I believe we are taking an evolutionary step in an evolving industry. Customers, retail operators, service providers and manufacturers are changing constantly within the marketplace. National Carwash Solutions commits to being an advocate for the retail operator and keep them washing cars. We have been very fortunate to develop a strong partnership with many of our customers. These customers have experienced uncharacteristic growth over the last three or four years, and we are excited to be a part of that. Thirteen years ago we started out as a typical distributor with one service truck, one salesman and product stored in my garage. Today we are servicing customers in 14 states and have more than 80 employees. Our staff is comprised of experts from various manufacturers inside and outside of the car wash universe. We believe in operational and service expertise.

Our company is fueled by our strong values statement that embraces our customer focus and job integrity, as well as celebrates our personal and professional accomplishments.

Our value statement reads:

Be Ethical: Always do the right things.

Be Excellent: Exceed expectations.

Be Committed: Do whatever it takes with a sense of urgency.

Be Innovative: There is always a better way. Find it, prove it and pass it on to our customers.

Have Fun: Always!

The most interesting trend in car washing is the adaptation of technologies from other industries into ours. It has been a slow evolution, but I believe it provides us with unlimited opportunities to be growth-minded in our business. Access to information allows operators to exceed their customer’s expectations every day — it is up to us to keep pace with the demand for knowledge and allow us to look at our businesses in a new way.

We are at a pivotal point in our industry. Those business leaders who embrace change and look for innovation will become the dominant players in our industry, while unfortunately, those that cling to the status quo will become the corner gas station of our industry, a nice quaint piece of nostalgia that eventually becomes a flower shop. I’m thankful to be a member of the ICA Board of Directors. It’s a pleasure to work with such a committed and thoughtful group of people who are focused on creating a better, more profitable business environment for our entire industry!

Before the car wash industry, I was a managing partner of a consulting firm in Pittsburgh. I worked with multi-site petroleum operators and distributors to develop strategic plans, growth strategies and ultimately exit strategies. We gave these entrepreneurs the opportunity to assemble a team of experts to help them develop, implement and capitalize on their dreams and concepts.

The best deal I ever closed was when I convinced that really smart and pretty girl in my economics class to grab an ice cream cone and walk around Kent State’s campus. I’ve been married to Tina now for 27 years, and we have been blessed with four wonderful daughters. They keep us very active as they play soccer, lacrosse and piano and are very involved in the Girl Scouts and various school activities. I’ve been fortunate enough to coach many of my daughter’s teams over the last 10 years and share in their ups and downs of sports and growing up. I continue to play soccer in a men’s over-40 league (which entails more running than I ever remember). I also enjoy playing a round of golf or two when the time permits. Our family stays active kayaking, bike riding and hiking. We are also involved in our community and church.