Thomas Edison had Menlo Park.

Henry Ford had Detroit.

And Dennis Schultz has Alpena.

The seeds of inspiration and innovation have to sprout somewhere, and what better place than Northeast Michigan? Such is the philosophy Dennis and his family, along with a group of dedicated local workers, exhibit each and every day with their work. It is that philosophy that earned him and his team the “Innovator of the Year” honor earlier this month during Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s Energy Excellence Awards.

The award was the “cream of the crop” of the honors that day. It was given to recognize Terra Caloric and WellConnect, two of Dennis’ businesses, for their work in designing affordable and environmental friendly heat pumps to homeowners with wells. Using only two gallons of water, Dennis and his team designed and patented a system that can reduce 23,400 gallons of propane a year at an average home.

The system definitely is lean and green. It is lean when it comes to overall cost and because of its environmental attributes, it is as green as it gets.

Discussing the award and WellConnect’s connection to geothermal products, Dennis this week sounded like a proud papa. Which isn’t too far off the mark, since son Tim oversees marketing and sales at WellConnect. Their story, and that of other family members in related businesses of Dennis’, is one of hard work, perseverance, dreams and hope.

It is a story that begins in Alpena, takes twists and turns around the country, yet returns back home. It is a story where a dream becomes reality, where a garage prototype turns into an award winning heat pump and where an average Joe might someday be able to afford reliable heat and cooling for his family’s home, all the while knowing he is doing so in an environmentally safe and efficient manner.

Dennis understands that success doesn’t just happen, however. And, in his discussion about this prestigious award he and his family were honored with, he was quick to point out that many others beside family members helped make it possible. People like Ben Westrope and Chris Lehman were important contributors along the way, and there were a host of others. There were many hands who played a role to make this geothermal heat pump a reality, and Dennis is grateful for each and every one of them.

Dennis is an aeronautical engineer who originally started his career with Boeing in Seattle. Growing up, however, he was weaned in construction work with his father and grandfather with Timm Construction. When he made the decision to leave his career and return to his roots he brought with him the knowledge of what he had witnessed in Seattle – hundreds of start-ups by engineers who left the aerospace industry and hatched an entrepreneurial venture on their own.

With that background he soon did the same here, and today his family’s businesses include, in addition to Timm Construction, Terra Caloric and WellConnect – Bay View Insulation, abc Seamless, TRC Roofing and Fiber Char. The businesses all deal with energy in one form or another.

“All these have always had an energy twist,” he said.

Tim, like his father, also returned home to assist with family affairs.

“Family is the reason I’m here,” he said. “There is never a bad day living in northern Michigan.”

Today, the two hope to build upon the momentum of the “Innovator of the Year” honor and expand their product even further. Their eyes brighten when they discuss how many potential users exist across the country and into Canada, and how they can offer well users an environmentally friendly, low cost alternative to heat and cool their homes.

“I refer to it as a grand slam,” Tim said. “The homeowners wins, utilities win and the earth wins with our product.”

Today the firm employs six. However, within five years, both Dennis and Tim agree they would hope to have 100 employed at the plant.

Dennis said if that would occur, it would help take development within our community up to yet another level.

“How great would that be to create 100 new jobs,” Tim said. “That would have a meaningful impact on the economy.”

Some might ask “Why Alpena?”

Dennis would answer “Why Not?”

Bill Speer can be reached via email at bspeer@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 354-3111 ext. 331. Follow Bill on Twitter @billspeer13. Read his blog, More BS?(Bill Speer) at www.thealpenanews.com.