Inc.

How It Be with DannyG—I was curious. Could this third-person reference have anything to do with his burgeoning rap career? Or was it something else. I needed to find out. Referring to himself—tongue in cheek—as an old rapping plumber, turns out, “How it Be With DannyG” actually originated from a series of “how-to” videos—created for a social media group and hosted on Youtube—aimed at helping other plumbers. Okay, got that solved, but why the rapping? At first glance, the rapping image is fun and refreshing, but as I dug a little deeper, Danny G the rapper is no joke, and something Danny Gronendyke takes very seriously. “I do take great pride in my rapping. It started in my freshman year of high school in the mid-80s. Someone at school started playing Run-DMC and I was hooked, and I have been listening and rapping ever since. I think it’s the rhyming that hooked me, and doing it to a beat was fascinating to me, and still is,” says Danny Gronendyke, owner, Gronendyke Plumbing Inc., Merrillville, Ind.

But don’t look for Danny to take his rapping tour to a town near you anytime soon. “I don’t do well with performing live; I get distracted by the audience and forget lyrics. I am more of a recording artist. Less pressure to get it right when you are in a recording booth than when you are live,” says Gronendyke.

However, you may notice Danny’s rapping skills now more than ever. This past year, Danny has honed his rhymes for a number of different companies. In fact, a very proud moment indeed, he just finished shooting for NIBCO. “2020 has been a wacky year for so many reasons. One of which is that after 37 years of rapping for fun and hobby, my rather unexpected rap career has taken off. Who would have saw that coming? At 51 years old, I sure would have not predicted that,” says Gronendyke.

Plumbing Roots

I guess you could say that Danny G has always had that entrepreneurial, creative spirit. After high school, Gronendyke spent five years in the U.S. Air Force as a firefighter. When he left the service, Gronendyke worked 12 years in a steel mill where his father worked. “The last four of those years, I was bit by the entrepreneurial bug. While working full time at the mill, I also came up with a concept for a video game super store called “Games By The Day,” which focused on renting video games for one day at a time instead of others in the industry who only had five day game rentals at a higher rate. We also bought sold and traded new and used games. I was open every day for four years!” says Gronendyke enthusiastically.

Yet, after opening a second location, that store didn’t do as well, and Gronendyke decided to get out of the video game business and give plumbing a try. Gronendyke had a lifelong friend who was in a good position to help him get into the plumbing apprenticeship program and also hired him at the company for which he worked. “When a great friend said he was hiring plumbers, and he could help get me into the school, I gave it great consideration. I thought of other trades, but in my opinion, the plumbing trade would be the one trade that I felt would ALWAYS have people in need and therefore became my choice of trades to learn,” says Gronendyke.

“I worked for three companies during my first six years. Then, I was laid off most of 2011 when construction plummeted.  So, in the spring of 2012, I decided to open Gronendyke Plumbing, Inc., and work for myself. I have not had a day off that I didn’t want in the last 8 1/2 years. So, by that measure, I call myself successful in what I set out to do.”

Specializing in residential service work, Gronendyke also peppers in some remodeling jobs with two trusted contractors. “I enjoy residential service because it’s something new every day—new problems to solve, new people to help, a new universe to save! Well, that may have gone too far, but I do love to save the day for people when they are in such need.”

What Gronendyke loves most about the plumbing trades is that he loves the changing landscape all the time. “Different places, new faces, new problems, never the same thing. It keeps my mind turning to solve problems and come up with solutions and install systems that work long after I am done with them. Overall, it gives me that feel good feeling. And the money is good, too.”

But after COVID hit, you could say it left Gronendyke in a brief state of high anxiety. “The first two days after restaurants were shut down for dining in, my phone did not ring. I was a little nervous about that.” Then day three hit, says Gronendyke, and everything went back to normal. “Plumbing problems are pandemic-proof. I have been doing the same amount of plumbing, and adding rapping to the mix has kept me much busier this year,” says a grateful Gronendyke.

Gronendyke throws props to a particular mentor, Bob Coleman, a now-retired plumber who took Danny under his wing and taught him how to do things right. Showing great patience with Gronendyke early on, “He was old school and always emphasized quality over quantity. He is the one who really instilled in me the set of values that would have me taking great pride in my craft and in my workmanship. And yes, he wore bib overalls,” says Gronendyke.

As an industry veteran, Gronendyke does see needed improvements within the plumbing trade. “I wish that someday the industry will come together and agree on a plumbing code that would work everywhere.  I know there would be climate considerations that would still be in place, but it seems that the industry could come together a bit more when it comes to standards and practices and code requirements.”

