Our Company

      The Beginning – In 1977, PortSide Properties, Inc. opened the doors of their first facility in Sturgeon Bay.  PortSide Founder and President Fran Shefchik’s goal was to provide the Door County community with creative, individualized home designs, quality construction, and on-going customer service.  Emphasizing the three key elements of Customer Focus, Respect, and Teamwork, Fran’s vision was “to provide the utmost in quality and on-going customer service, working towards making Customers for Life.”    

      Evolution – As our customer needs began to change, PortSide evolved to meet those needs.  In 1989, we opened Door County’s first Home Showroom in Sturgeon Bay.  This facility provided our customers the opportunity to make hands-on selections of their home products with one easy stop.  That same year, we expanded our business by responding to the need for remodeling services in Door County.  Since that time, remodeling has become an ever-increasing portion of PortSide's business.

     Expansion – By 1994, PortSide expanded its services to the Oshkosh area.  Our service area now extended from the tip of Door County through the entire Fox Valley, where it remains today.

Founder, Fran Shefchik; and President, Paul Shefchik

     Growth – 2001 ushered in a new era for PortSide, with the opening of our new offices in the Sturgeon Bay Industrial Park. Our new larger building allowed the expansion of the Home Design Center, where our customers can walk through fully assembled kitchen displays, open and close window and door samples, feel countertop selections, and compare and choose from a vast array of home products.

Only four years later, in 2005, a similar facility was constructed in Neenah, a more central location from which to serve our Fox Valley customers. The expanded offices and Home Design Center provided higher visibility and cemented our presence in the Valley, allowing for the continued growth of our company in that part of the state.  The company also officially changed its name to PortSide Builders, Inc. in an effort to better reflect our services.

     Our Future - In 2005, owners Fran Shefchik and Bob Stoehr took a major step in securing the company's future by converting their ownership into an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or "ESOP".   They knew that empowering their employees with pride of ownership and a shared stake in the company's success would lead to a team effort in promoting the long-range financial health of the company.  In the decade since, PortSide Builders has weathered economic and industry uncertainties, and has emerged as a stronger company that continues to grow.  Our dedication to innovation, quality, and long-lasting customer service will guide us in meeting the needs of our customers well into the future.