Mike Schweiss, the founder of Schweiss Doors in Hector, was honored with an induction into the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame on April 20. The ceremony, held at Mystic Lake Hotel and Casino, celebrated Schweiss’s contributions to the world of aviation.
Schweiss, an aviation enthusiast, took his first solo flight in 1991 and continued to fly while also pursuing his business ventures. What started as a two-man operation in a milking parlor has now grown into a 250,000-square-foot facility covering 30 acres. The family-owned business employs about 65 people year-round and delivers doors to every continent in the world.
Schweiss’s innovative spirit led him to create bifold and hydraulic doors that revolutionized the industry. His patented liftstrap bifold door became a game-changer, outselling traditional cable-lift doors. These custom-made doors are now used in agricultural, industrial, and residential settings, as well as in aviation hangars.
The induction ceremony also honored other aviation pioneers, including U.S. astronaut Curtis Brown, Jr., pilot Stevan Petrich, flight instructor Cherise “Cheri” Rohlfing, and others. Schweiss’s dedication to innovation and excellence has left a lasting impact on the aviation industry, with his doors being shipped worldwide and even installed on a rocket hangar at Cape Canaveral.
Schweiss’s journey from a small farm operation to a global business success story is a testament to the power of passion, hard work, and ingenuity in achieving great heights in the world of aviation.