Our Story

In 1968, Luther Williams became one of the first SERVPRO franchise owners, following closely behind CEO Ted Issacson and his partner, Tal. The three men, first serving as Service Master franchise owners, became fast friends through the annual conventions. Meeting difficulty in chemical distribution with the corporation, Ted and Tal decided to branch off from Service Master, and thus the SERVPRO legacy began.

They created the franchise as a painting company in Sacramento, deciding to expand the operation into a restoration company in 1969. Luther Williams was among the first on board with the new franchise decision. As a regional director, Williams recruited new businesses in the Southeast faster than any other SERVPRO owner to date. At one point, he trained and serviced North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida all from his local West Columbia location. He was the first of four owners to receive the Humanitarian Award for his incredible contribution to SERVPRO and the local community.

Just ten years later, the franchise was sold to the current owners, Marty and Angie Williams.  Their children recently became part of the SERVPRO team as well. Daughter Tia reminisces on her grandfather: “To me he was just a wonderful father figure who joined me in my love for the outdoors. To find out he also basically built an empire as a businessman and community leader is just all the more wonderful. Not that I’m surprised.”

Through hard work and sweat, this franchise has been built into a leading company in the local Fire & Water Cleanup & Restoration business. The core values of SERVPRO of Cayce/West Columbia & Lexington are honesty, ethical business practices and taking care of their employees. These same values have served as the foundation of many solid relationships with prominent insurance companies and property managers throughout the areas served.

Sandy Hayden