When he was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma at the age of 4, his love of the army took on a whole new meaning as he battled the “germies” to get better so he could be a veteran. Louis and his father both shaved their heads not because he may lose his hair but because that’s what soldiers do. His next assignment was to find a fort “because EVERY soldier has a fort.” With one wish, his army-themed play set was delivered and he was ready for some carefree combat.

The play set arrived fully-equipped with slides, monkey bars and everything Louis needs to keep him active, entertained and on top of his duties. A small brigade of special friends –army reservists – stopped by to join in the celebration. They gave him a camouflage uniform and sleeping bag, dog tags, a canteen and some face paint. They taught him all about his new gear.

According to Louis’ mother, “He couldn’t believe it when the reservists showed up. It just solidified that he would get through the fight. He loves his play set and doesn’t stop talking about his special day.”

Wish Granters: Deirdre Trevett & Norman Wedderburn
Referred by: Bernadette Brunetti, his social worker
Wish adopted by: Nancy Strom Endowment Fund

Original post : http://sfla.wish.org/2010/06/14/louis%E2%80%99-very-own-fort/

Keith and Doug Daubmann knew from a young age that they would someday be running their family’s Mr. ShowerDoor business. But Bill Daubmann didn’t want to just hand over the reins to his sons until they fully appreciated the company he and his wife, Donna, had built.

Though he welcomed the extra set of hands after school and during summers, Bill encouraged his boys to get jobs elsewhere as soon as they were of age. “He knew I wasn’t ready to fully appreciate what I had available to me,” says Keith. “He knew I would appreciate it more if I worked for someone else first.”

And that’s just what the boys did. Keith went to work at the largest food wholesaler in the United States and Doug became a car salesman. “It’s amazing how we both migrated back to him,” says Doug.

With the boys completely on board, Bill and Donna started thinking about taking some time for them. A winter home in Florida seemed like the best way to do that, but when the boys accompanied them on a visit to the Gulf coast, plans quickly changed.

“We asked if we could all move here,” Keith says. In fact, the boys encouraged Bill and Donna to sell their Mr. ShowerDoor locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut, sell their home, and retire in Southwest Florida.

The boys, meanwhile, had their own visions of reinventing their parents business in paradise. In September 2003, Keith, then 25, and Doug, then 22, opened up their first Mr. ShowerDoor of Florida in Naples, using the same business model their dad had created up north. Though retired, Bill retained a presence helping his sons with marketing and financials, a role he still maintains today.

Business in Naples flourished with Doug focusing on his specialty, sales, and Keith committed to quality installation. “We are two totally different people,” says Doug. “But we know our boundaries and we know our expertise.”

As their reputation grew, and work requests came in from up and down the coast, the brothers opened additional showrooms in Fort Myers and Sarasota to meet the need. Today they employ 19 people full time and their growth continues with the opening this past January of a 12,000-square-foot corporate facility on Alico Road. Despite the down economy, the Daubmann brothers are investing in the area and thus positioning themselves to be here for the long term. “So long as people keep showering, we’ll keep growing,” chuckles Keith.

It’s important to the brothers that customers know Mr. ShowerDoor is not just a temporary enterprise. In addition to the business, both have homes here, actually just within a mile or so of one another, and they are raising their families here, too. Keith and his wife have two children, a 2-year-old and a 1-yearold; and Doug and his wife have a child who’s about to turn 1.

“We are always striving to work harder and to do more,” Keith says. That means not only opening more facilities, but also looking for new and better products, and even producing some of their own products, a tactic that sets Mr. Shower- Door apart from its competitors. Whatever they are doing is working, because they were just awarded the U.S. Small Business Administration South Florida District’s 2010 Jeffrey H. Butland Family Owned Small Business of the Year Award, acknowledging the family’s efforts and achievements in sustaining a successful business over two generations as well as for creating jobs and contributing to the community.

Awards are certainly nice, but what gives the Daubmann brothers great satisfaction is transforming a homeowner’s bath by removing an old framed shower and replacing it with a heavy glass, frameless model. The company also occasionally services larger clients, including the Golden Door Spa at Naples Grande, Hyatt Place in Sarasota, and the Naples Beach Hotel, which just renovated its 300 rooms.

Though Keith admits to talking business with his brother 24-7, they do make an effort to put business aside and simply enjoy life whether it’s spent boating on the gulf with mom, dad, their wives and children, or challenging one another to a golf game.

