Ben Thomas, of Shawano, understands the desires of older adults who want to keep living in their homes.
Sometimes, home maintenance and minor repairs get put on the back burner, either because the seniors can’t do the work themselves or they can’t afford to hire a contractor.
To help with that, Thomas started Eugenius Senior Solutions, a general home maintenance and repair side business catered to small projects for senior citizens.
“The types of services that I provide are for the most part basic handyman service services,” he said. “One of the main differences is that for me, there’s no project too small. The goal of the services that I’m trying to provide is to help older adults remain safe and comfortable and as independent as possible in their own homes.” Thomas said he specializes in aging-in-place modifications and ongoing home maintenance.
In the areas of safety and accessibility, Thomas’ work includes installing grab bars and handrails, lighting and motion lighting, and smart home technology such as locks, video doorbells and thermostats.
Thomas also does plumbing work like fixing leaky faucets and running toilets, as well as electrical projects like installing light fixtures, switches, outlets, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Examples of carpentry work include fixing broken steps or squeaky doors, assembling furniture and installing shelves.
On the decorating side of things, Thomas will paint, hang pictures and blinds, and perform minor wall repairs.
Thomas also works full-time as a maintenance manager at a local factory, so he’s keeping his handyman services focused for now on the city of Shawano and the immediate surrounding area.
“I do plan to expand,” he said. “I just haven’t figured out how to do that with my schedule at the moment.”
Eventually, Thomas would like to branch out and offer help to areas like Clintonville, Marion, Pulaski and Suamico.
He and his wife, Jenny, have two young daughters, Mora and Sailor, and a son on the way.
Thomas started the business for very personal reason.
His father-in-law, the late Billy Suprise, was in his 50s and retired from the Navy when he needed some surgeries to remain living in his home.
“I had to do some modifications,” Thomas said. “Then, as he entered into his middle 60s, he ended up getting voice box cancer, which essentially was whittling him away, and I continued to modify his house so he never had to go to a nursing home. I began to do the same thing for my grandmother-in-law, his mom (Bonnie Suprise).
“It occurred to me that there are many other people in this city who probably don’t have family members who are handy or even own the tools, and most of the local handymen want more elaborate projects. But as you age, sometimes you just need simple things done.”
He said he doesn’t have time to do elaborate projects, but that’s now what he’s trying to market.
However, he has done that kind of work in the past, building his own house at age 23.
“I already possessed the skills and most all the tools, so the startup cost was very affordable, making it an obvious choice — not to mention that it was very well needed,” Thomas said.
He started Eugenius Senior Solutions on April 1, but the idea came about in September 2025 in a hospital waiting room while reading a book about Benjamin Franklin, of whom Thomas is a huge fan.
Franklin wrote a series of “Busy-Body” articles in 1729 featuring the characters Eugenius, Ridentius and Cato.
“Eugenius had a nature that I could respect,” Thomas said. “He was a virtuous gentleman. He promoted civic morality. He was inherently good-natured and had generosity. He desired to protect and had self-sacrifice, and I was reading this in a hospital room next to my father-in-law, and I thought that would be a perfect name for a business.”
The logo for the business is a cursive-looking turkey, which pays homage to Franklin’s desire to have the bird as the nation’s symbol.
“I would very much like to grow this business into something long-term, because every year, more people get older and need more help,” Thomas said.
Thomas can be reached at ben58thomas@gmail.com or 920-680-2552.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
en Thomas developed the idea of starting a handyman business for senior citizens after helping with projects to keep his father-in-law in his home as he got older. Thomas and his wife, Jenny, live in the Town of Wescott. (Contributed)
