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Bob Ames is Executive Vice President of Commonwealth Supply Company, located
in York, Pennsylvania, with a branch in Hanover. At the Annual Convention
in Orlando, Bob was inaugurated as GAWDA's 61st President.
What was your first job, and what did you learn from that experience?
I worked at a grocery store doing curb service—carrying out bags
and putting them in trunks—then progressed to stocking shelves, building
end caps and working with merchandise. My boss taught me a lesson I never
forgot. A can of tomato soup at that time cost 18 cents, but we were selling
them on the end cap at five for a dollar. I asked my boss why we were
getting two cents more a can on the end cap, making people think they
were getting a deal if they bought five cans. He said, “That's marketing.”
I learned a lot about buyers and merchandise from that job.
You've worked in this industry for 35 years. How did you get into
it?
I started as a salesman for a small distributorship in my hometown called
York Welding Supplies. I was promoted into management and opened the company's
one and only branch store. After ten years there, I left to work for Teledyne
McKay, a manufacturer of welding rod and wire. I was a “roadie,”
selling and educating distributors on the McKay products in four states.
I helped grow the business by limiting distribution. At that time, Teledyne McKay had, in my opinion, too many distributors. It was really hard for me to partner with ten distributors in one town. So I went to my management and suggested we limit this or that town to one or two good distributors. When it didn't become a price war and it became a value service, those distributors partnered with Teledyne McKay, and we did a tremendous amount of business together.
After four years, I was approached by Clare Reinecke, who owned Commonwealth Supply Company. He asked me to partner with his daughter, Mary Shanaman, and take his company to the next level. Mary and I have been working together ever since.
What's the most important thing you learned working for a manufacturer
that you brought back to distribution?
Partnering. It's just huge. While I knew the value of partnering while
working at York Welding Supplies, I didn't really understand or value
it until I worked for the manufacturer. Because of those years, I know
things that manufacturers can and can't do. When they come to me and say,
“It can't be done,” I look at them and say, “I did it.”
I value that experience tremendously.
What do manufacturers need to know about distributors?
They know we have options. They need to continue to do the three things
that I think make a valuable manufacturer-distributor partnership: Offer
quality product, keep us price competitive, and give us the service level
we need in the marketplace. Once the manufacturer does those things, I
do believe that a distributor owes that manufacturer as many opportunities
as we can possibly give them.
What's your favorite part of the job?
Watching good people mature. I enjoy taking a welder and making a salesman
out of him. I like polishing young people and providing them with opportunities
to blossom and grow.
If you weren't in the gases and welding business, what would you be
doing?
I might still be an Arthur Murray dance teacher. I worked as a dance instructor
and was fired after one year because I refused to sell lessons to an older,
very wealthy widow who was just looking for someone to dance with. I felt
I couldn't advance her dancing skills, and the school felt otherwise.
What is your family life like?
My wife Patty and I have been married for 35 years. We have four children
and five grandchildren. We spend a lot of time at our getaway house in
Ocean City, Maryland.
Why should someone be a member of GAWDA?
Our association offers a lot of benefits. One of them I want to promote
is the use of our consultants, whose job is to make our companies safer
and better. This is a free service for members. Networking opportunities
are another incredible benefit. We have a convention where top management
from both the distribution and supplier sides come together to meet and
learn. The reason manufacturers and suppliers attend GAWDA events is to
support the distributor and to listen and learn.
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| Read more about Commonwealth
Supply Company in the Member
Profile that originally
appeared in the First Quarter 2005 issue of Welding &
Gases Today. |
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What's your top priority as GAWDA President?
Partnership. It's invaluable to the distributor member and the manufacturer/supplier
member. I love finding examples of strong partnerships. One example is
the Three Stooges. Those guys had it together, and without one of them,
the other two would have a problem. Another is Roy Rogers, who would not
be as effective without his partner, Trigger. Yes, I know, Trigger was
a horse, but still a very influential partner!
What else can GAWDA members look forward to this year?
An exciting Spring Management Conference in Phoenix in May. Speakers will
come from inside our association. We want to share the wealth among us.
There is a great convention already lined up for September in San Francisco.
We are planning to work closely with the association's Young Executives,
to help grow our next leaders. GAWDA Committees are working on new programs
and services, to continue to help members be the best in the industry.
It's going to be another exciting year!
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