How does a woman succeed in a male-dominated business like construction? “Do it right,” says Patricia Cumor, president of First Capital Insulation. And how does anyone succeed in government work? Again, Cumor says, “do it right, from the paperwork to project requirements.”

For Cumor, a successful and respected contractor based in York, living by that motto has helped her build a solid company and earn recognition as one of the Commonwealth’s leading business women.

Knowing when and how to use outside help is critical to doing it right. As her business grew and she sought to expand her market into federal and state projects, Cumor turned to the government marketing experts at the Kutztown University Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Cumor started in the insulation business in 1981 as just one of First Capital’s two part-time employees. As asbestos toxicity started making headlines, she spotted an opportunity for her company to fill a niche in asbestos removal and replacement. With that focus, the company grew over the next ten years by working on commercial and residential projects. While asbestos remediation still accounts for about 40 per cent of its work, First Capital has recently expanded into mold and lead removal as well.

Although Cumor had become a seasoned business owner with more than 10 employees, she knew she needed expert assistance from the SBDC to navigate this new market with its myriad entry requirements. The SBDC helped Cumor apply for and receive a CAGE Code, the necessary first step to qualifying as a government contractor. To gain a toehold in government construction work, the SBDC also helped First Capital Insulation get state certification as a woman-owned business.

The SBDC began working with First Capital in 1995, before information was readily accessible over the internet. The Kutztown SBDC kept the required paper forms, hard copy directories and federal regulations reference books, and helped Cumor complete applications and learn how to use the reference materials. As information technology evolved, so did the services that the SBDC could provide. First Capital was soon receiving daily emails with targeted bid leads, a vital source of potential government projects for the company.

With SBDC support, First Capital established itself as a contractor for all levels of government, with government contracts often accounting for as much as 50 per cent of their work. The firm has expanded to 30 full-time employees and, in the summer months, hires an additional 40 local workers.

The greatest value added by the Kutztown SBDC came not from technology, however, but from the knowledge and skill housed there. Over the years Cumor and First Capital employees have gained know-how from the SBDC’s educational programs, and from the suggestions and guidance provided by SBDC consultants. The SBDC still helps Cumor interpret federal contract requirements occasionally and acts as a sounding board for her ideas.

“The people at the SBDC and the experience that they passed on to me has been invaluable,” says Cumor.

“The people at the SBDC and the experience that they passed on to me has been invaluable.”

– Patricia Cumor
First Capital Insulation

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