“We are very competitive when it comes to golf,” laughs Keith, who says his dad’s the best player, then him, then Doug. Not surprisingly, Doug sees it a bit different. With a laugh, he says he’s the best.

No matter what the story is out on the golf course, the real story is these two know all there is to know about shower doors.

Original article from Naples Florida Weekly

Bill Daubmann’s interview on this video was taken at that Summit which was open for all 2^nd stage CEO’s statewide.

Bill also participates in the CEO Nexus Forum and the Entrepreneur’s Roundtables . All of these events are coordinated by the EDC of Collier County.

(April 16, 2010 – Naples, Florida) Mr. Shower Door of Florida will be honored as a winner of the U.S. Small Business Administrations’ South Florida District’s 2010 Jeffrey H. Butland Family-Owned Small Business of the Year Award in May at a ceremony to be held in Fort Myers, Florida. The award acknowledges the family’s personal efforts and achievement in sustaining a successful business over two generations, for creating jobs, and contributing to the community.

Winners to be recognized by this award will be brothers Keith and Douglas Daubmann of Naples, Florida. The Daubmann brothers carry on their parents’ legacy as President and Vice President of Mr. Shower Door Florida, a branch of their parents’ company that they launched in 2003. Their father and mother, Bill and Donna Daubmann, remain active in the business helping their sons with daily operations.

Founder of Mr. Shower Door, Bill Daubmann says, “This honor means a lot to our family and our company. My sons are great businessmen and I am proud of the work they have done to earn this award. We strive to put our clients and employees first and to provide top notch service, no matter how large or small the job. We want to help build a strong business community through our services and our involvement. ”

Mr. Shower Door’s patented LUXUS brand frameless shower doors were named “Best Shower Door in the United States” by the Glass Industry’s National Trade Magazine. The product has been featured in many high-profile locations, including The Golden Door Spa in Naples. The Daubmann’s were nominated by John Slusar, Director of Compass Advisory Group, Naples, Florida for the SBDC award.

Opened in 2003 locally, Mr. Shower Door of Florida has grown to employ 19 full-time and two part-time workers. The local company specializes in bathroom remodeling jobs, offering a wide variety of high quality product options to finish all types of bath and shower enclosure projects. The company manufactures and installs LUXUS brand frameless shower doors.
“The mission of bringing meticulous craftsmanship and the best quality materials together to deliver the finest shower enclosure products possible has never changed,” adds Keith Daubmann. “We deliver the best products and service… and people really appreciate working with a family owned business. We create lasting positive relationships with our customers.”

Doug Daubmann notes that the Daubmann family and the employees of Mr. Shower Door of Florida are not only committed to great customer service, but also to supporting the local community. The company is a sponsor of the Make-A-Wish of Southwest Florida and The Founders Fund, and is a member of various professional organizations including the Chambers of Commerce in Bonita Springs and Naples and the building industry associations in Collier and Lee counties.

About Mr. Shower Door:
Mr. Shower Door of Florida has completed projects at several high profile local establishments including The Golden Door Spa at The Naples Grande Resort & Club in Naples, Trident Sea Castle Hyatt Resort timeshares on Siesta Key, The Presidential Suites at the Marco Island Marriott on Marco Island and the newly renovated rooms at the Naples Beach Hotel.

In addition, the local company has been recognized as the 2009 Small Business of the Year by the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and as a winner in the Annual Design Awards Competition of the Bath Enclosure Manufacturers Association for the “Best Heavy Glass Shower Enclosure in the United States.” This industry award is considered the best of the best as all glass shops in the country submitted their photos for judging. The editors of Glass Magazine, along with architects and designers, voted and selected Mr. Shower Door for the award.

Mr. Shower Door of Florida is a licensed owner/operator franchise of Mr. Shower Door, Norwalk CT, where the business is headquartered. Mr. Shower Door of Florida is based in Naples with an additional showroom in Ft Myers. In Naples, the showroom is located at 13500 Tamiami Trail Unit 8 and can be reached at 239-596-3255. The Fort Myers location is at 14261 S. Tamiami Trail Unit 2 and is reachable at 239-337-3667. For more information about Mr. Shower Door of Florida, please visit www.msdoorfl.com

1:10 A.M. — Three Gulf Coast firms, including two from Southwest Florida, have won major honors from the Small Business Administration’s South Florida district, the agency announced Wednesday

“I’m very honored, very proud,” said Brian D. Rist, president and CEO of Fort Myers-based Storm Smart Building Systems Inc. The company, which has a work force of almost 100, manufactures hurricane shutters and protective wind abatement screens. It recently branched out with a new solar energy division, and is planning to hire more workers.

