18 minute read
NLGI Interviews Jim Hunt Global Sales and Marketing Director, Tiarco Chemical, LLC
Global Sales and Marketing Director Tiarco Chemical, LLC Dalton, Georgia
By Mary Moon and Raj Shah
In August 2020, Jim Hunt accepted the gavel from Joe Kaperick and started his twoyear term as President of the NLGI. Jim has served on NLGI’s Executive Committee, chaired the Membership Committee, and been an active member of the Board for several years. Jim shared some words of wisdom about sales and management, his devotion to the NLGI, and one slightly pampered Yorkshire Terrier named Koko. To learn more about who drives the golf cart in the Jim’s household, read on!
Career
NLGI: Please tell us a little bit about where you grew up and your education.
JH: My childhood was almost nomadic by nature. My Mom remarried when I was seven years old. My Stepfather was responsible for setting up central offices for GTE Corporation. GTE had been General Telephone & Electronics Corporation and the largest independent telephone company in the United States. In 1990, Bell Atlantic acquired GTE and renamed it Verizon Communications. Each time a new central office was completed, we would usually move to another location.
For example, my family and I spent two years (1975-77) in Tehran, Iran. This experience was truly the turning point in my childhood. I learned to appreciate all the freedoms and many other benefits we take for granted living in this amazing country of ours.
My Brother and Stepfather were professionals in the telecommunications industry. Fibre optics was the next wave of communications, and I was very interested in being involved in this cutting-edge technology. So I enrolled at Tampa Technical Institute (Tampa, Florida), received my degree in Applied Computer Science, and planned to specialize in fibre optics R&D. Instead, I became a general manager (GM) for a specialty coatings manufacturing company in Tampa, Florida and managed over 30 people while I was still in my early twenties. I loved leading and managing a team, and I chose a different destiny and career path.
NLGI: How did you become interested in business?
JH: I have always had a passion for business, starting at the age of nine when I had a newspaper route. What an experience! I learned about every aspect of the business, from receiving a product, converting the product (folding each newspaper), delivering the product, collecting receivables, and taking care of the accounts payable. I enjoyed the entire program, except collecting payments from my customers.
When I was 21, I started working in the chemical industry. My first job in the chemicals industry was working for a paint and coatings company in Tampa. My sales career began thirty years when I became an account manager for a chemical distributor in the south-eastern United States.
NLGI: What led you to join Tiarco Chemical?
JH: I joined Tiarco Chemical to explore opportunities that I might never experience working at a larger corporation, and I wanted the opportunity to make a positive impact on our business and our employees. I was fortunate to
come on board at time when the business was in its early infancy. In fact, when I joined Tiarco, the Company was not directly involved in the grease and lubricant market.
NLGI: Please give us some background about Tiarco Chemical .
my team and Tiarco. I am a solution-driven person. I seek out challenges and try to tackle them head on. I know that taking on challenges will ultimately make us stronger over the long term. I also believe in trusting my intuition and my ability to foresee potential future opportunities and issues.
NLGI: Have mentors or colleagues or training or specific books influenced or contributed to your professional development?
JH: Tiarco Chemical is specialty global chemical manufacture that believes in providing the highest level of service and value to our customers. We are truly a partnership-oriented organization. Our customers are not just customers; most of them are close friends.
NLGI: How has your career developed at Tiarco Chemical ?
JH: As part of the senior management team, I strive to be a leader not only for my commercial team, but for all Tiarco employees. I also pride myself on being a visionary for our Company. This passion, desire and vision guided and influenced Tiarco’s decision to enter the global grease and lubricant market.
NLGI: What were some of the challenges you faced during your career? How did you deal with these challenges?
JH: I wake up every morning contemplating how to implement continuous improvement for myself,
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JH: I have had many great mentors. Most of my professional development has been driven by my own ambition and desire to strive to be the best I can be.
Working in Sales NLGI: What are your thoughts about working and doing business in US and Europe?
JH: Working and doing business are very similar in the US and Europe, yet also very different. Regardless of the potential cultural or regulatory
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differences between the US and Europe, at the end of the day, defining the customers’ requirements and working to exceed expectations is universal to all regions. Over the years, I have learned that there are many common themes in all global regions. People do business with people that are committed to being trustworthy, remaining competitive, servicing them consistently and treating them with the highest level of respect.
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NLGI: What are some of your particular experiences or learnings through working in Sales?
JH: I remember one of our very first meetings with customers at an NLGI Meeting. One comment continues to resonate with me, “Who are you guys?” This question motivated us even more to work harder to ensure that we made our mark as a valued supplier to the grease and lubricant market industry. As people say about humble beginnings, “Always remember to stay persistent, stay committed, remain hungry and humble, and be smart.”
consider this as a learning opportunity to ensure that as an organization, we are doing everything possible to earn our customers’ business. We prefer to know when we have not honored our commitment to provide the necessary value that our customers deserve versus not hearing from them at all and wondering why they are no longer our customer. If we don’t earn our customers’ business every day, we truly don’t deserve their business.
