PIERCETON — The foundation for the corporation of E.F. Rhoades & Sons started in 1941 through a farming and cattle business by the grandfather of current President Frank Rhoades. The farming entity originally started in Claypool before settling in current day location of Pierceton. The building that is currently used to occupy the main offices of the corporation was initially a chicken barn during these years of the farming operation.

The Rhoades family first got into business of selling in 1975 when Frank’s father, Ernst Rhoades, began selling synthetic oil through Indiana State Fair displays. This lead Ernst Rhoades into sales at the local level of selling pressure washers at the local farm shows in which he began to incorporate his sons into his business thus Frank and Dean Rhoades’ involvement. It was then in 1977 with E.F. Rhoades & Sons began its business which has led to today’s current corporation including three different divisions.

During his time of selling pressure washers, Frank Rhoades was making a sales pitch to Creighton Brothers for a large power washer. However, the owners at the time were not as interested in Frank selling them a power washer as much as they were interested in Frank fixing three alarm systems that were broken for their chicken barns. These alarm systems were used to protect their animals in times of power outages. After several failed attempts to focus Creighton Brothers on Frank’s power washer sales pitch, Frank agreed to take the alarms in attempt to fix them with the goal of finally selling the power washer.

Through the processes of working with Creighton Brothers to operate these alarms, he began to have more focused energy on alarm systems than on power washers. It was then when Frank began fixing and monitoring lake homes that were not occupied. During which time, Jim Mendenhall began to nickname Frank Rhoades as the “Cottage Watchman” which is current day name of the division of the residential security systems. During which time, Ernst Rhoades’ other son, Dean Rhoades, began having much success in the power washer business at local and national levels.

Current day, Cottage Watchman, specializing in residential alarm systems, is only a division of the corporation of E.F. Rhoades & Sons which also includes E.F. Rhoades Inc. and Commercial Watchman Inc. The division of E.F. Rhoades Inc. specializes in sales and services of a number of makes and models of pressure washers: hot, cold, steam and multi pump along with Energylogic & Renzor waste oil heaters. The division of Commercial Watchman specializes in protecting your commercial, industrial or agricultural businesses 24 hours a day whether that be intrusion or general property protection through their interactive alarms and monitoring systems.

E.F. Rhoades & Sons currently serve an active role locally within the Pierceton Chamber of Commerce, Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce, Kosciusko Builder’s Association and at the state level through the Indiana State Builders Board.

In 2005, Ed Roberts designed their current day logo of Cottage Watchman which Frank Rhoades gives much credit to their success over the many years. This was seen in 2006 when Cottage Watchman was awarded the Business Excellence Award at the local level, and again in 2009 when Cottage Watchman was awarded the Security Pro Growth Hero of the Year award in Las Vegas, Nevada.

E.F. Rhoades & Sons prides themselves on being a family owned and operated business as they currently have five generations working within an entity of the corporation. Priding themselves on treating each and every customer with dignity and respect, E.F. Rhoades & Sons are proud of the many thousands of customers they serve on a daily basis through power washer services and security needs at the commercial and residential levels. As Frank Rhoades stated, “I have always said that until we have a happy customer, we don’t deserve another.”