“Ten years ago, few people had heard of radon,” says Dan Potter of DuPage Radon Contractors in Warrenville. “That is kind of terrifying considering research indicates radioactive radon kills more people in Illinois than home fires, smoke from fires, carbon monoxide, lead, and asbestos combined. More than 40 percent of Illinois homes have high levels of radioactive radon.”

Now that radon tests are a crucial part of home inspections, DuPage Radon Contractors has emerged as one of the established leaders in radon mitigation. Dan Potter and his business partner, Shawn Swallow, lead a preeminent group of experts in the installation of radon mitigation systems for health reasons, and in conjunction with property sales, for residential and commercial properties. 

Dan began his career in the home services industry early in life. “Money got tight for my family when I was in high school, so I worked construction forty hours a week during the school year and nearly twice that during breaks,” says Dan. “But it really wasn’t daunting because my father had taught me how to enjoy work by developing a strong sense of task accomplishment. I’ll always appreciate that impactful, lifelong lesson.”

Dan also enrolled in a two-year building trades program to use the vocation to pay for his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Afterward, he found he liked remodeling businesses as much as he liked remodeling homes, so he stayed in the home services industry, running various start-ups, turnarounds, and fast-paced businesses over the years.

During the 2000s, Dan would get together with Shawn, his friend and past coworker, and they would talk about how much fun they had while working together. Eventually, the pair decided to buy a twenty-year-old radon mitigation firm together. Ten years later, the partnership is still working smoothly. Shawn runs most of the day-to-day office and field operations and heads up the commercial division. Dan covers marketing, sales, hiring, training, and efficiency projects.

“During our first week of ownership, I asked a broker what she would want in a ‘perfect’ radon company. She answered slowly and emphatically, ‘Don’t drop the ball!’ There and then, Shawn and I vowed to make that the differentiating characteristic of our service. We dot the i’s and cross the t’s. We are driven to do all the little things a little better. To date, our firm has installed over 15,000 high-quality, affordable radon systems throughout Chicago and its suburbs without [causing] a closing delay due to our service,” states Dan.    

Dan and Shawn’s incredibly aggressive attention to detail is especially appreciated in real estate transactions as the delay of a closing due to a radon mitigator’s problems can jeopardize the sale. To ensure no delays occur due to sick employees, back-ordered parts, a vehicle that won't start, or the like, the firm has built many safeguards into their business including back-up vehicles, a cross-trained staff, and a warehouse of parts. They have also developed proprietary, mistake-reducing bidding software; post-installation checklists; and industry-leading installer training.         

“My ‘geek side’ finds it especially fun to find and build process refinements to improve our clients’ service experience,” says Dan. “Tremendous client reviews are the big payback for me in that effort.”

To best serve their clients and to better fit the aesthetics and needs of a given building, DuPage Radon Contractors offers one of the industry's widest selections of radon system options, including multiple fan combinations, eight standard colors for discharge pipes, two models of discharge piping, and even custom painting of systems. Additionally, the team can not only activate an existing passive system, but they can also service any existing radon system, even if it was installed by another firm. 

“Our in-home bids are free, the systems are guaranteed to lower the radon to below EPA standards, parts have a five-year warranty, and we offer help coordinating with homeowner associations,” adds Dan.         

        

Dan’s focus on safety regarding radon goes beyond his business. He is deeply involved with the radon industry’s trade group, Indoor Environments Association (formerly AARST). This group works to continually improve the performance of all radon testers and mitigators through the development and improvement of standards and certifications, as well as drive public awareness and new radon policies.

Outside of running his business, Dan prioritizes quality time with his family and friends. His beautiful wife, Julia, and their two college-aged sons hold weekly online gaming nights to stay connected. Dan also loves to boat, water ski, snow ski, follow the Bears, and play pickleball. And with a group of tremendous friends, self-nicknamed the Supper Club, Dan and Julia dine out, see plays, and travel. 

Looking forward, Dan plans to continue growing his business and making a difference in the lives of others. 

“While day-to-day it may look and feel like we are just performing home services, everyone at our company knows that we are also, quite literally, saving lives,” Dan says. “Few jobs come with that kind of reward.”