BRIAN GLEASON is serving in his third year on the ICA board of directors. Gleason is vice president for sales and marketing at PECO Car Wash Systems, after essentially growing up in the car wash industry. He attended Western Michigan University and later finished his education at Wayne State University. Gleason worked his way through school at Belanger, Inc. and spent eight years post-college in the assembly plants and then as Canadian sales manager for the company. After a brief departure out of the car wash industry, in 1995 Gleason joined PECO and has grown his career there ever since. Gleason spent some time discussing with us his views on the industry and his service to the ICA.
Q: You’ve become quite the road warrior for the car wash industry. What has been your experience particularly when traveling abroad?
A: Traveling around the globe has allowed me to meet several exceptional car wash professionals and even better people. Some of the proud moments involve car wash owners and operators running their first test car (normally in the middle of the night!). The smile and sense of accomplishment when they open the doors to their first wash is worth all of the effort leading up to that moment.
Q: What are you most proud of over your career?
A: I’m most proud about the relationships I’ve managed to build. Whether it’s been opening up new markets for the companies I’ve worked for, or simply the people I’ve met and learned from along the way. Some of those relationships have translated in to development of more advanced car wash technology. It’s always great to see something grow like that.
Q: Tell us a little about your life outside of the industry.
A: After living in Michigan for the majority of my life, my wife, Tricia, and I decided it was time to move to much warmer climates. We moved to Arizona with our two kids, Shane and Alivia, and it was a great move for us. Shane is a student at the University of Arizona, where he’s studying business and playing hockey, and Alivia is heading to the University of Alabama in the fall. Tricia and I are preparing to be empty nesters! We love to visit the coast and head to San Diego often, or we enjoy skiing in Utah. Perhaps we will be able to fit in more of these trips now.
BRIAN GLEASON
Vice President for Sales and Marketing, PECO Car Wash Systems
EDUCATION:
Western Michigan University and Wayne State University
Previous PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Eight years at Belanger, Inc. working in automotive assembly plants and then as Canadian sales manager
Q: What’s been the most valuable part of your ICA membership?
A: Over the last few years, the ICA has become much better at bringing value to its membership — on the operator side, WaterSavers and Wash Count make you better operators and strengthen the industry. On the vendor side, I think the ICA has done a better job at bringing together those great operators and the vendors. Whether it’s through the magazine, The Car Wash Show or the educational events, we’re getting the opportunity to learn from each other — and in my opinion, that’s how we thrive.