How it all began . . .
Jeff Lavoie, Owner and CEO of All-Ways Accessible, began working in the construction industry when he was in high school. He worked with a local contractor framing houses. He also worked with his Dad, who owned a business doing concrete finishing. When Jeff finished high school, he chose to enter the U.S. Army, where his career path took a rather drastic turn. The Army, in its infinite wisdom, decided to send Jeff to nursing school, where he received training as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). He served as an Army medic and obtained additional medical citations.
Upon being honorably discharged from the military, Jeff returned home to New Hampshire (NH) and began working as a nurse. First he worked in a large local hospital. Then he moved to a durable medical equipment company that specialized in custom wheelchairs and rehabilitation equipment.
He quickly discovered that he could provide people with the means to get around via the use of a wheelchair or other mobility devices, but getting in and out of their homes, or even just getting to the 2nd floor, proved a much greater challenge. So Jeff started working with different lift manufacturers, attending training schools and educating himself on the different code and safety regulations for the various products. He began installing stairlifts and ramps for his wheelchair clients, and then later on, after obtaining an elevator mechanic’s license from the State of New Hampshire, he began working with vertical wheelchair lifts, for both homes and businesses. As Jeff started to do more of these types of lifts, he saw an opportunity. At the time, the Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990, and the concept of accessibility for people with disabilities was just beginning to have an impact on society. Jeff decided to branch out and start his own company which would focus on providing accessibility solutions for people with disabilities. In 1996 All-Ways Accessible, Inc. was born.
After working from home for about a year, All-Ways Accessible began to grow. Jeff became very busy selling and installing product. He decided that he needed some help. It was that desicion that allowed that All-Ways Accessible spead it's wings and start to be recognized as the leader in Northern New England in Lifts and Elevators. First it was some office help then it was technicians.
In December of 1997, they moved All-Ways Accessible out of Jeffs house and into a small office complex located at 128 Hall Street in Concord, New Hampshire (NH). The company had 2 employees, a hand full of different products and served customers mainly in New Hampshire. One of those employees, Mike Racki, is still employed at All-Ways as Project manager.
Today, All-Ways Accessible occupies just over 6000 square feet of space, employs 17 people, specializes in stairlifts, wheelchair lifts, residential home elevators, limited use limited access elevators (LU/LA), dumbwaiters, material lifts, patient lifts, modular ramps, and works with over 20 different manufacturing partners. All-Ways Accessible serves customers throughout New Hampshire (NH), Maine (ME) and Vermont (VT.
All-Ways Accessible has recently undergone a major renovation to its showroom. It now boasts two working residential elevators, an IGD and a hydraulic model. There are also two different brands of stairlifts, along with modular ramping products, and patient lift demo equipment.