JH: Always keep your word and look hard for the very best in everyone. It may be challenging at times, but it is well worth the effort. Wake up motivated. Laugh and smile as much and as often as possible. It truly is contagious. Love what you do. Sales does not have to be solely professional. Make it personal and cherish those personal relationships you make along the journey.
NLGI: Do you have any suggestions for developing and maintaining good relationships with customers?
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NLGI: How do you respond when a customer complains, cancels an order, or takes their business to a competitor
JH: Tiarco and I take it very personally. We must
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Working in Management
NLGI: Are there any particular business leaders who are your role models or have influenced you?
JH: There have been many business leaders that are outstanding role models for me including many at Tiarco. Some of the best business leaders I know are current and/or former members of the NLGI Board of Directors. I have been blessed to have been associated with some of the most intelligent and passionate people who truly care about NLGI and give their all to make it better for all of us in the future.
JH: Strive to be a great leader and always lead by example. Balance and communicate the company goals and objectives while ensuring that you are always implementing a continuous improvement process to make your people and your organization strive to be the very best.
NLGI: How would you describe your management style?
JH: Demanding but extremely reasonable. My leadership philosophy is relational, solutions oriented, and based on humor.
NLGI: Did particular people influence your career? Your philosophy of business?
JH: My first sales manager, Jim Higgins, my Sales Manager at Cytec, was a great influence in my sales career. He taught me to create and communicate the value proposition on every sale. My business philosophy is simple. Work diligently to always do business the right way.
NLGI: What particular challenges have you faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and how have you addressed them?
JH: Tiarco’s passion, and one of our keys to our overall success, has been the amazing relationships we have established with our customers and in many cases, their families. This COVID-19 pandemic has been a personal and professional challenge because it has kept us from spending time with our customers.
Grease Industry
NLGI: What do you think about the position and future of the global lubricating grease industry?
JH: The global lubricating and grease market will always be evolving. With the global community focused on
Jim with colleagues in the grease industry
environmentally sustainable products, the industry is now experiencing a resurgence to increase research and develop the next generation of grease and lubricant products to meet the demands of the future.
NLGI: Which new or future applications (e.g., EVs or electric vehicles) show particular promise for affecting the grease industry?
JH: Electric vehicles will continue to have a positive impact on the global grease industry, and products will be designed for that application in the future. Currently, there are very few viable grease options for this application. I feel that there will be tremendous effort made to ensure that there will be many improved grease options for EVs in the future as the demand for EV performance increases.
NLGI: What are your thoughts about the future of the grease industry around the world?
JH: The future of the grease industry should always remain robust and healthy. Although demand may shift, depending on the application requirements, there will always be a strong global demand for high-performance sustainable greases.
NLGI
NLGI: When and how did you become active in NLGI?
JH: I went to my first NLGI meeting was the 72nd Annual Meeting at the La Cantera Resort and Spa, San Antonio, Texas in 2005. It was the most amazing meeting I had ever attended in my entire sales career. The following year, Tiarco became a dedicated and loyal NLGI member
NLGI: Why do you attend NLGI Meetings?
JH: I truly appreciate all the value that NLGI Meetings provide to our loyal members, from the incredible educational opportunities, to the networking and familyoriented events. My team and I continue to attend NLGI Meetings every year because they have been and continue to be the most valuable conference on our calendar. This is a strong statement considering how many amazing global grease and lubricant meetings we attend each year!
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NLGI: What is your favorite thing about attending NLGI Meetings?
JH: My favorite thing about attending the NLGI is the networking (aka the “family reunion”). NLGI is like a closeknit family. It is truly a blessing to be reunited with all the global members and attendees at the NLGI meetings. It is indeed a special meeting.
NLGI: How have you benefitted by attending NLGI Meetings?
JH: The benefits I receive and continue to receive from the NLGI Meetings are too many to list. I have benefited mostly from the amazing personal relationships I have developed at the NLGI meetings.
NLGI: What roles have you held in NLGI?
JH: From the very moment I joined the NLGI BOD, I wanted to offer my time and skills to provide value. My personal experience and testimonials with NLGI made me natural advocate and spokesman for the NLGI Membership and Sponsorship Committees. Then, I was honored to be elected to chair both Committees. I volunteered as Committee Chair for many years, and we experienced significant growth during that time. Membership and Sponsorship are still my passions.
NLGI: What was your path to become President of NLGI?
JH: My path to become NLGI President began with the same desire I had to initially join the NLGI BOD: I truly want to give back to this amazing organization. I have respected and admired all the previous NLGI Presidents and how they continued to take the NLGI to the next level. I truly want to follow in their footsteps and leave a positive impact on the NLGI and our global members. I never dreamed that I would become the NLGI President, which is the highlight of my professional career. I feel very blessed.
NLGI: What are some learnings or other benefits of being involved on the Board of NLGI?
JH: Everyone that joins the NLGI BOD brings their own unique skills and strengths to bear to ensure that the NLGI remains successful. Under the leadership of Crystal O’Halloran, Executive Director, the NLGI is accomplishing many of our strategic priorities.
NLGI: As President of NLGI, what do you see as strengths of NLGI? What are some areas where NLGI needs to move forward? What is your view on the future of NLGI?
