This month, we celebrate the second generation of leadership at Wilkinson, honoring Geoffrey C. Wilkinson, Sr., who carried forward his father George’s vision while steering the company into new horizons.
Geoff’s journey with the family business began in 1969, when he joined George T. Wilkinson, Inc., cleaning boilers part-time while attending the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Throughout the early 1970s, he continued working part-time for the company while sailing in the Merchant Marine for Mobil Oil Corporation, serving as a second assistant engineer managing boiler room operations aboard oil tankers.
In 1976, Geoff became a full-time employee at GTW Inc., focusing on growing the service and installation business and hiring additional employees. His technical expertise, operational experience, and commitment to quality customer service laid the foundation for the company’s continued growth.
Geoff’s leadership is also rooted in his military and academic achievements. He served in the Naval Reserve Commission and the United States Coast Guard. He earned a degree in Marine and Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where he now serves on the Board of Trustees, and also studied Mechanical Engineering at Metropolitan College and Wentworth Institute of Technology.
Through the 1980s, GTW Inc. continued to expand, hitting a major milestone in 1986. Promoted to President, Geoff recognized the growing demand for mobile boiler rentals and founded Wilkinson Mobile Boilers, Inc. (WMBI) to meet this need. By 1996, WMBI had grown to 12 mobile boilers, serving an expanding customer base. That same year, GTW Inc. completed the installation of the first linkageless Autoflame system in the United States at a Boston university—a bold innovation that delivered lasting benefits to customers.
Closing out the 1990s, GTW Inc. and WMBI had grown to nearly 30 full-time associates, marking the company’s evolution from a small, family-run operation into a thriving, industry-leading firm.
Now retired from day-to-day operations, Geoff Sr. remains an invaluable asset to the company.
He continues to be an essential resource, offering decades of experience, insight, and leadership that benefits our assocaites, our projects and the future of GTW.
