Chuck Lower | Topeka Business Hall of Fame
By LISA LOEWEN | Photos by JOHN BURNS
Having spent his entire life in Topeka, Chuck Lower, founder of Lower Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, has a wide circle of friends and business associates. Meeting for a cup of coffee at the Classic Bean in Fairlawn Plaza seemed more like a social gathering than a quiet interview. Numerous people greeted Chuck by name as they walked by, stopping to say hello and shake his hand. Chuck just took it all in stride with an easy smile and a greeting in return.
Chuck retired almost eight years ago from the business he spent 45 years growing and cultivating. As a 2024 Topeka Business Hall of Fame laureate, Chuck says it’s sometimes hard to recollect all those years of business.
“Looking back, I am not entirely sure how I really did it,” Chuck said. “I just put my head down and did the work.”
Doing the work often meant spending 60-plus hours per week working in and growing the business. At times, it was hard on his family life and he had to make some personal sacrifices, but as a true entrepreneur, Chuck did what was necessary to succeed.
“I knew I would not fail because I wouldn’t let it fail. I would let my mother, myself and everyone else in my life down if I failed. So, you work hard enough not to fail,” Chuck said.
Chuck attributes his success to a few simple principles: hard work, dedication, honesty and treating people right.
LEARNING THE VALUE OF HARD WORK
A Topeka native, Chuck grew up in the Highland Park neighborhood and lived in the same home where he was born until he got married at 20 years old. He attended Topeka Lutheran School for eight years and then attended Highland Park High School, where he excelled at football, basketball and track.
His parents divorced when he was 10. Suddenly, Chuck found himself in the role of man of the house. Even though his mother worked hard, Chuck always felt driven to contribute whatever he could.
Chuck started working at the Highland Park Drug store when he was eight years old and spent the next 10 years learning more than just good business practices, but also how to be a good man.
“Gerry Butel was almost like a father to me,” Chuck said. “He and his wife lived upstairs and served us free lunch every day and paid everybody in cash all those years. I’m not sure how they did that, but they took great care of their employees.”
Chuck says it was fun growing up in Highland Park in those days because it was still quite rural, with great neighborhoods where everyone knew each other by name. He lived half a block from the man who owned the grocery store, which was across the street from the drugstore.
“He would hire me to paint his house and garage and do other odd jobs. Back in those days, he would pay me two dollars per hour, which was a lot of money in the 50s,” Chuck said. “For me, working was just part of life. I would go to school, attend sports practice and then go to work every night from six to 10 o’clock. I never thought twice about it. That job at the drugstore molded my life probably as much as anything ever. I learned how to deal with customers. I learned what respect meant. I learned how to handle money.”
He also learned that hard work paid off: he paid cash for his first car, then bought an even nicer car two years later.
“The kids at school would say, ‘Wow, Chuck must have money.’ Well, heck yeah, I did. I was working. Mom was working to put food on the table. If I wanted something, I worked for it,” Chuck said.
After graduating from high school, Chuck was offered a full ride to Washburn University on a football and track scholarship. But during his first semester, coaching issues led half the football team to quit before the first game.
“I had always wanted to go to Kansas University,” Chuck said, “So I decided to transfer and join the team as a walk-on.”
He still worked every night. He was in Lawrence all day and worked in Topeka every night, but eventually it became more than he could physically handle. Given the choice between college and work, Chuck chose work.
That’s when the next stage of his life started.
CRAFTING A BUSINESS
A high school friend’s dad, Bill Cobler, owned a small heating and air conditioning shop in North Topeka. Needing some extra help while recovering from an injury, Bill hired Chuck, who then joined the team at McElroy’s as an apprentice.
“I spent the next seven years learning the HVAC business from Homer McElroy, probably one of the greatest men that I have ever known,” Chuck said. “I learned a lot about life and business working for him, but most importantly, I learned how to treat employees.”
