Every little girl dreams of growing up to play with - radiators? Well, if your childhood memories include afternoons spent hanging around the family business - and that business is Imperial Radiator, then you can relate to Cindy Shillito. 

Glen Kanos, flanked by daughter Cindy Shillito (l) and wife Caroline Kanos (r) are hands-on owners who work daily to serve the customers of Imperial Radiator.

Imperial Radiator was started in 1968 on Imperial Highway near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) by Shillito's uncle Greg Kanos, who ran the shop until he passed away in the early eighties. At that point, it was either sell the family business or get serious, so Glen and Caroline Kanos, Shillito's parents, took over in 1984 and began to grow the small 5-employee radiator repair shop into a major player in the radiator business.

Although she knew little about radiators when she became the outside sales person at age 20, Shillito was destined to be a sales person. In 1984, the company moved to larger quarters in Inglewood, also near LAX, building a new clientele of airport accounts - Continental, UA, TWA all had radiators that needed repair and maintenance. There weren't many collision centers who could do the work, so business boomed and it wasn't long before Imperial Radiator outgrew its quarters once again.

The next move - to Hawthorne Boule-vard in Torrance - took the business to the next level. "We were growing like crazy," offered Shillito, as the staff multiplied to 18 people, then to today's 25 employees.

Glen and Caroline Kanos continue to be active in Imperial Radiator. "They still work here every day. Mom does the books," explained Shillito. "The business is successful because dad still orders all the product and dispatches the drivers. He is a 100% involved owner."

To the three of them, Imperial Radiator is their life. They trust each other. The teamwork developed between father and daughter gives Shillito the confidence to bring on new accounts, knowing that they will be well taken care of by her dad.

One reason for the success of Imperial Radiator is volume. Radiators are ordered by the pallate, necessitating the 18,000 sq. ft. warehouse located in Carson. Ordering in bulk allows the company to pass on discounts to its customers. For the most part, it is more cost effective today to replace radiators than to repair them, so the warehouse is overflowing with radiators, AC condensers, heaters and other AC parts.

Imperial Radiator no longer repairs vehicles. Selling parts is more cost effective. Hazardous waste, technicians and workers' comp issues have given way to drivers and conveyor belts.

Why are we so unique?

Superior customer service has solidified the reputation of Imperial Radiator. Shillito points out that family businesses are dying in the industry as franchising

Loyal, long-time employees Doug Hiller (l) and Mike Baird (r) staff the order desk at Imperial Radiator.

takes over. There are not too many shops still owned by active family members, which makes Imperial Radiator so unique.

Shillito calls on customers regularly - and personally. The business is growing faster than ever - particularly through word of mouth referrals. The industry is hungry for quality and service. The staff is well-educated and thorough when dealing with clients on the phone, collecting every little detail to ensure that the customer receives the right part the first time.

Imperial Radiator has a wide variety of products to choose from. They offer original equipment and several brands of quality aftermarket parts. Offering a lifetime warranty on radiators and AC compressors accommodates the insurance companies, who encourage body shops to offer this guarantee.

"Our parts are good quality to begin with, so it is no hardship to offer such a guarantee," explained Shillito. "The insurance companies like us because we offer only good quality aftermarket parts."

Doug Hiller and Mike Baird, two loyal, long-time employees of Imperial Radiator, handle the orders. Hiller has experience as a technician, so he is knowledgeable about the parts he sells. He and Baird are equally qualified and are cross-trained to handle each others' accounts.

Eight trucks pick up and deliver parts throughout Orange County. If the customer is beyond driving distance, the company uses California Overnight. Parts will be delivered by 10:30 a.m. anywhere in the state of California when ordered by 4 p.m.