Since there is more than one company with the name "Yancey" operating in the Sacramento area, we often hear this question. So I thought I'd take a few moments to set the record straight.
Almost forty years ago (on November 5, 1962, to be exact) I went to work for Yancey Company as the company receptionist. Mr. Joel Yancey, founder and President of Yancey Company was at the helm. Mr. Clarence Hester was Vice President and General Manager. (Mr. Hester left Yancey in early 1970s to establish Hester Roofing.)
Over the years I climbed the "corporate ladder," and in 1982 was appointed Vice President and Controller. I continued that position through some very sad and hard times, watching a company established in 1939 begin to fall. In 1986, for a number of reasons, the Company filed for protection under Chapter 11. But by the Fall of 1988 it was quite evident that even under Chapter 11 protection the Company could not continue.
Mr. Yancey approached me at that time and said, "Jan, why don't you buy out the Roofing Division, since that is the division you are the most familiar with?" I was now 48 years old and scared to death. I had grown up at Yancey Company for the past 26 years, and had nowhere else to go. (Who was going to hire a 48 year old woman who expected to earn what I had worked myself up to at Yancey Company? The simple answer was "no one"!)
I went home that evening and discussed the proposition with my husband, Richard (who by the way is my biggest fan). His reply: "Jan, there is no doubt in my mind that you can make it. You have done this for the last 26 years for Yancey Company, you can do it for yourself."
After a lot of negotiation (and anyone who has ever negotiated with Joel Yancey knows exactly what I mean) I agreed to purchase the trade name Yancey Roofing. In December 1988, I opened our now new Company, Yancey Roofing. During the negotiations it was understood that the "Original Yancey Company" was going to close their doors. His son, Tom Yancey, was to open his new business as "The Tom Yancey Home Improvement Company" and just do home improvements, and I was to do roofing only.
As time went on, this was not the case. Today the marketplace is so confused by this Yancey name that the most frequently asked question we hear is: "Now tell me, which Yancey are you?"
Very much to the contrary of my understanding when I purchased the trade name Yancey, the Yancey Company is in business and is operated by Joel Yancey's daughter Robin. Robin has two sons and is now in the roofing and home improvement market place as "Yancey BROS". The Son Tom Yancey has a company, "The Tom Yancey Company".
Now, are you confused? You should be!!! Much to my disappointment, after paying in excess of six figures for the trade name Yancey, I had to dilute the well-known name and add Gudgel to clarify or separate us from the rest of the Yancey's. Now you now why we became Gudgel/Yancey Roofing Inc.
I hope this helps to clarify the situation. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me personally. And thank you for considering Gudgel/Yancey as your roofing contractor.