JH: The NLGI’s key strength is our valued and loyal members. The NLGI BOD and many NLGI members volunteer their time to ensure that the NLGI remains healthy and successful. As the global grease industry continues to evolve, the NLGI will also evolve to ensure that we continue to the meet the grease lubrication challenges of the future.
Tiarco golf outing at an NLGI Meeting
NLGI: How does NLGI contribute to the grease industry?
JH: This question could consume most of this interview! The NLGI is known as the goto organization for grease knowledge. The NLGI provides value through educational opportunities, unbelievable networking and globally recognized grease certification marks.
NLGI: What are some future plans of NLGI?
JH: NLGI will continue to focus on our six strategic initiatives: membership, education, governance, communication, certifications and networking. We will continue to improve and expand our offerings to all members across the globe. Stay tuned for more news!
Jim’s family
Perspectives
NLGI: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
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JH: Just a little? I have been blessed to have been married to my soul mate, Cyndi, for the last 4 years. How do I know I am blessed? I am fortunate to wake up next to the most amazing woman I have ever known. We have a mini Brady Bunch family. My daughter, Rebekah and my son, James, still live in Georgia. I miss them every day. Cyndi’s twin sons, Kory and Nick, live in Miami, and they are very close to us. Let’s not forget
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Koko, the Yorkie. She is truly the spoiled one in our family!
NLGI: What kinds of activities do you and your family enjoy?
JH: My kids and I Iove to snow ski. Last year, Cyndi and I took Nick, Kory and their girlfriends to ski at Ober Gatlinburg Ski Area (Gatlinburg, Tennessee). Cyndi and I love to travel. We have very close friends all over the world, and we enjoy visiting them and traveling to new places. Oh yeah, Cyndi’s favorite activities are shopping and working out. She loves shoes, dresses, and open houses. Did I mention shoes and dresses? this amazing little paradise close to Clearwater, Florida where people still love to be friendly to each other. It’s a very dog friendly community as well. Koko goes crazy in the evening, and she begs us to take her out in our golf cart to see the sunset. It’s true….
Ski trip
NLGI: When you are not working, where is your favorite place to travel?
JH: We have a townhome in Dunedin, Florida, and that is our little escape from the craziness of Miami. We found
NLGI: If NLGI members travel to Georgia, do you recommend special places to visit or things to do?
JH:Georgia has a lot of great places to visit. Some of the most popular attractions are visiting the World of CocaCola Museum and the Georgia Aquarium, both in Atlanta, and hiking in the Kennesaw Mountains between Marietta and Kennesaw.
NLGI: Do you have favorite books or movies?
JH: I am a movie kind of guy, especially comedies. I love to laugh and make people laugh. Laughter is great medicine. I like Caddyshack (1980) and Tommy Boy (1995), the ultimate salesman movie, and I am a big Saturday Night Live (SNL) fan. It’s a ritual for my kids and me to watch our favorite SNL skits starring Will Ferrell and Chris Farley.
NLGI: If you could have dinner with any three people, living or deceased, who would they be and why? And what might be on the menu?
JH: That is very easy. My Mom, my Grandfather and My Grandmother. I lost my Mom a few years ago to cancer, and I miss her every day. My Grandparents raised me and my brothers at one of the most important times in my childhood and they passed away when I was a young. They were two of the most loving and caring people I have ever known. Our menu would be sausage, Carolina barbecue, butter beans and peas, cornbread with cheese and of course, banana pudding. My kids love this menu to this day.
Cyndi and Jim celebrated their marriage in Hawaii
This interview series, started in 2019 by Dr. Moon and Dr. Shah, gives NLGI members a bit of insight into the professional and personal lives of their colleagues, developments in the grease industry, and the role of NLGI
worldwide. If you would like to suggest the name of a colleague for an interview (or volunteer to be considered as a candidate), please kindly email Mary at mmmoon@ix.netcom.com or Raj at rshah@koehlerinstrument. com.
Dr. Mary Moon is Technical Editor of The NLGI Spokesman. She writes scientific and marketing features published in Lubes’n’Greases and Tribology & Lubrication Technology magazines, book chapters, specifications, and other literature. Her experience in the lubricant and specialty chemicals industries includes R&D, project management, and applications of tribology and electrochemistry. She served as Section Chair of the Philadelphia Section of STLE.
Dr. Raj Shah is currently a Director at Koehler Instrument Company and was an NLGI board member from 2000 to 2017. A Ph.D in Chemical Engineering from Penn State University and a Fellow from the Chartered Management Institute, London, Dr. Shah is a recipient of the Bellanti Sr. memorial award from NLGI. He is an elected fellow of NLGI, IChemE, STLE, INSTMC, AIC, JHI, Energy Institute and the Royal Society of Chemistry. A Chartered Petroleum Engineer from EI and a Chartered Chemical Engineer from IChemE, he is currently active on the board of STLE and on the advisory boards of the Engineering Departments at SUNY Stony Brook, Hofstra University, Auburn University and Pennsylvania State University. More information on Raj can be found at https:// www.astm.org/DIGITAL_ LIBRARY/MNL/SOURCE_ PAGES/MNL37-2ND_foreword. pdf
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