Chris Harris: A+ Elevators & Lifts

Do you have any special certifications or specialties?

I am a Certified Elevator Technician, Certified Accessibility technician, Certified Residential Elevator Technician,Certified Elevator Inspector, Specialty Elevator journeyman Electrician, Licensed Elevator Mechanic,and Licensed Conveyance Mechanic.

What is your professional background?

I have been in the elevator industry for 15 years specializing in installation, service, repair, maintenance,management, Engineering and design, and manufacturing.

When did you know that you wanted to go into this field and what motivated you?

At age 18, three months out of high school, I was working as an auto mechanic at a few local auto repair shops. The owner of a local elevator company,Whose office was next door to one of the repair shops I worked at, cornered me one night as I was under the hood of an old Chevy Bel Air doing a 350 engine swap, and offered me a job. At the time, the pay wasn’t any more than I was currently making turning wrenches, but the benefits package and paid schooling made me make the jump. It wasn’t until I actually got into the pits of elevator shafts that I started to really enjoy the logic and technology of elevator systems.

What inspires you?

High-tech elevators—of all things! Elevators and components that are so advanced from the standard technology with touch screen panels, voiceactivated systems and smart phone interaction just to name a few.

How do you see your field changing in the next five to 10 years?

Home elevators will continue to grow as an industry. Aging brings struggle for all of us—mobility is one of them. We do everything within our power to accompany the different situations facing our clients. With the changing elevator codes and stricter safety requirements, new and advanced systems will be on the market. We are working on our next edge-cutting future code-compliant products as we speak.

What other specialties do you have in-house?

Not only are we an installer of elevators and components, but we have a full manufacturing facility, which provides products to other elevator companies across North America. This allows us to let our minds run wild. We aren’t limited to the products offered by others. We have the ability to customize, built specialty one-off equipment and products for those clients who need such specialty equipment.

What other specialties do you have in-house?

Not only are we an installer of elevators and components, but we have a full manufacturing facility, which provides products to other elevator companies across North America. This allows us to let our minds run wild. We aren’t limited to the products offered by others. We have the ability to customize, built specialty one-off equipment and products for those clients who need such specialty equipment.

What is the most exciting new product or development in your field?

Child-safe wraparound car door system for residential elevators—patented and manufactured by A+ Elevators & Lifts.

What do you enjoy most about your line of work?

The day-to-day challenges that make your mind work. We are not your run-of-the-mill elevator company. We only build high-end custom equipment, which requires additional attention to detail and an open mind to designing one-off products.

What do you like most about living and working where you do?

The folks I get to interact with every day. Our clients, both general contractors and homeowners, are among some of the finest in the world I have yet to come across a client (or potential client) who has been anything but humble. There are great folks living in the Rocky Mountain states with very respectable and professional demeanors.

Favorite trip you’ve ever taken?

1) Hawaii – when I married my sweetheart.
2) Scotland – when I had the rare opportunity to compete in the World Pipe Band Championship.