Today we’d like to introduce you to Doug Lietzke.
Hi Doug, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My father -in-law, Bob Snelgrove, started the comp[any in 1969 when he got out of the Air Force. He had as many as 23 employees when they installed the HVAC systems for the houses in the Sangaree housing development in Summerville, SC. His most unique job was helping install the Carolina Heat Pipe system in the White House Visitors Center in 2001. He retired for the most part and closed the business when he moved out on the Edisto River in 2007. In 2010, with his help and training, I, Doug Lietzke, Bob’s son-in-law, started the company back up again. Bob helped me for 3 years before he finally retired from the heat and air business. Now in 2026 we have grow to 11 employees and 10 vans. We have carried on Bob’s business philosophy of giving great customer service and quality work at a fair price. Our loyal customers, some whom have been with us since the early 80’s, refer us to their friends and has been the main contributing factor to our growth. We just moved out of our garage and renovated an old forgotten building in downtown Walterboro with 4500 Sqft. of warehouse and office space for us to continue growing into. We serve Walterboro, the Charleston metro area and everywhere in between. We have grown into a big company, but I still hold fast to traditional family values and a commitment to our town and customers.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have worked long and hard to continue building the Snelgroves reputation. Employees have always been the hardest part. Right now, knock on wood, I have the best group of people that I have ever had. They care about the customers and the company first. I have seasoned installers and a couple of service techs I would put up against the best in the business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have a God given gift that people trust me. I hold that gift with a lot of responsibility. I don’t want to break that trust no matter what. The second best gift I have is my wife. Without her support and encouragement I would be just an average Joe. I am also very blessed to have a mechanical mind that an figure out a solution to just about any problem.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I am part of a business group call BNI, Business Networkers International, that has also helped me out tremendously. About 35% of our business comes from word of mouth referrals from this group.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.snelgroveshvac.com
