Harry Carlson with the first company vehicle.

 Our History

1863 - 1923

The Venholm story begins in 1863, with the birth of August Gustav Carlson in Sweden. In 1884, August and Charlotta were married in Denmark. March 6, 1893, marks the arrival of the Carlson family to America. For the next thirty-one years of his life in America, August worked as a craftsman at the Rockford Superior Furniture Company. Harry F Carlson was born in February 7, 1903. The ninth child of ten siblings, he was soon busy with school and household chores. At the age of 16, Harry became an apprentice at the Haddorff Piano Company. 

The company begins…

1924 - 1933 

In 1924, Harry began Harry Carlson’s Service Company, providing cleaning off hours for business customers. ​Harry F Carlson met Selma Nyquist in 1925 and married May 21, 1927. In the mid 1920’s, Harry began working for the Emerson Brantingham Company (which became JI Case Company), building large steam engine tractors. Harry & Selma continued their service company cleaning and painting off hours for the extra income needed to provide for their growing family. 

1934 - 1943

In the 1930’s massive layoffs were the order of the day at the Case Company. Harry was laid off during several periods during the Great Depreciation. Toward the end of the 1930’s the Case company began hiring people back to work permanently and Harry was one of the first. By 1940, Harry was a receiving clerk. Harry F Carlson was a man who devoted himself to his God and his family. He was by all accounts an exceptional service provider, contracting his services in cleaning, painting, and as a handy man at an early age. Harry F Carlson was a man of faith, he was very involved in sharing his belief in Jesus Christ. This heartfelt belief led him to speak to individuals and groups at any opportunity about his Savior. 

1944 - 1953

The end of World War II brought many changes and new opportunities. The boys were growing up. By 1947, Rodney the oldest had left home to attend college. In 1948, Harry went into farming with his three teenage sons, as another part of the business. Marvin at the age of 16 was the main operator of the farm business. 

1954 - 1963

In 1954, Harry at Case Company became the manager of General Stores. Marvin with his future bride not wanting anything to do with farm, wanted out of the farming partnership as well. Harry decided his farming days were done and sold out, dividing the funds among his boys. In 1957, Gerald, Harry’s youngest son, and Harry decided to merge the service company into a new start-up, Rockford Sani-Clean a commercial contract cleaning company. In 1959, Marvin, Harry’s second son, became the Pastor of a small church that could not provide for all of his financial needs, so under advice from Harry & Gerald he started Perfection Office Cleaning Company. His first cleaning contract was the Welsh, Welsh and Holmstrom Law Firm on the corner of N. Church and Fisher Ave. That first cleaning contract lasted for twenty-three years. 

1964 - 1973

In 1968, Harry retired from Case. He now moved into a semi-retired life helping Gerald manage Rockford Sani-Clean. Rockford Sani-Clean grew extremely fast, Sani-Cleans clients included Nylint Tool & Manufacturing, Lou Bachrodt Motors, and Belford Theaters. Gerald started the first major carpet shampooing service in the Stateline area. During the 1960’s Rockford Sani-Clean was the largest commercial contract cleaning service in Rockford. In 1970, Marvin changed the Perfection Office Cleaning name to MC Office Cleaning Services. Crews were working seven days a week and the contracts kept coming in. ​In 1970, another event happened that extended the life of the company. Phillip, Marvin’s only son, at the age of nine requested to join the crews on Friday and Saturday nights. He had already been cleaning the Welsh Law Firm with his father since he was six years old. 

In 1973, Phillip started Carlson Industries, Inc, at the age of twelve, and cleaned two downtown office buildings five nights a week. 

1974 - 1983

Sadly, Gerald suffered from diabetes. For the last 3 years of his life (1972-1975) he was in and out of the hospital. During this time Harry stepped up to run Rockford Sani-Clean. At the passing of Gerald in 1975, Rockford Sani-Clean was merged into MC Office Cleaning Services. With the influx of Rockford Sani-Clean MC Office Cleaning became the largest cleaning service in northern Illinois. Phillip (age fifteen) went out with the crews and determined a course forward. Phillip formulated a plan to provide incentives, a recipe of compensation and bonuses that have been used by the company since. During Phillip’s term of management of MC Office Cleaning Services, he also continued to operate and grow Carlson Industries, Carlson Galleries, and Carlson Properties. In 1979, Phillip, formed a corporation in partnership with his father, Marvin, to merge MC Office Cleaning Service and Carlson Industries as well as to invest in properties and other businesses. 

1984 - 1993

Phil Carlson met Kim DeRosso at church and after knowing each other for 6 years, began dating and within a year they were married (1982). This decade witnessed major changes, Marvin decided to focus purely on the Church. MC Office Cleaning Service was reorganized into a no employee company with sub-contractors providing all the services. Marvin and Phillip set up eighteen separate businesses. Phillip, helped manage MC, as well as, provided administration and leadership at the Church. In 1992, Phillip started JP Clark Services at which time he purchased MC Office Cleaning Service.

1994 - 2003

The decade also witnessed the expansion of the company into Tennessee, Colorado, and Wisconsin. The expansion was mainly due to the church planting actives of Phillip and Kim. During this decade, the size of the company fluctuated wildly as businesses were established and then sold as the ’ministry’ moved Phil and his family from one state to another. In 1996, the Carlson family settled in Madison, Wisconsin. Phil continued building JP Clark Services while building an insurance agency which won several awards. In 1999, Phil became the teaching, senior, and pastoral care pastor of a mega-church in Madison. Kim served as the main worship leader building worship teams. In 2002, Phil & Kim planted a church in northeast Madison. With JP Clark Services still operating, Phil purchased an Insurance Agency in Waterloo, Wisconsin. Kim began working at the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators. 

2004 - 2013

The ninth decade saw a move back to Rockford in order to care for Phillip’s grandmother. 

In 2007, the Church grew in 5 years to encompass a 3.5 million dollar main campus in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin and a 500K child care campus in Lake Mills Wisconsin. At which time, the decision was made to merge the church into a mega-church from Rockford. The resulting outcome of the merger created a separate child care company, which Phillip led with a number of partners and investors. The child care company grew to 4 campuses with over 7 million in assets with income of 2.5 million a year. In 2013, Phil sold the business. In 2012, the Venholm Group, was founded as a family holding company with the purchase of JP Clark Services. After 30 years of ministry, planting 4 churches, and founding 4 schools the family decided on permanently building a transforming company. In 2013, Venholm purchased the Norwegian Squeegee, founded in 2008. Mark Matson had built a solid company with excellent employees.

2014 - 2023

In 2016, Venholm purchased Mr. P’s Prep N Paint, founded in 1989 and immediately enfolded the company into the Company. In 2017, Venholm purchased Venice Terrazzo & Tile Company. 

2024 - present

In 2024, the family began the process of expansion. First an office was setup in Madison, Wisconsin and then, an office was set up in Sugar Grove. The company goal is to continue to grow with three offices in ‘Aurora’, ‘Madison’, and ’Rockford’.