Typhoon Excavation Is Helping the Williston Community Grow

Courtesy of Typhoon Excavation

In search of a fitting name for the new hydro-excavation company she and her husband Alan were launching, Brooke Mapes sat down with her fourth-grade daughter Tailor one day in 2008 and began Googling synonyms for “destructive water.” 

“I always knew that Alan would have a big, successful business,” Brooke recalls, “so we had to have a big name that says something.” 

A Leader in the Industry

Typhoon Excavation, which the couple founded when both were just 27 years old, has certainly lived up to its name. The idea for the company was sparked when Alan confided in a friend that he was tired of not being appreciated by his oil company employer. That’s when his buddy reminded him about Hydrovac, a system that uses special equipment, high-pressure water and a powerful vacuum to break up soil and locate underground utility lines. 

Six months later, Alan bought a Hydrovac truck, and the Mapeses moved from Montana and opened their business in Williston, in part to be closer to the oil fields it serves. But there was another reason, says Brooke. “There was more opportunity for our children here in Williston.” 

Within a few years, Typhoon Excavation had expanded and become a leader in the industry. The Mapeses now employ 23 people, including their grown son Huntor. 

Despite its ominous-sounding name, Typhoon offers a safer alternative to traditional digging, with fewer accidents and spills. “Water’s nondestructive, for the most part, in a Hydrovac truck,” says Alan. “Once exposed, you can safely dig around the line with an excavator.”

Giving Back to the Community

The couple credits the North Dakota community for how far they’ve come. “We are very blessed and very fortunate,” says Brooke. “We wouldn’t have been able to do that had we not moved to Williston. This community embraced us when we moved here, and that makes us want to give back.” 

They do that in several ways. Alan volunteers his time to umpire youth baseball games, while Brooke serves on the board of the nonprofit Williston Community Builders (WCB). Among other things, WCB has gifted a $16 million pool to the Williston Parks and Recreation Department, donated nearly $200,000 to local educators and provided free annual back-to-school barbecues for Williston families. 

The Mapeses have also launched two more businesses in an effort to help their adopted town grow. Through Home Run Investments, they build affordable, quality twin homes to bolster the number of available housing units. And, along with their two kids, who are part owners, they will soon open an indoor batting cage franchise to give residents more sporting options. 

Typhoon Excavation is dedicated to improving life for its employees too, by giving them time to attend their kids’ soccer games, offering the best insurance possible, and listening when they need to talk about personal issues. 

“We like to take care of our employees because they take care of us,” Alan says, noting the unusually low turnover at Typhoon Excavation. “We want them to understand that we’re family people too.” 

For more information about Typhoon Excavation, visit typhoonexcavation.com.