While our biography tells you that AZ Quality Services started in 1997, the heart and soul of our company goes way back. A genuine American success story, our family-owned business got its start in the very same industries we serve today. Our strong foundation and drive to provide outstanding care to our customers are key to our shared successes.
Living the American Dream
Like so many others, our ancestors came to this country to make a better life for themselves. Our family immigrated from Eastern Europe to the United States in the early 1880s, with our closest relatives settling in Pennsylvania. The first generations worked in the coal mines near the towns of Connellsville and Uniontown, located about 40 miles south of Pittsburgh. It was a hard life, but that’s where our foundation and work ethic was forged.
This ethic of hard work and endurance was passed down to our grandfather, aunts, uncles, and cousins who, in search of a better life for their families, headed to the Midwest to work in the growing automotive industry after World War II. They settled in places like Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Chicago, finding work with General Motors, The Ford Motor Company, and Willys-Overland Jeep.
After 47 years of working with Jeep in their Toledo facility, our grandfather, Peter Genot II, retired. As his predecessors had done before him, he built a successful life with his industriousness. Coal mining built the foundation, but the automotive industry became the heart of our bloodline.
The Beginning of AZ Quality Services
After serving in the US Army, our company founder decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. Peter Genot III went to work for Jeep and launched a career in the auto industry. He started in production and worked while earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Toledo. His drive and success allowed him to eventually move into the Quality Engineering field. Over the next 35 years, Pete worked for multiple medium and Fortune 500 automotive companies in various quality roles, eventually retiring as a Director of Quality in 1998.
Even though he had retired from his auto industry job, Pete was far from being a retiree. Not one to sit around, he soon went into quality consulting and auditing, and AZ Quality Services was born.
Recognizing a Need in the Auto Industry
During his first year of consulting, Pete recognized that many automotive suppliers and assembly plants needed qualified and trained quality personnel in key areas. Due to cost-cutting measures and decreases in their internal full-time staff, automakers faced multiple staff shortages, including inspectors, quality technicians, quality engineers, field quality representatives, quality liaisons, and launch support.
At the time, most companies in the auto industry were looking to cut employee overhead costs (payroll, taxes, health benefits, insurance, retirement, etc.) by downsizing full-time employees and outsourcing the work to independent 3rd party companies. Our business was born to meet the quality needs of the auto industry. In 1998, Pete asked his son Peter Genot IV to join AZ Quality to help support the industry’s growing need.
Keeping It In the Family
Together, Pete Sr. and Pete Jr. grew the company from a 2-man business to a mid-sized multinational organization with employees spread across 13 US states, Canada, and Mexico. In 1999, Pete’s daughter Angelina joined the business to run the corporate office and accounting functions. After Pete Sr. retired, Angelina took over his share of the company and became the owner of AZ Quality along with her brother Pete Jr.
Over the past 24 years, we’ve watched many companies in our industry start, grow, and fail. But AZ Quality has always remained constant thanks to our strong foundation, family history, intergenerational connection to the auto industry, and the three core principles which drive our every interaction with suppliers, customers, and employees: honesty, integrity, and trust. We’re ready to help right now and look forward to the opportunity to work with you.
AZ Quality Services management successfully works with manufacturers and service companies supporting a wide range of engineering, technical, mechanical, quality, communications, skilled trades, and other disciplines. We provide a multitude of managed programs and talent-focused contract personnel services supporting complete customer outsourcing needs.
