Company History
“Over the years, I’ve become convinced that the one separating factor between all successful and non-successful businesses is simply perseverance.” – CEO John Svetlecic
Successfully running a business isn’t easy. In fact, for many people, it might just be one of the toughest things they’ll ever do in their lifetimes. A significant reason for this is the sheer number of variables associated, along with the constant headaches that keep owners up at night. Will I be able to make payroll next week? Where are the new leads going to come from? Are my employees satisfied to the point that they won’t jump at an offer from a competing firm? Starting to get an idea of how difficult it can be?
Wil-Clair CEO John Svetlecic was more than aware of the struggles that can accompany a small business that isn’t living up to its potential. Prior to opening the doors to Wil-Clair in 1999, John was a co-owner of another Kansas City-based sheet metal shop. During his time there, it didn’t take John long to become a true expert of the industry. However, after a disagreement on the direction of the company, John decided to put his entrepreneurial talents to the test and built a startup.
In 1999, Wil-Clair was founded by John Svetlecic, as he brought along two of his former employees, David Ogle and Allen Kubicki, with him. David was in charge of the financial side of the business, while Allen served as the head of the shop. To this day, both of them still serve as John’s right-hand men. While the right pieces were certainly in place, the business wasn’t an overnight sensation. The first year saw revenue around $100,000, but it wasn’t long till the growth started and continued for years to come. To put into comparison the leaps made over these past two decades, 2016 saw sales at nearly four and a half million. Over this time period, the employee count has rose leaps and bounds, along with plenty of expansions to the main office and warehouse space.
In the Kansas City market, competition in the manufacturing industry can be rigorous. Plenty of companies employ talented engineers capable of handling a wide variety of projects. When asked how Wil-Clair stands out from all these other qualified organizations, CEO John Svetlecic simply said, “We’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done for our clients.” Sometimes this means utilizing high-tech software to scale out a project, while other times it may be doing a drawing by hand. In the end, the message always stays the same. This troubleshooting approach has certainly drawn the praise of plenty of past customers and has, without a doubt, been a major catalyst behind the growth of Wil-Clair.
Over the course of a small business’ lifecycle, there are always going to be great times and tough times. With a team built around individuals who’ve been working in the small business environment for most of their careers, possibly no one is more aware of the ups-and-downs than the Wil-Clair team. It didn’t take John long to come up the toughest and most enjoyable parts of his time as the head man at Wil-Clair. The best aspect was simply the camaraderie of working with his team and seeing each of his employees develop their skills throughout their time with the company. The toughest part? The ever-changing variables. He said, “As an owner, you always have to be cognizant of what’s going on. You have to trust in those working for you and know they’ll always get the job done!”
Let's Meet
Our Team
John Svetlecic
Our company founder knows metal. Period. With 30+ years of experience, John brings a lifetime of knowledge, creativity and problem solving to the business. He is the CEO at Wil-Clair Sheet Metal and enjoys having the opportunity to help create a stress-free process for our customers!
Allen Kubicki
Allen is a true professional that works hard day after day to help maintain the high standards that our clients have come to expect. He has been on the team since the start and serves as the shop superintendent. His deep industry knowledge makes him the ideal person to keep things running in our shop.
Dennis Arnold
Having joined the team in 1999, Dennis has been with Wil-Clair for over 20 years and is a project manager. He always looks forward to seeing projects take shape, going from design to finished product. Away from work, Dennis enjoys traveling and spending time with his family.
Chris Cain
Chris joined the Wil-Clair team in 2000 and serves as the shop foreman. His favorite part about working here is the fact that every day is a little bit different. When he's not working on sheet metal projects, you'll likely find him spending time with his family!
Nathan Kubicki
Nathan has been with Wil-Clair since 2000 and is the shop's assistant foreman. He has a passion for any projects that involve TIG welding and is always focused on getting each job completed just right. Away from work, he enjoys spending some quality time with his kids.
Johnny Emery
Johnny joined the Wil-Clair team in 2020. During his time here, he has enjoyed having the ability to work on a variety of different projects, as well as help with a wide range of stages in the fabrication process. One of Johnny's favorite hobbies to do in his free time is fishing.
Jon Arnold
Jon has been with Wil-Clair since 2018. With a variety of projects coming through our shop, Jon enjoys having the opportunity to take on new challenges and emphasize an 'attention to detail' on each one. Outside of work, Jon is a big sports fan and loves to cheer on the hometown teams.
Garth Hart
Garth joined our team in 2021. Since starting at Wil-Clair, he has had a blast having the chance to work on the various different stages in the fabrication process and continue to learn from the other team members. When not at work, one of Garth's favorite activities is riding his motorcycle.
Chris Adams
Chris started with Wil-Clair in 2022. He has enjoyed being able to work on such a wide range of different projects for our clients, while continuing to improve his skills in metal fabrication. A couple of activities that Chris likes to spend his time doing are traveling and hiking!
Daniel Gochenour
Daniel has been with Wil-Clair since 2016. With our shop having clients from a number of various industries, he always looks forward to working on something new throughout the year. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with family and friends.
Tom Duren
Tom started at Wil-Clair Sheet Metal in 2022. He has thoroughly enjoyed being able to work on the various projects that come through our shop, thus having the opportunity to consistently work on something new. When not working, one of his favorite things to do is hunt.
Ethan Tinkham
Ethan started at Wil-Clair Sheet Metal in 2023. Since joining the team, he has appreciated having the opportunity to learn from his co-workers and add new skills. Away from work, Ethan enjoys playing video games, as well as spending time with family and friends.