ROME, NY – It’s not every day that you hear about a manufacturing company hiring a former NFL player. Kris-Tech Wire, a copper wire manufacturer headquartered in Rome, New York, recently hired two.
Travis Williams, a former wide receiver for the Green Bay Packer and alum of the US Naval Academy, was recently promoted to VP of Sales. Travis sees much overlap between his NFL training and how he executes his role in sales:
“When you come from a competitive background like the NFL, you compete in everything you do and always strive for excellence. Jonathan Compas and I apply that work ethic every day in this exhilarating business. Additionally, having Michael Zimm on board gives us a totally different way of looking at our business structure and finding ways to improve our customer service.”
Jonathan Compas, a former NFL offensive lineman who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, and Oakland Raiders, joins Kris-Tech as its Southwest Regional Developer. An important lesson that Jonathan brings from his football training is the importance of working on a strong team with great values:
“I have found that doing business – just like in football – comes down to the people. A former coach of mine, Rich Bisaccia, who is the Assistant Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders and someone I really admire, used to say: ‘It’s not the X’s and the O’s, it’s the Willies and the Joes.’ Likewise, the Kris-Tech roster is made up of great people across the board – Travis and Michael are both first rounders.”
Alongside these two hires with atypical backgrounds in the wire manufacturing industry, Kris-Tech added a third. Michael Zimm, a Yale Classics PhD turned digital marketer, was hired as the organization’s director of marketing. Though some may find Michael’s background in studying and teaching Ancient Greek and Latin (slightly) unusual, he doesn’t think so.
“I spent years buried in the challenges of dissecting the nuances and meanings of two very complicated languages. I now apply that intellectual rigor and curiosity to uncovering insights about our markets. Who knows, maybe we will hear about other humanities PhDs entering the wire manufacturing space in the years ahead [he says with a smile].”
Kris-Tech makes its hires not so much based on experience in the wire industry but on intangible, unteachable qualities that align with the organization’s core values (namely a commitment to excellence grounded in trust, communication, and leadership) and growth ambitions. According to CEO Graham Brodock,
“We’re fanatical about hiring the best people. This means individuals who are competitive, and want to win; smart, and want to grow; ambitious, and want to create a better future. Most importantly, if they align with our values and unique culture, we can truly accomplish anything.”
Kris-Tech Wire is a manufacturer of copper wire products that serve electrical distribution, utilities, and OEMs.
To learn more about Kris-Tech Wire, visit: www.kristechwire.com.
