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Commonwealth Fire Protection Co., an industry-leading fire sprinkler contractor, is undergoing a momentous leadership transition.
Effective February 2025, Daniel Laird, the current president and CEO, will maintain the role of chief executive officer, while Charmaine Zercher will be promoted to president. Jeffrey Fromm and Michael Borkowski will be promoted to vice presidents of operations.
Excited for what’s next
Daniel Laird began his career at Commonwealth Fire Protection in 1991 as the design manager – and followed a path of growth as the company expanded its services and demographics throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Dan became an owner in 2012, along with business partner and friend Paul Hoffnagle.
The unfortunate passing of owner, President and CEO Stephen Scott in 2014 led Dan and Paul to company ownership. The sudden loss of Paul in 2017 positioned Dan as owner, president, and CEO. These tragic losses did not deter the company from continued success, as the culture remained unyielding. This uncompromised culture led to 100% employee ownership in 2019.
True succession planning is now occurring across the corporate structure, positioning Commonwealth Fire Protection for a legacy well beyond a half century of business operation. AS CEO, Dan will provide strategic oversight, confidence, experience and an extensive understanding of ‘The Play Book’!
“I am honored to have this opportunity that our past leadership never fully experienced,” he said. “It is humbling, and I feel blessed to be in this position of seeing all our efforts come to fruition. Since becoming president in 2017, my main purpose was doing everything possible to continue the legacy of Commonwealth Fire Protection, its past leadership and the employees! This transition is a result of dedicated employees all working in the same direction with the end in mind. Our team is well positioned to service our current and future customer base, and I am excited to see what comes next!”
Following the legacy
Charmaine Zercher has been a key member of Commonwealth Fire Protection since joining the company in 1985, overseeing all aspects of the office as the company grew and serving most recently as controller since 2015.
Charmaine will bring a deep understanding of the company’s operations and culture to her new role as president, utilizing over 30 years of financial experience to drive strategic growth and operational efficiency.
“I am honored to step into the role of president for Commonwealth Fire Protection,” she said. “I aim to follow the legacy of our first president, Stephen Scott, whose leadership expanded and strengthened the company. I will continue promoting financial literacy among our employee-owners and fostering a culture of accountability within the company’s ESOP. I am excited to continue driving Commonwealth Fire Protection to greater strength and continued growth with the rest of our leadership team, Dan, Mike, and Jeff.”
Continuing the mission
After completing a three-year enlistment in the U.S. Navy and attending Lincoln Technical Institute, Jeffrey L. Fromm began his career with Commonwealth Fire Protection in 1992 as a fire protection designer. By 2002 Jeff achieved NICET Level IV certification in water-based system layout and took on the added role of shop/purchasing manager.
The continued growth of Commonwealth Fire Protection brought the need for a more organized safety program, an initiative that Jeff chaired and led for five years until taking on the role of design manager in 2009. With the sudden loss of President and CEO Stephen Scott in 2014 and the impending retirement of past Vice President Greg Foster, Jeff transitioned into estimating and project management in 2016.
The next year brought the untimely passing of Commonwealth Fire Protection’s CFO, Paul Hoffnagle. Dan, then the sole owner, formed an executive team, which included Jeff, to assist in leading the company. Since then, Jeff’s role has been director of design build and construction, where he provides oversight to all phases of construction from design through installation.
“I have been fortunate to work with, be mentored by and become friends with some outstanding individuals over the years, Steve Scott, Greg Foster, Paul Hoffnagle and Dan Laird to name a few,” Jeff said. “The loss of our leaders never deterred the company’s success, and the employees always had a ‘next person up’ mentality. The foundation laid by past leaders continues today. I am excited and look forward to continuing their mission and culture to help lead the employee-owners of Commonwealth Fire Protection in servicing our customers’ fire protection needs.”
Working collectively
Michael Borkowski started his fire sprinkler career in January 1994. He joined the Commonwealth Fire Protection team in February 1996 as a sprinkler fitter apprentice, completing the four-year AFSA apprenticeship program along with the AFSA foremanship program. In March 1999, Steve Scott and Jack Scott met with Michael to introduce the opportunity of joining the estimating/sales team. In September 2002, Michael put down the tools and started down the career path toward becoming an estimator.
In March 2013, Michael led the team’s efforts in opening an office in Wilmington, Delaware. The expanded regional presence allowed the Commonwealth Fire Protection team to grow its inspections, service, design, and installation departments to where they are today.
“I have been truly fortunate to work with numerous talented individuals with Commonwealth Fire Protection and within this industry that have assisted me with my success in the management, estimating and sales side of this business,” Michael said. “I am honored and excited to take on this position with Commonwealth Fire Protection alongside Charmaine and Jeff. I look forward to working collectively with our employee-owners to maintain our business ethics and quality while we continue to find ways to exceed our clients’ expectations.”
