Hooper History
Established in 1913…
Charles A. Hooper started his own steamfitting company installing pipes to heat state government buildings and the nearby University of Wisconsin. Hooper developed a strong reputation early on that allowed it to grow and prosper in its first two decades. That reputation for honesty, hard work, and excellent craftsmanship kept it afloat during the Great Depression, at which time Hooper was the contractor of choice for a series of projects on university campuses across Wisconsin.
In the 1940s…
Hooper took on many new partners and expanded into electrical power with the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) in Wisconsin – bringing power to rural areas with high-voltage powerline construction. By the 1950s, its electrical and mechanical divisions were firmly established. Numerous acquisitions in the 1960s and 1970s brought increasing versatility to Hooper and greater ability to serve the growing needs of utilities, the university, and private companies throughout Wisconsin and beyond. The addition of General Heating and Air Conditioning (GHAC) in 1994 boosted the company’s overall growth, broadening its client base to include more residential customers.
At the start of the twenty-first century…
Hooper continued to grow and prosper with new technologies and engineering expertise. It significantly increased its green energy initiatives with wind, solar, and geothermal. The company also expanded geographically with electric power operations in more than 26 states. Long-term relationships with partners such as Xcel Energy, Minnesota Power and Madison Gas & Electric continued and storm response to Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy and others elevated Hooper’s presence across the country.
Today, Hooper’s overall reach extends throughout the U.S., yet most of its mechanical business remains locally focused near its founding city and headquarters. The company’s longstanding local relationships with general contractors and commitment to its customers have earned it wide-ranging projects over the decades — from residential and manufacturing, to hospitals and high-tech, to work on marquee projects such as the Kohl Center, Overture Center, and Epic.
The next 100 years…
As Hooper lays its foundation for the next 100 years, the company is focused on reinvesting in its business and people by bringing all disciplines together. In November 2021, General Heating and Air Conditioning joined Hooper Corporation under one roof on a brand new campus and as one unified brand: Hooper. Teams that previously worked in separate offices and various warehouses are now combined in the new office building and fabrication facility – all equipped with the right space and tools for a safer, brighter, more efficient and collaborative work environment.
Timeline
1913
Charles A. Hooper established Hooper
Company as a small heating contractor in Madison, WI
1922
Awarded contract for heating and ventilation work on the new Madison General Hospital
1928
Completed plumbing work for Camp Randall and the university’s flagship building, Bascom Hall
1928
Incorporated as C.A. Hooper & Co., a plumbing and steam fitting business. Began work on power plants for Madison Gas & Electric and Wisconsin Power and Light Company
1938
Expanded into high-voltage powerline construction with its first REA-funded program in Vernon County, WI
1942
Obtained extensive military work with
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
1949
Established the Electric Power Division and purchased army surplus trucks to drive crews and heavy wire
1954
Moved headquarters from Gilman St. to Pennsylvania Ave. in Madison with a garage for its growing fleet
1958
Gained membership in the Missouri Valley Line Constructors Chapter of NECA
1967
Established its own nonprofit charitable trust, Hooper Foundation
1970
Added fire sprinkler work to the Plumbing Department
1994
Acquired General Heating and Air Conditioning (GHAC)
1995
Changed company name to “Hooper Corporation” and created the distinctive yellow “H”
1997
Expanded the Mechanical Division into four departments: Process Piping, Plumbing, Fire Protection & Custom Metals
1998
Expanded its Electric Power Division to include more storm recovery projects
2013
Hooper celebrated 100 years
2021
Hooper Corporation is joined by GHAC as one company, under one unified brand – HOOPER – on one new state-of-the-art campus in DeForest, WI
