Steve Weir named Businessperson of the Year

Steve Weir of American Integrity Restoration, LLC, will receive his Businessperson of the Year award at the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting on Jan. 25. Photo by Steve Smith.

Steve Weir said he was shocked when he learned he was named the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce's Businessperson of the Year, but is grateful to have met the qualifications to even be considered. After not finding his niche as a member of the Glastonbury Police Department, Weir founded American Integrity Restoration, LLC (AIR) – a disaster restoration contracting company based in Glastonbury and Milford – in 2005, basing the business model on a cousin's company in South Carolina, and using his basic knowledge of construction. Weir had built a house for his own family (and subsequently, a second house) and felt he had the foundation of how to proceed.

The early goings weren't always easy. “I ended up here, and putting my heart and soul into it,” Weir said. “I had planned this our for a little over a year – made some financial choices and cut back and saved, but that didn't really prepare me for the first three months when the phone didn't ring.”

Weir persisted, and pounded the pavement himself to make the right connections and the right people. He said his company's growth involved a lot of trial-and-error, mainly to find employees who understood his standards regarding customer service and honesty. It was that insistance on quality people that has paid off.

“I'm truly blessed,” Weir said. “I've got a great core group of loyal people who want to make this place the best. I appreciate them and they like working here. We get 100 percent or more from everybody involved.”

Weir said keeping the focus on his customers is also key, and the word “integrity” in the company's title would seem to be most apt. “We recognize that the customer needs to be treated well, respected and listened to,” he said. “Somebody that has damage to their home could be traumatized. There's a lot of stuff going on, and giving them back piece of mind and showing that we respect and care for their property is very important. If we made a mistake, we're going to own up to it and make it right. We give the same opportunity to our sub-contractors and our employees. You don't make one mistake and you're out the door. If it's an honest mistake and you are honest about how you deal with it, I feel everyone should be given an opportunity to make it right.”

Weir lives in Hebron with his wife Allegra and their three daughters – Alexia, 10, Julianna, 7 and Meredith, 3. He said that balancing the long days and efforts of running of a quality business with a family life has been challenging at times, but he said he doesn't lose track of what's important and puts effort into his quality time with his family.

While AIR services homes all over Connecticut, Weir said he has concentrated much of his networking locally, and that has also been a huge boost for his company. “It doesn't hurt to have been brought up here,” said Weir. “I've owned a business here, so I've never really left Glastonbury. I feel pretty tied to this community and this area. Joining the Chamber, I was certainly welcomed in.”

Weir is also a member of a local BNI group and Disaster Kleenup (sic) International (DKI).

“We've done different kinds of networking," Weir said. “It's not just about getting business. It's about being sincere and being willing to help the person on the other end, as well.”

Weir said he is impressed with the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce's energy and involvement.

“There's a connection there,” he said. “It seems like they make a lot of positive efforts to promote local business in many different ways.”

Weir also mentors a fourth-grade student in Hebron, is active in his church and coaches his daughters' basketball teams.

Short term plans include branching out to service in other states. In the longer term, Weir said he hopes to be one of the best-known brands in New England. “We would like to be the name that people first think of when they have a loss,” he said. “[But] if we reach that at the expense of quality, then it won't be worth it.”

Weir said he is honored to receive the award.

“I would agree that this business has found success, but to be recognized for it is another thing,” he said. “Certainly that's not why I come in every day, but it's nice to be recognized, and the Chamber provides a great service by tying together the business community, and I'm thankful that they've bestowed this on me.”