Matthew Holtkamp proudly start his HVAC business right here in Gwinnett County over 20 years ago. He has long had a relationship with the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, which recently crafted a featured article on him and his business, Holtkamp Heating & Air.
Please see the article below, or check it out in the latest edition of The Executive, a publication by the Gwinnett Chamber.
Family Values — Community Roots
At the age of 19, recent technical school graduate Matthew Holtkamp left his home state of Iowa in a 1974 Chevy Vega and arrived with only $20 in his pocket to begin his new career in Georgia as a heating and air conditioning service technician.
Influenced by the hard-working independent farmers in his hometown Iowa community, Matthew says he knew he would one day have a company of his own. But the hustle and bustle of Gwinnett County was much different than the rural Iowa farming community he was familiar with growing up.
Determined to make it on his own in Georgia, Matthew signed up for evening business classes at Emory University and designed a 10-year roadmap for his small business dream. He says for him, “failure was not an option.”
In 1996, everything seemed perfect. It was the year Atlanta hosted the Olympics and everything was exciting and growing. It was also a great time for Matthew and his wife, Suzanne, to start Holtkamp Heating & Air in the basement of their home.
Gwinnett County had everything they needed to succeed, including a potential customer base, supporting businesses and a dynamic Chamber of Commerce. Their first clients even came from the Gwinnett Chamber. In the beginning, they did everything themselves. But success started to come quickly and within nine months, they hired their first employee.
Now in its 22nd year, Holtkamp Heating & Air continues to be an industry leader in Gwinnett County and the metro Atlanta area. After completing the 2016-2017 Leadership Gwinnett program, Matthew says he now has a much bigger understanding of how county leadership has created “a culture and template for success.”
“Collaboration and cooperation are two words that easily describe Gwinnett government and the business community.” – Matthew Holtkamp
“Collaboration and cooperation are two words that easily describe Gwinnett government and the business community,” says Matthew. “Partnering with the Gwinnett Chamber for over 20 years, I’ve consistently seen how closely the two work together for the benefit of the other.”
“It’s common knowledge that if you aren’t growing, you’re dying,” says Matthew. “With Gwinnett and its vibrant municipalities, I see a very bright future for residents and businesses, and I truly appreciate the vision and work of our past and present leaders.”
Matthew and Suzanne Holtkamp have also advanced the Gwinnett community by supporting the arts through the Aurora Theatre and The Hudgens Center for Art & Learning. In addition, with the establishment of the Holtkamp Family Foundation through the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, the Holtkamps have distributed 80 tons of food for needy families in Gwinnett County and metro Atlanta.
The Holtkamp’s generosity extends throughout many areas of Gwinnett County. “This year we have supported and raised awareness of Special Kneads & Treats Bakery, a wonderful non-profit organization that gives adults with special needs meaningful employment that changes their lives,” says Matthew.
In 2012, Matthew and Suzanne Holtkamp established the Holtkamp HVAC scholarship at Gwinnett Technical College. Having received several scholarships and grants himself, Matthew says he felt compelled to return this honor to others in need.
In the spring, Matthew will become chairman of the Foundation Board. He will also help kick off the new Launch Pointe Center, which will connect businesses with students for internships and create opportunities for business owners to share entrepreneurship stories. “The vision is to inspire students and alumni to go out and make Gwinnett even stronger and more successful,” says Matthew.
“This is where we live, eat, work, sleep and play,” says Matthew. “To us it’s important to give back to the community that has given us so much.”
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