Another area of concern for Danny G, and one that has plagued the industry for years and will continue to do so, is the recruitment and training of the next generation of plumbers. “If the industry doesn’t act on this, our future is going to be rough with a shortage of plumbers in our country.”

What are some words of wisdom that Gronendyke would share with those contemplating or entering the trades? “Learn everything you can about your trade, and give your absolute best in all you do. Always keep your head on a swivel and keep your ears alert to pick up stuff that others may or may not be willing to share. Ask lots of questions and absorb the answers. Never give up. It can be a tall mountain to climb, but you do it one step at a time,” says Gronendyke.

Personal Touch

Working in the trades can be difficult when trying to balance work and family time. Being self-employed, Gronendyke likes that he can schedule my time as he sees fit. Admittedly, Gronendyke works a lot, and he doesn’t turn down much work. However, there are times that he will purposely not schedule work so that he can spend time with his family. “I am happily married to a wonderful woman and I enjoy her company, traveling and experiencing new things in life with her.  She is a school teacher and is as passionate about her career, as I am mine. I also have four children—two sons and two daughters. They are all grown and out on their own, but I enjoy the changing role that I play in their lives. Finally, I get to be less of a teacher to them, and more of a friend. It’s refreshing.”

In addition, as mentioned earlier, Gronendyke loves to write and record rap songs, and he enjoys watching movies. “I don’t always manage my balance well, though. About five years ago I was accomplishing goals in fitness, including running three full marathons in a five-week period. I then moved on to triathlons. I worked myself up to competing in a 70.3 half Ironman Triathlon. After that, I got so busy with work that I let it go and have been contemplating getting back into it and train for a full Ironman Triathlon. That is big on my bucket list.”

Working on his aspiring rap career, social media had played a big part. “Social media is responsible for my rap career kicking off. It’s been a great outlet to get my music out there, and it’s how my clients have heard of me and contacted me to do rapping work for them,” says Gronendyke.

Moreover, social media had benefited Gronendyke (@howitbewithdannyg on Instagram) in other ways, mainly in his professional life. “Meeting so many other plumbing professionals and talking shop with them, and learning so many different tips/tricks and new methods of performing various tasks has really upped my game. Social media has been there for me too, when I need information or help, I can reach out and get good answers and assistance. I like to be there for others as well as a way to give back.”

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t tackle one last thing. What’s the deal with all of the Milwaukee tools? Evidently, it goes way back. As an apprentice, Gronendyke decided to tool up for side jobs. He really liked the look and feel of Milwaukee tools, he bought a 5-piece kit, and before long he was married to a battery platform and it made sense to stay Team Red.

You might call this an obsession. But for Gronendyke, there really are no perfect tool platforms, but he finds that Milwaukee has done a great job with developing a large variety of general tools and plumbing-specific tools, which captivated him early, having used almost all of the Milwaukee tools that he has amassed. “It’s possible that I have the largest Milwaukee Tool collection of any one-man shop. Some say that I have a problem, an addiction. They may be correct,” says Gronendyke.

Integrity, work ethic, dedication, community. These are the values identified when selecting Mechanical Hub’s inaugural “Person of the Year.” Please help us in saluting Jim Godbout, Jim Godbout Plumbing & Heating, Inc. and Provencher Fuels in Biddeford, Maine for this prestigious nomination. Godbout certainly represents the industry with true professionalism and class.

But it’s not necessarily what he does in the field that makes this honor most deserving—it’s what he does outside of the office with his free time, as well, that must be commended.

Getting Started

Godbout has been mechanically inclined since a very young age, specifically plumbing with his grandfather. “It’s hard to believe that back in the early ’70s I used to run the melting pot for my grandfather many years ago running sewer pipe out to the ocean,” says Godbout.

Godbout’s grandfather passed away, and, at the time, Godbout worked on a variety of jobs including building homes to roofing and siding work. He did not return to the trades until he was about 17 years old. “I saw a great need for professional plumbing and heating techs at which point I made my way back into the trade.”

Plumbing with his grandfather early in life, Godbout saw need to start his own company at very young age. “Times were tough in the ’80s, where the company did everything from plumbing and heating to roofing and groundskeeping, anything to keep company alive,” says Godbout.

But persevere, he did. For more than 30 years, Godbout has run a successful plumbing and heating business in southern Maine, specializing in plumbing, HVAC, geothermal, mechanical piping, heat exchangers, solar heating, thermal imaging and fuel delivery. “We have the diversity to take care of any plumbing, heating, refrigeration and mechanical problem in-house including construction services,” says Godbout.