That growth – combined with donations of storm shutters to needy families – probably caught the SBA’s attention, Rist said.

Joining Rist in the SBA winner’s circle: Keith and Douglas Daubmann of Mr. Shower Door, which has local operations in Naples and Fort Myers. The Daubmanns are the SBA’s state and district honorees for the Jeffrey H. Butland Family-owned Business of the Year award.

Further north, Carmie Snider, Fifth Third Bank’s Sarasota-based vice president and an SBA portfolio manager was named Financial Services Champion of the Year for the district.

Taking statewide honors as SBA small businessperson of the year: Waymon Armstrong, CEO of Orlando-based Engineering and Computer Simulations Inc.

Since 1963, the U.S. president yearly has issued a proclamation designating Small Business Week to recognize the contributions of the nation’s 26 million entrepreneurs.

The SBA’s South Florida District winners will be honored at a Small Business Week luncheon May 20 at the Embassy Suites in Fort Myers. This will occur just before National Small Business Week May 23-29.

Carol Conway, president of Cape Coral-based CRS Technology Consultants, was the state SBA small-business person in 1998.

Bill Daubmann (Mr. Shower Door – Adopt A Wish sponsor) and Dan Rheinschmidt (TGI Friday’s – Corporate partner, Adopt a Wish sponsor) and Norm Wedderburn (Make-A-Wish foundation of Southern Florida President and CEO)

Volunteers, sponsors, wish granters and staff were on hand for the “Breakfast with the CEO” on Thursday, October 8, 2009. The breakfast meeting was an opportunity for volunteers and community leaders to meet and mingle, as well as hear an inspiring message from Norm Wedderburn, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida President and CEO.

Wedderburn’s message was one of hope and determination. He focused on the mission of the Foundation and the need for the community’s involvement. He was clear about the reason the Foundation grants wishes — it’s for the children.

Judith Yevick, West Coast Operations Manager for the Southern Florida chapter, also spoke about the wishes and the wish granters. She spoke of a recent child who had made a wish for a puppy.

“Some wishes are as small as a puppy but they bring such joy to a child that has a life-threatening medical condition,” said Yevick. “This child could have wished for anything but he wanted a puppy to love and hold. Wishes bring joy and hope no matter what the wish happens to be and once you are involved with granting a wish, experience that gift of hope — your life is changed forever.”

The take-away message from the event was involvement. Connie Martin, West Coast Senior Special EventsCoordinator for the Southern Florida chapter, said there are many ways to be involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She listed several: become a volunteer, be a wish granter, be a sponsor for an event, host anevent, talk about the Foundation with your friends and colleagues, invite a member of the Make-A-WishSpeakers Bureau to make a presentation to your company or organization/club, make a donation or Adopt a Wish®.

“There are so many ways to get involved; the important thing is that you get involved. The smile on a child’s face is so worth your time and effort,” said Martin.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is now seeking the community’s involvement. To volunteer, join the Speaker’s Bureau or help with fundraising, please call 239-992-9474.

ABOUT THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION

The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Southern Florida grants wishes to children 2 ½ to 18 years old with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Twenty-five years of magic and more than 7,000 wishes later, the Foundation continues its mission to share the power of a wish® with ailing children. For more information or to find out how you can help call 239-992-9474 or visit www.sfla.wish.org.

Step 1: Loading Glass to be Cut

Step 2: C & C machine fabricates the glass

Step 3: Polishing the edges

Step 4: Washing and first inspection prior to tempering

Step 5: Loading the glass for heat treating

Step 6: Coming out of cooling

Step 7: Final inspection

(July 20, 2009 – Naples, Florida) Mr. Shower Door of Florida was recently honored as a winner of the 2009 Southwest Florida Choice Awards. The Southwest Florida business has been recognized for its superior customer service and its popularity among clients. For the fourth consecutive year, readers of the Naples Daily News chose the local business to receive the “Champion” award.

