With the Invention of Storm Stoppers® in 2004, Affordable Safe,

Simple & Self-Installed Hurricane Protection was born!

In 2004, Storm Stoppers® pioneered the unique combination of combining ASTM E 1886 & ASTM E 1996 Lab Impact Tested Corrugated Plastic with 3M Dual Lock™ high tensile strength plastic fasteners for hurricane protection. 3M Dual Lock™ fasteners are a high tensile strength matable fastener consisting of thousands of tiny, interlocking, mushroom-shaped, adhesive backed plastic fasteners. Dual Lock™ was created by 3M in the early 1980’s. On 3M’s Dual Lock Data Sheet,** “Dual Lock Reclosable Fasteners can replace conventional fasteners such as screws, clips, rivets, snaps and bolts in many applications.” Thus, 3M Dual Lock is used in many industries as a replacement for screws and bolts!

** HI TENSILE STRENGTH PLASTIC 3M DUAL LOCK™ FASTENERS ARE NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH LOW TENSILE STRENGTH, FABRIC HOOK AND LOOP VELCRO®.

THE STORM STOPPERS® STORY:

Storm Stoppers® were invented in September of 2004 by Orlando entrepreneur John D. Smith. Mr. Smith, 41, who moved to Orlando in 1987 after dropping out of the Entrepreneurship MBA Program at the University of Iowa, invented and patented several collegiate products and started marketing them in 2000. One of the products was called "Collegiate Hubcaps" and had colorful Officially Licensed Collegiate Logos (such as Florida Gators and University of Georgia Bulldogs) screen printed onto PVC hubcaps for cars, pickup trucks, vans and golf cars' wheels. These hubcaps were secured to the wheels with 3M Dual Lock™ fasteners. Smith had racetrack tested his Collegiate Hubcaps on Dale Earnhardt’s #3 Racecar at the Walt Disney World Speedway to speeds over 140 mph so he knew that 3M Dual Lock was a high-tensile-strength fastener. In addition to his Collegiate Hubcaps, Smith also invented a Collegiate FanWave, which was made out of 1/8" thick, white corrugated plastic. At its peak, Smith's company had over 20 colleges licensed and in 2002 Clever Covers, Inc. was featured on CNBC Squawk Box, interviewed by CNBC’s Mike Hegedus.

In the fall of 2004, Florida was hit by several major hurricanes. Hurricane Charley, which hit Orlando August 13, 2004, was a Category 4 storm and did extensive damage to the Central Florida area. Several weeks later, Category 3 Hurricane Frances approached Orlando. Stymied by the lack of plywood available, Smith decided to invent his own hurricane shutters. Using the 1/8 inch-thick corrugated plastic from his Clever Fan Waves, Smith secured it to his home's window frames with the 3M Dual Lock™ fasteners from his Collegiate Hubcaps. The new invention worked, protecting Smith’s home from flying debris during Hurricane Frances.

Shortly after Hurricane Frances hit Orlando, Hurricane Ivan was approaching Florida and TV news stations were reporting that no plywood was available. In a Public Service Announcement-type message to help Orlando homeowners who could not find plywood, let alone lift or install it, Smith called reporter Bill Shafer at Orlando's WESH Channel 2 NBC Affiliate and told him about his "plywood alternative" invention.

On Thursday September 10, 2004, Reporter Shafer did a feature story on Smith's invention, interviewing Smith at his Orlando home. Shafer's story aired many times and was picked up via wire by other TV stations around the State of Florida. Smith's phones rang off the hook with customer demand, and a new industry - The Plywood Alternative® Industry -- was born. In October of 2004 and December of 2005, Storm Stoppers® successfully passed ASTM E 1886 and ASTM E 1996 Large Missile Impact Tests with Storm Stoppers® 3/8" thick translucent corrugated plastic. This was Lab Impact Tested using a Missile Level C 2 x 4’ Large Missile. Missile Level C Lab Impact Testing replicates windborne debris in winds up to 130 mph. In other words, this impact test replicates windborne debris in winds up to a Category 3 Hurricane.

HURRICANE-FORCE WIND TESTING:

In October of 2005, Storm Stoppers® was Wind Tested on hundreds of customers’ homes in South Florida during Category 3 Hurricane Wilma. Since then, Storm Stoppers® have been Wind Tested through several additional hurricanes, including Hurricane Gustav (Category 3) which hit Louisiana in 2008 and Hurricane Ike (Category 3) which hit Texas in 2008. Women and the elderly love the simplicity of Storm Stoppers. "I did all of the prep work and the installation. So if any woman ever has any doubts about installing them herself, you can give them my name. It was easy," says customer Kim Litton of Myrtle Beach, SC. "I'm 70 years old and I wanted a shutter my wife could easily put up if I wasn't around," says Kenneth King of Oak Island, Texas. (Mr. King’s home was the only one, out of 22, left standing after Hurricane Ike in 2008. You can read Mr. King’s testimonial by clicking on the Testimonials link below.)

Customers praise the simplicity of installation as well as Storm Stoppers performance during major hurricanes. "I used them during Hurricane Ike. There were 100 mph winds with higher gusts. Storm Stoppers stayed on and I suffered no broken windows," says Houston, Texas resident Thomas Laird. "I must also comment that it only took me 45 minutes to attach my 24 Storm Stoppers panels to the windows prior to the storm, while I watched my neighbors struggling to board up the traditional way with plywood."

You can read these and many other customer testimonials by clicking here: http://www.storm-stoppers.com/testimonials.htm. You can see our ASTM E 1886 & ASTM E 1996 Large Missile Lab Impact Testing on the Products page by clicking here: http://www.storm-stoppers.com/original.htm.

Storm Stoppers® is the lowest price hurricane protection product accepted by Citizens Insurance and many other insurance companies. For insurance information, please click here: http://www.storm-stoppers.com/insurancediscs.htm Storm Stoppers is also Building Code Approved in several states, including Louisiana & South Carolina.

MEDIA INFO:

Since Mr. Smith’s invention of the Plywood Alternative Industry in 2004, Storm Stoppers® Safe, Simple & Self-Installed hurricane protection has been sold to over 10,000 homeowners in 12 states and the Caribbean. Storm Stoppers® are patents pending and the brand has sold over $10 million (retail and wholesale) since 2004.

Storm Stoppers® is a unique, multi-million dollar invention in that it has been entirely financed by customer sales and distribution growth. Storm Stoppers® is not yet publicly traded, although several of our customers (i.e. Kathleen Kearns in St. Louis and Frances Rhodes in Tampa) have inquired about buying stock. Storm Stoppers® have been featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, CNN, CNBC, Headline News, and dozens of other media outlets throughout the U.S. and the Caribbean. Visit our Press Room to see these stories. To arrange a news interview with Mr. Smith, please call our office at 407-423-5959 or fill out the Contact Us form here:

http://www.storm-stoppers.com/contactpge.html.

Company Info:

Storm Stoppers® is open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 6pm Eastern time and from 9am to 4pm on Sundays. You may also reach us after hours by email: customerservice@storm-stoppers.com or by calling 407-423-5959. We love our customers!

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