold move considering
the town was primarily farmland at the time.
Luckily, his daring relocation
paid off. Throughout the next seventy years, Beaverton would witness immense
changes, but Heitzman Body & Paint would continuously remain a central
part of such a promising city.
In 1971, Tom Heitzman died of a massive
heart attack at age 56, and his only child was given control of the company.
Thirty seven years later, Barbara Heitzman-Benjamin still remains the company
CEO. Barbara's daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Rocky Thomson, also work
for the company. Lisa, who joined the company in 1986, is now the secretary
treasurer. Her Husband, Rocky, started at Heitzman's in 1974 as a car detailer
and is now the company's general manager.
Today, a picture of Tom still hangs on the wall in the office for all to
see. His personal ethics, dedication to his customers and employees, strong
business sense, and passion for repairing vehicles continue to shine through
the business he spent his life creating. At Heitzman's, we stand by the promise
Tom Heitzman envisioned in 1937: quality repairs, inexpensive prices, safe
work environment, and superior customer service.
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