PJ Ash spoke his first word looking at the sky, and it was probably "airplane." He soloed a plane before he had a driver's license, earned a degree in aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle, and went on to build a flight school and airline training center of his own. A back injury, traced years later to a hard skydiving landing in college, eventually grounded him. A longtime friend pointed him toward foodservice, and eight years as a factory rep in the Arkansas market taught him the dealer side of the business. He now handles inside sales for custom/PMR West orders. His measure of a great rep group is short: say what you do, do what you say, and own the mistake when it's yours. Here's PJ, in his own words.
Before I could talk, I looked towards the sky. The first word I spoke was probably “Airplane.” My dad flew for U.S. Air (Retired American Airlines), so aviation was in my blood. I actually soloed my first plane before I got my driver’s license. I had to get that because my folks were tired of constantly driving me to the airport.
I went to college at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL. There, I got my BS in Aeronautical Science and Marketing. I started a flight school/airline training center, and things were going well. Then 9/11. We did survive that, but the industry had changed.
We were living in Florida with two young kids, and my wife really wanted to move back to Kentucky. She said nothing about it, but I could tell she longed for home. It was a good time to “cash in my chips” and move back home.
We lived in Kentucky for a little over 10 years. At that time, all 8 of our grandparents were alive, and our kids were able to spend some precious time with them. It was a real blessing being able to move. I still flew, but not for an airline.
Long story short, I was working on an airplane when my back gave out. We found out that I had some substantial damage to my spine. Doctors felt that it was due to blunt trauma from my past. I used to skydive in college, and there was this time when we had a bit of an emergency, and I hit the ground hard. Really hard. As a 20-something-year-old, nothing will kill you, but fast forward to 40-something, and that life caught up with me. Due to the medications I was on, I was no longer able to fly.
A longtime friend told me he owned a company in the foodservice business and felt I would be awesome as a factory rep. That company was Pro-Quip Foodservice. I worked there for 8 years and learned a lot.
While I was working at Pro-Quip, I quickly found out that my #1 competitor was Jason Jones. I was strictly warned to stay away from him. Well, at my first school show, I quickly learned that Jason was a great guy. I helped him move some equipment around at the end of the show, and we were very nice to each other then on. I would see him from time to time, and we developed a friendship together. Of course, I would make up horrible gossip about Jason to our dealers (who all knew I was full of BS), but it was all in good fun.
Over 8 years, you learn a lot about people and companies. I learned that PMR was one of those special companies. When I became aware that a position would be opening, I spoke with Jason about it. Unfortunately, I was a bit late for that position, but he told me that later that year, they might need me. Luckily for me, that happened, and now I am here.
My role is Inside Sales – Custom/ Orders for PMR West. Right now, I am getting my mind around everything that encompasses inside sales. It’s a lot, but Zach and the team have been fantastic.
I like to help people. I love it when someone says, “PJ, you’ve been a lifesaver.” We all make mistakes, and believe me, I have a collection of them. My goal in life is to leave people feeling a little better after they have interacted with me. Fixing a situation or helping a customer get out of a jam, fix their problem, especially helping make them look good to a customer, is always rewarding for me.
Accountability. Say what we do, do what we say. Own the mistake and do not try to “pawn it off” on someone else.
Richard Branson (Owner of Virgin Atlantic) was asked, “What is the most important part of a successful company?” His response is epic. He stated that in his view, keeping his employees happy is the most important. NOT the customer. If you keep your employees happy, they will keep the customer happy. They will do what is needed to help the company succeed. I believe PMR management feels that way. You can see it in the way the company is run.
I really don’t handle this in my role. However, as a rep, they must see the value the equipment will bring to them. They may not need a bulldozer to move an ant hill. We rep so many unique and multiple pieces, we can pick and choose what “oven” will best be utilized for the application. This is strong, as many rep groups do not have this ability. Having a good understanding of the end user’s needs is the start. Knowing what, when, and how much they will cook is a good start. Asking lots of questions on the front end always shows the end user that we are engaged and that we care.
The people. This is the most open and eager-to-help group of folks I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Hands down.
The culture. Again, PMR made it very clear that they view themselves as a “work family” and, unlike other companies, they really feel that way. You can see that culture in everything the company does.
Funny, Crazy, Dependable
I used to make fun of people who love their animals. I now have a golden retriever named “Piper”. She is my shadow. I love this dog like crazy. I have Piper shirts, Piper coffee mugs, etc. I am now the very person I made fun of.
Spending time with family, building and flying large model airplanes, flying real airplanes, naps, time with friends, music (playing piano, guitar).
Easy – Ice Cream. Been known to eat that for supper.
US Pizza. Nothing is better than a good pepperoni pie!
Let's go through the Fast Five... Early bird or night owl?
Night Owl
Red Bull
My own chef
UK Wildcats
Anywhere those bungalows are on the crystal clear ocean and you can see to the bottom.