Community is Key

Godbout is known for his community support and he is active in youth development. He has led several youth organizations and coached local sports teams. Godbout’s dedication to community and philanthropic work stems from the fact the he grew up without having much, and learned very quickly how important it is for people to take care of people. “We are only here a very short time and what we do daily can truly change people’s lives, from the smallest gift of friendship to financially helping those in need. It helps me reduce stress from our demanding profession by really stepping back, and with a little help, I can help others be the best that they can be,” says Godbout.

One of Godbout’s focus has been combatting drug addiction in the area. The issue is personal: he’s had dozens of friends and family members dies as a result of drug overdoses. “We’re going to lose an entire generation here if we don’t start making a difference,” Godbout has said. Godbout has been an active member in the local Biddeford-Saco Rotary Club. “I am a very active Rotarian—a group that makes an impact in the lives of so many around the world—and it is a great avenue to give back to our communities.”

Within Rotary, nearly five years ago, Godbout started the Red Ribbon program, an education committee on substance abuse and helping children make healthy choices. The committee has developed educational programming about substance abuse with schools in Biddeford. “The one thing I know that works is providing unconditional love for our youth providing them with healthy choices,” Godbout has said. “Prevention and culture change for all of us regarding use of substances works. Help our youth develop good habits as they embark on becoming young adults in this very confusing world in which we live. As role models it is the most important thing we can do in our lifetime.”

Godbout has also been busy with the renovation of Biddeford’s Waterhouse Field, where he and other volunteers worked tirelessly last year to transform the football field of which the entire community can be proud.

The field, named after Alfred Waterhouse, a clerk who worked in a hardware store in the late 1920s, is unique because it is not city owned but board run. Waterhouse bought the field for local athletes by taking quarters out of his modest weekly paycheck. “His actions many years ago, I believe, is what has help motivate me to give back and mentor our youth,” says Godbout. “All we have to do is take care of each other and good things happen,” says Godbout.

Godbout has been the current president of Waterhouse Field alumni board now for more than 10 years. “The city uses field but had no capital improvement budget, so I took bull by horns and rallied up troops to use labor and financial support of community to rebuild field. The field was closed prior to this due to condemned bleachers and it just wasn’t safe for public use. A lot of pride went into that field and I was not going to let it sit vacant,” says Godbout.

The nine-month project included new bleachers, lighting, rebuilt field with AstroTurf, new storm drainage, fencing, scoreboard, sound system, press box and asphalt work.

Students never lost a year playing on the field.

Into the Future

Godbout has 12 employees in his company under age of 25; he says he has some of the most talented employees and he needs them to share their knowledge and work ethic. Industry-wide Godbout shares the same view, “I think everyone needs to mentor our youth to help guide them through next generation of mechanical contractors.”

When asked about hanging up the wrenches, Godbout says he has no plans to slow down. In fact, the company just moved into a larger space, which positions the them to be a more sustainable company. In addition, Godbout recently acquired Provencher Fuels. When the previous owner—with whom Godbout had worked for more than 30 years—became ill, Godbout purchased it from the family “to keep small company values for our customers.”

In addition, he’s too busy with his new project. Godbout is remodeling a historic church into a cultural community center for My Place Teen center in Biddeford. He will be building a commercial kitchen to help teach culinary arts and feed hundreds of kids aged 10-18 daily.

“I just don’t have that picture of retiring unless, of course, my health would fail. I do love to golf and be on the water so maybe I’ll try and spend a little more time doing those things,” says Godbout.

 

Connoisseurs of capsaicin, that fiery oil in chili peppers, are a rare breed. Hot-headed food lovers know that truly spicy food is a bit hard to come by, often produced in small, custom ordered batches.

Sausage artisan, Jim Cefelli, says his company may produce just 10 pounds of their Triple-X Spicy sausage in a week, even though the facility produces nearly 20,000 pounds of sausage on an average day. Cifelli & Sons has shipped gourmet meat — most the non-spicy variety — throughout the East Coast, and as far as Bermuda, since 1974.

“When my father went into business, he was producing 16,000 pounds of sausage a week,” said Jim Cifelli, who runs the company with his brother, Anthony. “We now process about 90,000 pounds a week, and we’ve outgrown our 3,000-square-foot facility.”

 

The Cifelli brothers have been seeking a larger building for a few years. A bigger facility with more walk-in cooler space would allow them to further expand their operation and expedite production. Last year, when a conveniently-located commercial lease opened up, they decided to retrofit the 13,000-sq.-ft. building to meet their needs.

