Founder Jerry O’Neal and the History of Our Company

As a company, Continental Siding in Kansas City began in 1982, when Founder Jerry O’Neal decided that he wanted to create and build the Midwest’s largest wholesale distributor of exterior building products. Over the decades, Continental Siding has grown to become an industry leader in siding materials, technology, and products with locations and facilities in Independence, MO, Columbia, MO, Springfield, MO, and Wichita, KS. In addition, It all began when Jerry O’Neal decided to put down roots in the Kansas City area thirty years ago. This is a bit of his story.

Continental Siding Founder Jerry O’Neal grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he’d been involved in one aspect or another of the construction business since he picked up a job as a carpenter’s assistant at just sixteen years old. It was in Tulsa where he met and married his wife Patricia. As a young newlywed, he knew that hard work and honest pay would serve his wife, Patricia, and him well as they embarked on their life together. An entrepreneur at heart, Jerry O’Neal had an eye for business opportunities that took him from worker to business owner in little time.

Before coming to Kansas City to help a friend straighten out her siding company, he hadn’t spent much time in the area. He’d owned a carpet business in Oklahoma but sold it in 1980. Rather than retire at an early age, Jerry O’Neal started looking for new ways to stay busy and help out. It was around that time that the call came from Kansas City – a friend needed an expert’s help in straightening out the finances for a siding company. Along with his wife, Patricia, Jerry O’Neal packed his bags and headed north to Kansas.

The job he came up from Oklahoma to take ended up lasting a bit longer than originally anticipated. But the work was good and, at the same time, he had an opportunity to help out a friend that desperately needed a hand. Before long, Jerry O’Neal had grown accustomed to his new surroundings. Sure, Kansas City was a bit different than Tulsa, Oklahoma, but the area was steeped in a history and culture that grew on him every day. In short time, Jerry O’Neal
discovered that he had fallen in love with Kansas City – and he began making plans to make his newfound home a place where he could put down permanent stakes and grow a business that would allow him to stay. That was the decision that led to the founding of Continental Siding. Jerry O’Neal, along with his wife Patricia, has been an integral part of the local construction industry and business community ever since.

Community service and activism has long been a part of Jerry O’Neal’s vision for a company that had strong roots in the communities where it operated. As such, Continental Siding has been involved in a number of efforts to give back to the community through a variety of service projects. The restoration of Martha Truman’s house in Independence, Missouri is one such project. The home of U.S. President Harry S. Truman’s mother is a known historical landmark in the Independence area, but had fallen into complete disrepair over the decades. Jerry O’Neal, who celebrates the rich heritage and history that is found in the Independence area, couldn’t stand to see such an important home in such poor shape. He chose to fix up the Martha Truman house and restore it to a proud and beautiful home again. In addition, Jerry O’Neal and the staff at Continental Siding have been involved in a number of community projects that include work for Habitat for Humanity, the Independence Missouri School District, Reviving Hope, High Aspirations, and United Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Missouri.

In April of 2012, Jerry O’Neal was featured in Ingram’s Magazine as one of 50 Missourians you should know. Going forward from here, Jerry O’Neal says that retiring is not part of his life plan – although his wife Patricia has recently retired to spend more time with family in the area. Continental Siding Founder Jerry O’Neal loves the work he does, and he is proud of the efforts of the people who make up the company he began in 1982.  

The Future of Continental Siding

In 2009, the future course of Continental Siding changed forever when Alec Cook interviewed for a part-time position with the company while he was a full-time college student. When Jerry O’Neal gave Alec Cook the job, he saw great promise in him, but he couldn’t have known that he had just hired the future owner of Continental Siding. Within five short years, future Continental Siding owner Alec Cook had already been promoted to general manager of the entire company. Starting the first year Alec was promoted to management, Continental Siding has earned the Angi Super Service Award every year since. We don’t think that’s a coincidence. We take good care of our customers because our customers take good care of us.

In the years that followed, Alec Cook continued to show potential and Jerry O’Neal began to include Alec on TV commercials, which Jerry had long done by himself. With so many local residents familiar with Alec, it made sense in 2017 for Alec to become a minority shareholder of Continental Siding and become Jerry’s first-ever business partner. Working side by side, Alec Cook and Jerry O’Neal continued to grow the business until 2019 when Alec purchased the remaining stock from his business partner and became the sole owner of Continental Siding.

One of the first changes made by Continental Siding owner Alec Cook was to invest in his employees by initiating a 401K match program as well as many other initiatives. This was something especially important to him because he understands the importance of helping all team members of Continental Siding love what they do for a living.

Since Continental Siding owner Alec Cook took over in 2019, the company has earned numerous awards and other accolades. Alec Cook’s leadership has resulted in Continental Siding earning the Integrity Award from the Better Business Bureau, the Philanthropic Business of the Year award from the Independence Economic Development Council, the Community Leader and Business of the Year award from the Independence Chamber of Commerce, and the Corporate Citizen of the Year award from the Truman Heartland Community Foundation.

Alec Cook knows our company is a product of our community, which means we are only here because of our community. That’s why we will always do everything we can to make positive contributions and investments in the future of our great community. One of his core goals is to run the company in a way that will make his wife and kids proud of him.

Make Continental Siding Your Contractor

Whether you’re newly familiar with our company because of Continental Siding owner Alec Cook’s philanthropy or you’ve been a loyal customer since the early days, it’s clear that Continental Siding is the right choice for your home improvement project. If you’re ready to find out more… Click or Call Now!