PITTSBURG PEOPLE: MAINTENANCE SALES DEPARTMENT

Executive Director of Sales Jordan Pyles has risen through the ranks in the past four years – spending almost two years as a project manager and another nearly two years as director of inspections before his most recent promotion.

“It has provided a never-ending challenge where each day brings a new problem to tackle,” he said. “It has also put me in a position to achieve the things I have wanted to accomplish in my career by giving me plenty of opportunities to grow and adapt to new situations. Four years ago, I couldn’t tell you what I wanted to be or do, and this company has given me the answer to the question that drove me nuts for many years prior.”

As executive director, his main goal is to “build a successful sales department that maximizes the opportunities we are given.” That can be anything from jumping on a conference call with a customer and the account executive to answer technical questions and implementing new techniques and methods to overcome things like price objections.”

His job is a balancing act. “You must juggle many responsibilities at once and find time to accomplish the day-to-day challenges but also move the big picture as well,” he said. “I love the fast pace environment the job entails. You can go from discussing monthly sales numbers to talking to a client about the intricacies of how temperature affects coating cure times, to offering suggestions on how to handle a price objection by a client, to asking how someone’s day is all in the span of 15 minutes.”

Special Project Manager Vicky Caudill started at PTTG as a prospector 14 years ago. Vicky oversees jobs that include dismantles, moving tanks, raising or lowering tanks, and some demolition bids. Her role sees her work with both PTTM’s inspections and maintenance divisions. She also works with LEC on leads they send to Pittsburg for approval and makes sure they receive quotes for the projects As of 2021, Vicky will be undertaking another focus area by handling most of the sales team municipality contracts. Vicky said she likes that PTTG “treats me like family.”

When she started working at PTTG 10 years ago, Melinda Jones prospected and sold API inspections. As a bid specialist, she searches for bid work that PTTG can perform, whether that’s through Pittsburg Maintenance Division, Pittsburg Ground Division, or Allstate Tower. Once she finds a bid opportunity, she writes up the lead and sends it to the appropriate division contact. She’s also responsible for obtaining API pricing and filling out vendor packets. Her favorite thing about PTTG is that “the working hours have enabled me to spend more time with my family.”

Bobbie Shelton has been with PTTG since March 2012. Bobbie started as a prospector before becoming an assistant to the fire protection manager. She currently serves as a sales account executive and fire protection manager. Her job entails contacting fire protection companies to build new relationships while keeping a rapport with old contacts to sell inspections and maintenance jobs.

The job can be challenging. “Fire protection customers don’t always know the information needed. They don’t always reply when asked about a quote or report. It’s a third-party situation that isn’t always easy to work with,” Bobbie said. Sometimes she won’t hear from customers for months, and then they will call out of the blue and want to schedule something for the next day. “I think my job tends to be fast-paced and at high demand sometimes,” she said.

She said she feels like PTTG is one big family.” “I think we have a good crowd here at PTTG, and I couldn’t ask for better co-workers,” she said.

Sales Account Executive Patrick Hocking was hired into the sales department four years ago. As a national accounts manager, he sells inspections and maintenance work to existing accounts and prospects for new accounts by phone and email. “I enjoy working for an industry leader,” he said. Building relationships is key. It can take between six months to two years from initial contact to the first sale.”

Taylor Young has been a national accounts manager for four years. He contacts existing customers to ask about tank projects and potential clients to ensure their water tank needs are being met. “I like working for a locally owned business,” he said. “I previously worked for FedEx and, although there are certain benefits working for a large corporation, it’s rewarding to have the owner of the company listen to your ideas, and give you praise when you’re doing a good job.”

Lillian Risley was hired four years ago, first as a sales assistant and then as an administrative assistant to help clean up the ACT database. Her role now includes handling sales orders, bids, and helping out the sales team and sales director. She does a little bit of everything. “Sometimes, my job can be very time consuming depending on the task that I am given.” She said she likes that “employees are treated like family” at PTTG.

As a proposal writer, Coco Akins writes up proposals stating the scope of work and pricing for the account executives to be able to send to the customers. “At times it can be very complex,” Coco said. “More often than not, you are presented with something new, so it’s always a learning experience. Some proposals require quite a bit of time, detail, and clear communication to be placed into them, but they also require a sense of pride on my end as well.” Coco started at the company 16 months ago as a prospector. “I enjoy the family feeling you get working at PTTG and the friendships I have developed,” she said. “I also feel blessed that I was able to move into my current position as I truly enjoy the work I do and everything I’m learning along the way.”

Estimator Michael Wright has worked for PTTG for about two and a half years. In his role, he estimates pricing for sales jobs.

For the past three years, Sales Account Executive Nicci Sheridan has worked to maintain relationships with her customers and manage corporate accounts. About working for PTTG she says, “I like that we operate as a team, and it feels like we’re working towards a common goal.”

In the little more than a year that Sales Account Executive Wendy Mattingly has been with PTTG, she’s filled her role by maintaining relationships with customers and meeting their needs as well as the company’s sales objectives. “It takes time and consistency to develop and maintain positive customer relationships,” she said. She added that she feels blessed to be part of the PTTG family and likes that “the owner actually cares about his employees and that he is a God-fearing Christian.”

Having worked at PTTG for nearly a year, Sales Account Executive Mark Moesner said he’s enjoying learning about a new industry. “The biggest advantage is working for (PTTG President) Ben (Johnston)and seeing and feeling the love he has for each of his employees and has really been something special to be a part of.” Moesner had previously worked as a radio/television broadcaster for minor league baseball and in marketing and sales at other companies. In his latest role, he said it’s his job to ensure there is a steady stream of communication between former, existing, and potential customers. “My job is to make sure that if or when customers have tank needs, that PTTG is front of mind.”

Sales Coordinator Suzanne Fowler assigns leads, moves information in the company database from one account executive to another, reports for management, writes proposals and sales orders, and anything else she is asked. “What I do changes at times from hour to hour and it’s never the same thing on a daily basis,” she said. Suzanne has been with the company for a year and a half and previously worked as the sales manager. She appreciates that the company owner is a Christian leader.

Jessie Almon is the senior sales executive. He started in his new role at Pittsburg in February, but he’s not new to the PTTG family. Jessie was a draftsman at Allstate from September 2016 to September 2017. Since then, he has worked as an estimator/project m Jessie Almon, senior sales executive anager with a Hopkinsville-based electrical contractor.

In his new job, he will be focusing on estimating and bidding specification bid opportunities. He’s also looking forward to contributing in other areas.

“I am excited to be moving into this new position,” Jessie said. “It is going to be a bit of an adjustment for me, but I believe that once I settle in, I will be a valuable member of the PTTG team in many ways.”