LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Metal is one of the strongest materials on earth. But when it's not protected it can rust, become brittle and easily break.
In this Nevada Built, 13 Action News Anchor Todd Quinones introduces you to a woman who learned how to protect metal. In doing so, she protected her own family, while making sure her late husband's dream didn't break.
SIMILAR: Nevada Built: Familiar chocolate company with unfamiliar story
"Honestly, sorry, it was a blur of a time," said Jessica Famiglietti.
Her life was turned upside down by her husband Dave's cancer diagnosis. So was, in some ways, the life of Kent Willis, who had committed to helping Dave start his new business.
"The last time you spoke with Dave, he said, 'Oh I've got to get some things checked out by the doctor. I'll call you back in a couple of weeks,'" said Todd.
"Yep, Dave was diagnosed with cancer and passed. Not even two months after," said Kent.
SIMILAR: Nevada Built: A new Henderson company behind the brains of automation
When Dave passed from melanoma in March of 2019, he left behind a wife and two young children. His dream of starting a metal coating business was in a brittle state and the two people who could protect it didn't even know each other.
"Talking about how you met Jessica, I mean, that is an incredible story. You didn't meet her until the funeral, Dave's funeral," said Todd.
"Correct, at the service. So Dave and I actually partnered up to start this," said Kent.
"I didn't even know that he had hired Kent, honestly. We met at Dave's service. When I came into this building everything was in pieces. Some of the parts we didn't have most of it," said Jessica.
"But then at that point, I really didn't know what we were going to do," said Kent.
"I basically said, the best help you can do is just get here because he was in California. So he moved here and we started going through boxes and parts and pieces and built the whole line," said Jessica.
MORE NEVADA BUILT STORIES:
What they created is this Nevada Built plating company. Vegas Metal Finishing in North Las Vegas provides a protective coating or anodizing for aluminum parts including; guns, planes and luxury cars and in all kinds of colors.
"We have red, blue, Flat, Dark Earth, Desert Tan, pink and purple. We get a lot of requests for pink and purple," said Kent.
"Pink and purple? And this is also where the Porsche parts are made as well?" asked Todd. "This is where it's finished. This is where it's dyed," says Kent.
So the company that was near the breaking point before it even began more than two years ago, today has nine employees, customers across the country and a product that is protecting one of the strongest known commodities, a loving family.
"As a brand new company that's basically started in 2020, to continue on and still be a company here in 2021, I think that that's a success story in and of itself," said Jessica.
It's a success story that is Nevada Built.
"This was always Dave's dream," said Kent.
