Empowering Pumps recently began inviting people to Nominate a Pump Professional, and today’s Pump Person of the Week is Justin Patsey – this is what he had to share!
Q. How did you get started working in the pump industry?
Justin: This year marks my 7th year in the pump and mechanical seal industry. I worked for 4 years with John Crane and 3 with Tri-State Bearing & Supply Co., / pumpnameplate.com. I was recruited in 2011 to work for John Crane as Part of US Seal Mfg. to support customers by providing answers on a whole range of topics – everything from new seal engineering and technical troubleshooting to catalog maintenance, quality control, and everything else under the sun! I left to run the Tri-State Bearing Pump Repair and Seal Division and spend much of my time now identifying seals needed to complete pump rebuilds and supporting pumpnameplate.com.
Q. What is your favorite part of your job? What are you most proud of? What do you love about working in the pump industry?
Justin: My favorite part of the job is the problem solving. Nothing is ever the same. There are so many variables in this industry that it keeps you on your feet, and I love that. There are so many pumps and so many applications that you come across – it’s a lot of fun! I can honestly say its fun to go to work each day (::chuckles::). The office I work in and the guys I work with in the field are ‘top notch’ and great to work with. I’m most proud about the results we get from putting in the work. Whether its daily repairs, writing articles, or even cataloging data, we get to look back on the projects and the accomplishments (both big and small), and they put a smile on my face.
Q. What advice would you give to someone new to the industry?
Justin: Put in the work and the results will come. I spent long hours training and applying myself in the early days, and it got me to where I am today. I’m always looking for that next step, whether its learning about a new product or taking classes to increase my knowledge; I’m always ready to put in the work.
Q. What are the most common questions you get from your customers and how do you answer them?
Justin: The number one question I get asked is “When can you come here?” (::laughs::). Building a reputation of being able to be leaned on for both my knowledge, consistency and dependability is the biggest compliment. Whether its for a huge pump break down or just to chat about a simple problem, having my customers look for my assistance is not only critical for my job, but actually fun! There is usually a laugh or two while handling the situation. When you were the ‘answer man’ for one of the largest seal companies out there, no matter where your career takes you, that mentality and reputation follows you. I’m truly happy to be able to help people that rely on me.
The question that I ask the most is “What are you pumping?” I was trained from day one that this should be a reflex. You would be surprised how often this question is not asked for how important it truly is. The littlest variables can decrease or increase the life of a seal, and that little bit of information can mean everything.
On behalf of the entire Empowering Pumps & Equipment team, thank you for your contributions to the pump and mechanical seal aftermarket! We look forward to keeping up with you through the #PumpTalk Online Community!
Know an Amazing Person who is making valuable contributions within the Pump Industry? Nominate them to be “Pump Person of the Week”!
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