During the awards ceremony, brothers Keith and Douglas Daubmann were on hand along with their parents, Bill and Donna Daubmann, to receive the award. The presentation took place on Thursday, July 17, 2009 at the Naples Hilton Hotel. The annual awards program polls readers of the Naples Daily News and www.naplesnews.com about their favorite businesses and institutions. More than 6,500 people cast their votes in a wide variety of categories this year. A special section detailing the 2009 Southwest Florida Choice Awards results will be published in the Naples Daily News on Sunday, August 16, 2009.

Senior Vice President of Mr. Shower Door of Florida, Bill Daubmann says, “This honor means a lot to our company. To be chosen by our own customers to receive this award is humbling and very gratifying. We strive to put our clients’ needs first and to provide top notch service, no matter how large or small the job.”

Opened in 2003 locally, Mr. Shower Door of Florida has grown to employ 19 full-time and two part-time workers. The local company specializes in bathroom remodeling jobs, offering a wide variety of high quality product options to finish all types of bath and shower enclosure projects. The company manufactures and installs LUXUS brand frameless shower doors.

“The mission of bringing meticulous craftsmanship and the best quality materials together to deliver the finest shower enclosure products possible has never changed,” adds Daubmann. “We deliver the best products and service… and people recognize that and they voted for us. We feel very grateful.”

Mr. Shower Door of Florida is not only committed to great customer service, but also to supporting the local community. The business is a sponsor of Make-a-Wish of Southwest Florida and is a member of various professional organizations including: Chambers of Commerce in Bonita Springs, Naples and Sarasota and the building industry associations in Collier and Lee counties.

Mr. Shower Door of Florida has completed projects at several high profile local establishments including The Golden Door Spa at The Naples Grande Resort & Club in Naples and The Presidential Suites at the Marco Island Marriott on Marco Island. In addition, the local company has been recognized as the 2009 Small Business of the Year by the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and as a winner in the Annual Design Awards Competition of the Bath Enclosure Manufacturers Association.

Mr. Shower Door of Florida is based in Naples, but has additional showrooms in Ft Myers and Sarasota. In Naples, the showroom is located at 13500 Tamiami Trail Unit 8 and can be reached at 239-596-3255. The Fort Myers location is at 14261 S. Tamiami Trail Unit 2 and is reachable at 239-337-3667. In Sarasota, the store is located at 7484 S. Tamiami Trail and can be reached at 941-926-3667. For more information about Mr. Shower Door of Florida, please visit www.msdoorfl.com

-end-

Cory Lavey, Doug Daubmann, and Ted Coniglio receive the “Best of SW Florida” award from the News-Press.

This is the fifth consecutive year that the readers of the News-Press have voted Mr Shower Door as the “Best Place” to buy shower doors.

Doug & Keith Daubmann accept the 2009 small business of the year award.

Mr. Shower Door was the recipient of the 2009 Small Business of the Year award presented by the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce at a luncheon today at Bonita Bay Club.

Doug, Keith and Donna Daubmann of Mr. Shower Door were presented with the award by chamber board chairman and Bonita/Estero Dental Group owner Owen Feeney, Mayor Ben Nelson and Councilwoman Janet Martin.

The three family members started the business in 2003, and it now has 19-full-time and two part-time employees.

The business owners say there have been many keys to their success. One has been their belief in providing continuous staff training. They believe that in order to provide seamless service to customers, all employees, from top to bottom, need to be well versed in product knowledge and usage.

A supporter of its community, Mr. Shower Door is a member of various professional organizations including the Bonita Springs, Naples and Sarasota chambers of commerce and the Collier and Lee building industry associations.

Additionally, it is a committed sponsor of Make a Wish of Southwest Florida, supporting the Lee and Collier county challenge cup golf events. This year, they have granted a wish for one special child and are eagerly working to grant a second.

Mr. Shower Door’s owners attributes the business’s success to being able to withstand changes in the market and economy by adapting, reorganizing and re-energizing company operations. This was exemplified most recently when it restructured its work force and added a full-time service/repair associate who will now replace all manufacturers’ shower doors. This decision opened up a new market and revenue stream.

The award was designed to recognize a small business that met specific criteria and provided detailed information regarding the business history, keys to success, growth and community involvement.

“This year, we had three outstanding nominees and consider all of these businesses winners in their own right,” Feeney said.

The other nominees were Heaven Scent Flowers and Trianon Bonita Bay.