What Does It Mean to Be Family Owned?

Have you ever called a company because you believed they are a local family-owned business, only to find out the family sold the company years ago and the new owners are simply using the old name and reputation?

Today, many corporations and investment groups buy established local businesses because customers trust the names and histories behind them. Often, the original family is no longer involved at all.

So what does “family owned” really mean?

A true family-owned company is owned and controlled by members of the same family. While every business is different, family ownership usually includes a few important things:

• The family owns a significant part — or all — of the business.
• Family members are involved in leadership and daily operations.
• The business is intended to be passed down to future generations.
• The company culture reflects family values, reputation, and legacy.

For many customers, “family owned” also implies:
• More personal service
• Long-term relationships with customers
• Accountability to the local community
• Pride in reputation
• Decisions based on longevity instead of short-term profits
• Profits staying within the community

There is also an important difference between these terms:

• Family owned — the family owns the business.
• Family operated — family members actively run the day-to-day operations.
• Family founded — the business was started by a family, even if ownership later changed.

Many companies use all three together because they communicate trust and stability:

“Family owned and operated since 1915.”

That phrase tells customers:
• who built the company,
• who still runs it,
• and that the business has survived for generations.

At Mike Bachman Plumbing, we believe honest relationships begin with honesty about who we are and what we stand for. That philosophy carries through everything we do — from upfront pricing to guaranteeing our work.

You have probably seen our advertisements mentioning “6 generations of plumbers.” Here is the history behind the Bachman plumbing legacy.

Kasper Bachman worked for many years as a plumber for A.W. Meek before starting his own company in 1915: K. Bachman & Son Plumbing and Heating. The company eventually opened a shop at 2574 Washington Blvd in Ogden, Utah.

Kasper later handed the business down to his son, Milton Kasper Bachman. The company became Bachman Plumbing and Heating and moved to the 22nd Street block of Lincoln Avenue in Ogden. Miltons son also named Milton worked for the company and eventulaly went on to become a contractor and started Bachman Development. 

Milton’s son, Mike Bachman, apprenticed under Bachman Plumbing before branching out on his own. In 1978, Mike founded Mike Bachman Plumbing as a service and repair company. What began as a one-man operation eventually grew into a multi-truck plumbing company serving Ogden and Northern Utah and is now located at 549 W 24th street in Ogden.

Mike’s son, Vic Bachman, began working with his father at a young age and started his plumbing apprenticeship full time in 1989. In 2016, Vic took over the company and continues to run it today alongside his sister Jenifer and lifelong friend Chad Roylance.

The next generation is already carrying on the tradition. Vic’s sons — Mason Bachman, Brandon Bachman, and Chad Bachman — are all licensed plumbers helping continue the Bachman legacy. The office is operated by Vic’s sister Jenifer and sister-in-law Kathy, along with a dedicated team of additional plumbers and staff.

So yes — we truly are a family-owned and family-operated company, and we plan on staying that way for generations to come.

The Bachman family has proudly served Ogden and Northern Utah for more than 113 years.

As President of Mike Bachman Plumbing, I am proud to continue the tradition of providing quality, affordable plumbing service to Northern Utah. More importantly, I believe in treating our customers and employees like part of our extended family.

— Vic Bachman

For us, this history is more than advertising or branding. These are real people, real buildings, real tools, and real generations of plumbers who worked hard to build a reputation in Northern Utah one customer at a time.

We still preserve photographs, artifacts, and pieces of the original company because they remind us where we came from and the responsibility we have to carry that reputation forward.

When customers call Mike Bachman Plumbing today, they are not calling a corporation using an old local name. They are calling the same family that has been serving Northern Utah for generations.