Countless outstanding individuals have built this industry. Sadly, two of them have recently passed away: Don Butcher, co-founder of Heart Truss & Engineering, and Craig Aufderhar, Sales Executive of Trussway. Please read more of their exemplary personal lives via the links below. But also, be aware of their significant contributions to this business.
Don Butcher began Heart Truss in a prosperous 1963 Michigan housing market. Right off the bat, though, housing starts turned down for several years. Then, just as they began to recover, rising interest rates took their toll. And, shortly thereafter, car sales cratered, idling surrounding automotive plants. Yet during these tumultuous times, Don brought on outstanding talent, who helped Heart innovate its way out of the doldrums. In the early 1980s, his people created truss software and installed it on one of the first in-house computers. A little later, Don’s manufacturing head, Bob LePoire, developed a superior roller gantry that has evolved into MiTek’s industry leading solution. The result: for nearly 60 years, Heart has prospered, while so many others have failed.
Craig Aufderhar, formerly a Texas framer, moved to North Carolina in 1981, partnering with a lumberyard to start a truss plant. He benefitted from a robust economy in learning our business, but also met steep competition. His ventures, Triad Truss and Atlantic Components, were short lived. Fortunately, he landed at Blue Ox Industries, a technology pioneer, with an in-house computer and software that rivaled Heart’s. Backed by these resources and his framing expertise, Craig honed his skills servicing large commercial truss projects up and down the East Coast. When Blue Ox was sold in 2000, Craig joined Trussway in the Carolinas, focusing on apartment work. As their jobs grew in complexity, from garden style to Texas donuts to monoliths on podiums, Craig made his indelible mark. Over 20 years, he managed an astounding 627 projects in 23 states, helping our industry to achieve dominance in mega multi-family structures.
These gentlemen have left enduring contributions in the two critical areas of our business – manufacturing and sales. Thanks to Don Butcher’s leadership, few truss plants have been more visited by other CMs than Heart Truss. And thanks to Craig Aufderhar’s sales success, few truss plants have mastered multi-family like Trussway. As a testament to their legacy, both men have raised their sons, Joe Butcher and Jason Aufderhar, to follow in their footsteps. We honor their stellar achievements.
Don Butcher’s obituary: https://obits.mlive.com/obituaries/grandrapids/obituary.aspx?n=donald-butcher&pid=197635048
Craig Aufderhar’s obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/greensboro-nc/craig-aufderhar-10021989