"What's So High Tech About It..."
by Jesica Barnes

The most common question the Barnes High Tech Plumbing staff is asked is "What's so high tech about it?"  Until very recently, the answer had eluded us, fortunately the technological world has advanced far beyond what anyone ever imagined, and we can now use that to our advantage.  

Today we can say we're high tech because not only do we have laminated business cards, but we were one of, if not the first, plumbing companies in the area to tiptoe into the worldwide web (www.HighTech-Plumbing.com). Of course, ten years ago when Joe started the the company, the Internet was nothing like it is today. "www" and ".com" were not terminology used in everyday life and cell phones weighed approximately 12lbs a piece! It was in this age of the non-digital world that Joe decided to start plumbing on his own. Joe started working out of his home and one day at work (when you work out of your home that actually means, one day while watching TV), Joe decided he needed some parts (as most plumbers do occasionally).  But when he was buying the parts, the supplier, John Boykin, needed a name to go on the bill, and Joe didn't have a name yet.  At this critical moment, Boykin decided that since Joe was a plumbing inspector, a teacher of the apprenticeship program at Lane Community College, and a certified backflow tester, that Joe was very "high-tech". Hence, the name "High Tech Plumbing". 

Joe took the name home with him to pass it by his wife (all decisions must first be passed by the wife). The Barnes was added so customers can connect the Barnes in the title and the Barnes in the name and know that Joe's "The Man". Thus today we are Barnes High Tech Plumbing, Inc.