company history
Republic has a diverse and storied history in the Quad Cities. We have thrived as a community staple and grown the business to continually improve our ability to meet customers’ needs. We are very proud of our company history and the events that have led our company to where it is today.
-
1916
JS Kimmel borrows $5,000
from each of his two sisters and opens a Delco Light Plant Distributorship to sell power plants to rural America
-
1918
The Electric Equipment Company opens
at 222 Ripley (1/2 block south of Kahl Building) to sell “modern day” appliances
-
1920
Republic partners with Frigidaire
to distribute refrigerators and freezers
-
1920
Republic opens up a counter and warehouse
at 120 E. Front Street
-
1932
JSK Sr. raises $116K locally to help the poor and needy buy coal
-
1932
JSK Sr. serves on the initial Board of Directors of Davenport Bank and Trust
-
1934
Republic partners with Square D
and converts its rural Delco Light Plant installers into electrical contractors
-
1937
JSK Jr. began his love of aviation at age 16
by selling his bicycle, his binoculars, and his rifle to pay for flying lessons at Cram Field
-
1942
JSK Sr. leads the Quad City WWII effort to sell Victory War Bonds
from 1942-1944
-
1946
JSK Jr. returns from flying the Hump in WWII and starts work at Republic
-
1947
Republic moves to present location at 737 Charlotte Street
-
1948
Republic enters the residential HVAC industry
by partnering with Fedders and Worthington
-
1957
JSK Sr. creates The Sheltered Workshop
predecessor to Handicapped Development Center
-
1960
Republic acquires Federal Street warehouses and land
from Standard Oil of Indiana
-
1971
JSK Jr. becomes president
succeeding his father, who died October 10th
-
1972
JSK Jr. serves as the volunteer chairman of the original QC Airshow “Aerorama”
to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the QC Airport
-
1984
Mark C. Kilmer joins Republic
after returning from Standard Oil of California
-
1993
Republic opens a Regional Refrigerant Recovery Center
-
1998
Mark Kilmer becomes president
-
2002
JSK, Jr. died on July 26
-
2003
Republic expands into the Geo-Thermal HVAC market
-
2003
Republic establishes a facility in Dubuque, Iowa
the first of its now 3 branch locations
-
2006
Republic expands into the energy management and lighting retrofit market
-
2008
Republic partners with Johnson Controls
and begins distributing York and Luxaire residential and commercial HVAC equipment
-
2010
Republic establishes Cedar Rapids, Iowa location
-
2011
Republic becomes the back-to-back winner of the prestigious national “IMARK Electrical Distributor of the Year” award
2010 & 2011 Winner
-
2014
Republic acquires Yeomans Distribution and expands to Peoria, Illinois
-
2016
Republic celebrates its 100 years in business!
