Company History
We are proud of the heritage and the tradition that serves as the foundation on which our company was formed. Since 1973, we have strived to provide quality, ingenuity, and value to our customers every day.
Built On Generations Of Amish Craftsmanship
Coach House Garages was founded in 1973 by Willis Miller. Mr. Miller, a local Amish builder, started the company as a small operation working from his home in rural Arthur. Mr. Miller’s mission was simple: to build a quality building and take care of his customers. He found a ready market for his craftsmanship and attention to detail.
To market the buildings, Miller’s business associate, Roger Gadberry, established a dealership in Decatur. With one consultant and three employees, Coach House was on its way to becoming the premier garage builder in the state of Illinois.
As the Coach House reputation of quality construction and customer service grew, more consultants were added. Currently, there are 25 offices located throughout Illinois and in portions of Iowa, Missouri, and Indiana.
Jim Yoder purchased the company in 1997. In 2005 he moved and expanded the plant to its current facility in Arthur, Illinois. The expanded site enabled Coach House to:
- Increase production
- Improve material handling
- Manufacture its own roof trusses
- Accommodate the inside storage of building materials
Coach House Today
In 2018 Mr. Yoder was ready to partially retire. He didn’t want to sell the company to the “highest bidder”, he wanted better for his employees and the company he worked so hard to grow. So, with that in mind, he sold a portion of the company to an ESOP, which is short for Employee Stock Ownership Plan. With that change, corporate officers were put in place, including Mr. Yoder as the CEO and it was business as usual for several years.
In 2023 Coach House Garages became a 100% Employee-Owned Company. The company is currently managed by a corporate officers team which include Rick Otto as President, Larry Diener VP of Production and Jonathan Yoder as VP of Operations as well as three board members, Rick Otto, Jim Yoder and Tim Miller, and a Trustee, Michael Miller.
Coach House has constructed over 26,000 buildings totaling over 12 million square feet since its inception in 1973. A panelized manufacturing process in the plant and systematic building procedures, provide Coach House the advantage of a highly-efficient construction process. All of our employees are well-trained, efficient, reliable and all are dedicated to the goal of always providing a quality product at a competitive price to the marketplace.
You can find out more about our community and the culture of the Central Illinois Amish by visiting Arthur, IL – The Heart of Amish Country.