“The basics were here,” said Cifelli. “It’s the right size, has loading docks and is easy to get in and out of with a box truck. What it lacked was a processing room, freezer space, and the robust plumbing needed for meat processing.” Luckily, the property owner was happy to facilitate the extensive renovations.

During the planning phase, Cifelli sought the expertise of George Sansiveri & Associates, a plant engineering firm that specializes in FDA and USDA inspected facilities. A key facet of Sansiveri’s design was a hot water plant to supply ample volume throughout the day. Work on the facility began in March of 2015.

 

“We use a lot of hot water,” explained Cifelli. “Before lunch break, the processing room is hosed down with scalding water, and at the end of the day, we do a full cleanout of all six machines. At that point, the USDA inspector comes and must approve the state of the processing room.”

The building’s owner introduced Cifelli to Gene Celler, owner of Heritage Plumbing and Heating, Inc. The five-person company was hired to install the new hot water plant in a tight mechanical space adjacent to the processing room. Celler took the design to his Bradford White wholesaler, Steve Morris at the Aaron & Company’s Freehold, NJ branch and to Focus Sales, in Middlesex, NJ, to select the best equipment for the application.

 

“The four wash-down hoses can dump as much as 10 GPM each,” said Al Puccio, manufacturer’s rep at Focus Sales. “And it needs to be much hotter than at a residence.”

Heavy duty plumbing

Because a failure to produce hot water could shut the plant down for days, Cifelli was adamant that the system be as close to fail-safe as possible. This was reflected in the design. Two light commercial volume water heaters were used instead of one larger unit. The original design specified a pair of 85% efficient volume water heaters, stacked one above the other to save space. It also called for a large storage tank.

“Gene brought the design to me with a few ideas to improve it,” said Puccio. “He needed water heaters that would fit easily into a small mechanical room, and we both saw the advantage of using condensing units as opposed to atmospheric.”

After a discussion with the engineer, Puccio selected two, 285 MBH Bradford White Brute Series volume water heaters. These heat a 415 gallon Bradford White storage tank, which is made by a subsidiary company, Niles Steel Tank.

“Aside from higher efficiency and the ability to modulate firing rate, we wanted to use the Brute Series units because of their flexibility of installation,” said Puccio. “The top connections allowed Gene to position the units side-by-side to save space, without sacrificing room to service them.”

Hot water on demand

“A one-and-a-half-inch water line from the street enters the top of the big storage tank,” said Celler, who started Heritage in 1985. The water heaters draw and return water from near the bottom of the tank. This helps us de-stratify its water volume.”

A pair of valves and temperature gauge on each wash-down hose bib can be used to dial in the exact temperature needed, but the storage tank is set at 150°F. An aquastat will fire the lead water heater, followed by the second unit two minutes later if needed.

Heritage installed a one-and-a-quarter-inch hot water recirculation line to ensure fast delivery to all points throughout the building, including restrooms and break area. As stainless steel Taco 007 pump is used for the loop.

 

“I took this design to Focus Sales because I wanted to install Bradford White water heaters,” said Cellar. “I’ve been using their products for many years, and the tech support and warranty are great.”

According to Celler, the condensing equipment was more expensive, but it will pay for itself quickly. Without the material and labor to install the rack to stack the atmospheric boilers, it was a difference of a few thousand dollars. He calculated that the new, 95% efficient volume water heaters will save Cifelli around $1,000 per year.

“The owner of the building didn’t want us to penetrate the roof to vent the water heaters,” said Celler. “Being able to use a PVC side-wall vent was a big plus.”

Back in business

In addition to the hot water system, Heritage remolded the bathrooms, installed pneumatic lines and six air stations, ran gas pipe for a new generator, put in floor drains and assembled a 300-gallon grease trap.

“About half our work is commercial, but this was the first time I’ve done a meat processing plant,” said Celler. “It came with its own set of challenges. Everything had be to spec, down to the very last stainless steel screw. Sansiveri’s design was fantastic. Everything fit like a glove.”

Heritage Plumbing and Heating was finished in August. The Cifelli Brothers continued to oversee the finishing touches in the cooling spaces and processing rooms while also keeping their original plant in full swing.

“I hope to be producing here by Labor Day,” said Cifelli. “We currently offer 10 varieties of sausage, and this facility will allow us to add a poultry sausage. We’ll also be able to add equipment that’ll remove some of the heavy physical lifting that’s currently a big part of the work at the old plant.”