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Highlands Today

Celebrating 60 Years

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

Bob Baker is the owner of Baker Sectic Installation, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

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By Bill Rogers | Highlands Today

Published: November 4, 2007

SEBRING — A dollar certainly doesn't go as far as it used to.

Miles Baker built a septic tank, delivered it and set it for $75 in 1947.

His son Bob, who is the owner and president of Baker Septic Installations, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, puts in tanks for about $3,000.

There are other things – besides the cost – that have changed over the years with septic tanks. Bob believes the process is not as labor intensive now compared to when he started in the business more than 30 years ago.

"The equipment, the technology, the research that has gone into making a better concrete mixture and product – it's amazing where we've come from and where we are now," said Anne Baker, Bob's wife who is the vice president of the company.

Like any business, Baker Septic has had its up and downs. Bob recalled a time when he didn't get a paycheck "in order to keep my employees working."

He said the company does what it has to do to keep on going. For example, as a result of the slump in construction, the company is doing a lot of repair work.

"We try to run our business with integrity; we try to be good to people," Bob said. "You can't satisfy everybody, but that's just the way world is. That's what we focus on."

"To be truthful, a tremendous amount of our business comes through word of mouth," he added.

"We have people who call here and say 'I've been told to call nobody else but Baker,' " Anne said.

The quality of a company's employees is also important to the success of a business, according to Bob.

"We have the finest bunch of individuals working for us," he said. "They do their job like this is their own business, too."

Baker Septic has 15 full-time employees. Skip Evans has been with the company for 34 years.

In addition to Bob and Anne, their children are also involved in the business. Philip is the treasurer and a jack of all trades, according to this father. Kelley is the secretary who handles billing, scheduling and deals with contractors.

Philip earned his registered septic tank contractor license earlier this year. Kelley is working on obtaining the license, which takes almost three years.

"We have to be educated now," Bob said.

The business is located on one and three-quarter acres of land on South George Boulevard. Bob said the company recently purchased two and three-quarter acres next to the existing location.

Baker Septic makes the molds and the concrete tanks it installs. It also has a batch plant on the site.

Anne, who believes the company's longevity is due to its interest helping the community, hopes their children can continue the business for another 60 years.

"The goal is we are providing a service to the businesses, the residents, the contractors of this community and trying to provide the best product that we can, so that people can feel secure in their system that it is installed correctly, that it is safely environmentally," she said.

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