In late spring 2017, Eric Slivinski’s plans for a Tropical Sno location in Glendale had hit a milestone. The city had approved the business as a drive-thru operation, and he had been in touch with Cody Phelan, Willmeng principal-in-charge, for advice on working with contractors to “get the ball rolling with next phases.”
“As this occurred, we were blindsided with the abrupt news that our third baby girl would be born with a birth defect called Spina Bifida,” said Slivinski. “Thereafter, my wife and I discovered we were candidates for open fetal surgery with a specialist in San Francisco where we would be located for almost two months.”
As long-time friends of the Slivinski’s, Cody and his wife wanted to help. “Knowing that Eric was in need of a new location build-out, I offered some guidance given my background,” said Phelan. “It became apparent that the most helpful thing to do was to allow Eric to focus on his family while jumping in to provide Tropical Sno with Willmeng’s services.”
“When Cody gave me an update on Eric’s situation, it was very clear that his heart was 100 percent behind the family – there really wasn’t a decision to be made,” said Willmeng President, James Murphy. “I am pretty sure that he would have gone out and built the location at night, by himself, if it was the only solution available.”
The project was a 1,450-square-foot tenant improvement. Willmeng’s scope of work included new lighting and power, the addition of a restroom, new distribution ductwork, framing, drywall, and a fresh coat of paint. “Eric was still very involved in the build-out but Willmeng helped where needed by donating manpower and supervision,” said Phelan.
The Tropical Sno Glendale location opened for business in August 2017. In a letter to Murphy, Slivinski thanked the team for their time, dedication, project management and professionalism. “Because of Willmeng’s willingness to help, my small business now has a new location,” said Slivinski. As a token of his gratitude, he offered to bring his mobile Tropical Sno unit to Willmeng for the team to enjoy.
“We are thankful to have had the opportunity to play a small part in the family’s story,” said Murphy. “Doing more than our share annually is only feasible because of our team.”
