Covington Couple’s Success attributed to Autry

By Robert Barron Staff Writer
Reprinted with permission from the Enid News & Eagle
9/22/06

A small service business in this quiet town of 553 people already is selling products across the nation and world after a humble start in a garage.

Dale Shaffer, coordinator of business and industry services at Autry Technology Center, said Jim and Elouise Faubion started their business in their garage, using a panel van as a service vehicle. They sell and service any kind of safety equipment required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and even offer some firefighting equipment.

Their business, Ounce of Prevention Services (OOPS), appears ready to take off, Shaffer said. Establishing a online ordering service may prove to be a large-scale sales tool. They also purchase fire extinguishers they can refill and recently obtained a federal General Services Administration contract to sell fire extinguishers.

They attended the small business management course at Autry Tech, which they said is one of the keys to their success. The course is $95 and is held Tuesdays and Thursdays for four weeks. The course also includes after-class service, which the Faubions have received.

“We didn’t realize what was there until we went through the first stage of getting our business started,” Elouise said.

Terry Henneke, Autry Tech bid assistance coordinator, has answered questions from the Faubions on how to obtain government business and helps them with bid solicitations he finds. Henneke also helped them in their attempt to obtain a contract with Vance Air Force Base.

Shaffer is organizing and helping them build a business plan and has made a number of suggestions that proved successful, Elouise said.

Autry Tech also has assisted in helping the Faubions set up grant interviews.

“We have a statewide network. We can always find someone to help with a question,” Shaffer said.

The Faubions started last year. They deliver to industrial sites and service safety equipment and provide safety glasses, hard hats, gloves and whatever OSHA requires.

“It’s a great need. OSHA will always be there and companies are required to protect their employees, so business will never end,” Elouise said.

In addition, OSHA standards are becoming stricter. The company buys safety items direct from the manufacturer and sells to industrial sites, schools, county and state governments. The GSA contract promises to be a major sales contact, she said. The GSA contract offers the opportunity to sell to every state and worldwide, which they already have done. They acquired the federal government business through their online business.

“This will help us grow. We are an approved vendor for the U.S. government. GSA buys in bulk and agencies buy from them,” she said.

They sell at below customer prices to GSA but sell in large quantities, she said. The Faubions hope to construct their own building in the near future to have a shop to test and recharge fire extinguishers. Since opening, they have moved to downtown Coving-ton and plan to stay in Covington.

A product of large schools, they moved to Covington to put their remaining school-age children in a small school.

“It’s been a blessing for them,” she said.

Before starting their business, Jim was controller for multiple companies in New Mexico and Elouise was a housewife. They have a sales representative in Dallas who helps with federal bidding and a retired attorney in New Mexico who assists with contracts. They are hoping to hire more people in the near future.

“We hope to help Covington with our business here,” Elouise said.

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