Turlock entrepreneurs Gary and Louise Reed are responsible for keeping the U.S. Capitol Dome together and for their efforts, the local business owners were presented with a Key to the City by Turlock Mayor Gary Soiseth at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

“Tonight, we are honoring a family who has brought a lot of pride to this community,” said Soiseth.

In 2013, the company was given the prestigious task of restoring one of America’s greatest landmarks — the dome of the U.S Capitol building in Washington, D.C. — using their patented Lock-N-Stitch technology that binds two pieces of metal together.

The Capitol Dome was constructed of cast iron more than 150 years ago. Over the decades, exposure to rain, snow, sleet and sun caused damage. The restoration project consisted of repairing more than 1,000 cracks to make the Dome water tight. The project was completed in 2016.

“The Lock-N-Stitch saved this building,” said Barry Hale, sheet metal mechanic assistant supervisor Architect of the Capitol, in a video made about the restoration project that was shown at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

The Reed’s efforts to restore the Capitol were also lauded by Congressman Jeff Denham.

“Thank you for the amazing job you did right here at the U.S. Capitol. You have some amazing technology…now it’s going to be fixed for decades to come for future generations. And it is a real sense of pride that I have to have a local small business right here doing big work, big things in Washington, D.C.,” said Denham via a video that was played during the City Council meeting.

Lock-N-Stitch was founded in 1990 by Gary Reed, who developed and patented metal stitching technology.  Metal stitching is a method to repair cracks and other types of damage that occurs in industrial machinery primarily made of cast iron and other cast metals. 

“It’s very rewarding to be recognized for what you do in the community. We employ a lot of people and that’s a really big issue to Louise and I, to create jobs and contribute back to the community and to do something worthwhile,” said Gary Reed.

“So, thank you all very much for the kind words, the recognition; I just have one question, what does this fit?” asked Reed jokingly about the key he was presented.

Tuesday’s Council meeting was only the second time that Soiseth has presented a Key to the City. The first Key to the City he presented was to His Grace Bishop Mar Awa Royel of the Assyrian Church of the East in September 2015 for his work in the Assyrian community.