Then in 1971, at the age of 28 and with three young children, Chuck decided it was time to strike out on his own. That’s when growing up in a tight-knit community really paid off.
The person who used to deliver milk to the Highland Park Drugstore just happened to be one of the brothers who was planning to develop the Peck Addition out on Croco Road. He asked Chuck if he wanted to bid the heating and air work. At the time, Chuck only had $50 in the bank and an old pickup truck, but he didn’t let that stop him from going after his dream.
“Of course, I said yes. I worked out of my garage for a year and then rented a small space in North Topeka for $100 a month,” Chuck said. “I bought three little pieces of used equipment — enough to be able to make ductwork.”
Knowing he had to support his family, Chuck paid himself $175 per month, the same amount he made while working at McElroy’s. He hired his first employee and billed $50,000 in business in one year. At the end of that year, his $50 in the bank had grown to $5,000.
Little did he dream at the time that the business would eventually expand to 45 full-time employees and gross close to $10 million per year.
LEARNING ALONG THE WAY
Perhaps the most pivotal moment for the business occurred in 1985 when Chuck took on the largest job in the company’s history: the Allied Health Center at Washburn University. As a non-union company, he found himself the target of three large unions, who accused him of not paying proper wages. Fighting them in court was costly, requiring him to refinance his building to cover the costs.
“I decided right then that I wasn’t going to let them break me,” Chuck said. “I survived that fight and came out stronger and ready to fight for my business.”
Fighting for his business meant growing a strong company built around highly trained, skilled employees. Having credited his work ethic to growing up in a rural community, Chuck sought out young employees from the surrounding communities of Mayetta, Holton and Osage City. He trained them in house, socialized with them and built relationships that continue to this day.
“They knew that I was the boss but that I also treated them equal to myself,” Chuck said. “I always knew that I wasn’t the smartest person in the room. I learned as I went along just like my employees were learning.”
PAYING IT FORWARD
The idea of working more than 60 hours a week might discourage some people from giving up their spare time, but not Chuck. Fond memories of how his community supported him throughout his life spurred him to find ways to pay it forward.
Chuck joined the Optimist Club at almost the same time he started the business, appreciating the work they did to improve the lives of children and recognizing the value in networking and establishing connections. He went on to serve as president of the Highland Park Optimist Club. He also helped establish two new clubs in Topeka, one at Shawnee Heights and the other in the Washburn Rural area.
“That was a lot of work. It meant going door to door and telling people we wanted to form an Optimist Club in their neighborhood,” Chuck said. “But it was worth the hours knocking on doors because of the work the clubs did for children.”
Chuck’s involvement with the Optimist Club convinced other organizations to ask for his help.
“I was never very good at turning anyone down,” Chuck said.
Chuck served on the board of directors for the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority (MTAA), where he was a liaison between the MTAA and the Kansas Air National Guard. Not only did he get to work with the people in the guard, but he also flew all over the country in their refueling airplanes.
Kansas Governor Mike Hayden appointed Chuck to the board of trustees for the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame as well as the Kansas Apprenticeship Counsel.
“I met so many people through my community service activities,” Chuck said. “People I would never otherwise have ever encountered.”
Some of those people included sportscasters Dev Nelson and Max Faulkenstein, long distance runner Wes Santee and coach Willie Nicklin, among other notable sports figures.
Chuck also has affiliations with the Topeka Home Builders, Topeka Country Club, Topeka Chamber of Commerce, Presbyterian Manor and Community Bank.
HONORING THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Chuck says he is incredibly honored to have been selected for the Topeka Business Hall of Fame, not only because it recognizes him for years of hard work, but also because of his love for Topeka.
“This is the best place to build a business and raise a family,” Chuck said. “I’m proud of the friends I have made and the things I have accomplished in this community. That is success. It beats business, money, everything else.”
As he looks to the future, Chuck says all he needs is great live music, golf, black coffee and a good scotch.
