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Some manufacturers don't care that much for our industry and, some care even less, as long as you buy their products. But, Sapphire and Dri-Eaz do not have a "give me your money and go away" mentality. That's why, when I was approached by Bob Kline, President of SS, to work the Board for them, it didn't take long for me to say "yes", because I've always been the kind of person who cares about the industry, and the individual we serve. Thus, Sapphire's mentality and attitude, and mine, mesh perfectly."
Hank, I don't believe we have ever met so I will assume that you are an honorable man. I especially liked your acknowledgement of Lee Pemberton, whom along with his son Jim I feel are 2 of the most honorable people I have ever met in my life in any industry.
I was troubled to read the above purple bolded comments and wondered what you base those comments on and why you felt a need to post them. I have not ever felt this way about any of the vendors I know in the industry and in fact think quite the opposite and I am a customer, not a competitor.
Would you elaborate on those comments?
Ken
Ken, your question is a fair one and deserves to be answered. It may appear that I was ignoring your post but, in fact, I was on vacation for a week.
My comment is rooted in the fact that in the 21 years I’ve been in this industry, I have been approached many times by companies who have tried to recruit me. I would agree to meet with a manufacturer or supplier. At some of those meetings, during interviews or casual conversations, something would be mentioned along the lines that they have little regard for this industry, but as long as it generates revenue for them, they’ll tolerate the industry. Kind of like saying, “Fork over your money for our goods, but don’t bother us.”
The industry, in general, wouldn’t know that, because the public face they present in pr, advertising, promotion, trade shows, etc. is, by necessity, industry-friendly, even if the internal corporate attitude toward the industry is not. I can say, from he ones I experienced, that the more positive ones did outnumber the ones that didn't care much, and the culture or attitude in some of the companies may have changed for the better, since my discussions with them.
As for
Sapphire Scientific, besides being a company that is industry and customer friendly - and cares, what sold me on them, when they asked me if I would work MB for them, is
the very fact that Sapphire is a visible presence on the Board. There are a lot of companies, even good industry-friendly ones, that don’t want to expose themselves to the barbs, slings and arrows that are often aimed at manufacturers on forums and blogs, and who don't spend the resources to be visible to, and read the posts from those who participate on Mikey's Board - the ones, like you, who are the real voices of this Industry.
My responsibility to
Sapphire is not to expound on my own personal feelings, experiences and rhetoric, so I don’t want to address this any further, but I did think that a an explanation of my original posted statement was a reasonable expectation for forum readers, so thank you for asking me to elaborate.
ig:
ps I liked Dale Carnegie!
