The cover story for this issue is about a landslide in New York that created states of emergency in Albany and the neighboring town of Bethlehem. On the drop of a dime, the City of Albany needed pipe – and fast. AMERICAN – sales, manufacturing, and customer service – made a commitment to Albany and other parties. And we came through, allowing critical rebuilding projects to be completed on schedule. According to the engineering firm for the Albany project, AMERICAN’s sales engineer “provided continuous professionalism, knowledge, and assistance to our organization throughout the design and construction. (He) was extremely helpful with the organization of delivery schedules and sharing his industry knowledge.” Those aren’t my words. They are from real people in the real world. And it’s the same in situation after situation at AMERICAN. There’s a reason why people say those things, and quite frankly, I think it’s because we have the best field sales force in the business. We start with an extremely selective hiring process that spans engineering colleges across the nation. The American Ductile Iron Pipe Division’s 48 district managers and sales engineers represent 21 different colleges. With our sales force located in nine district offices and 15 satellite locations, we bring a diversity in educational background that matches the diversity of our customer base. I firmly believe that our normal practice of hiring engineering graduates for sales helps us relate professionally with the many engineers with whom we deal. And it allows our people to better understand installation applications and benefits of our product in the field. Another reason I believe that our field sales force is superior is because of our training. We start with superior candidates and then send them through a comprehensive six-month program at our Birmingham headquarters where they gain extensive knowledge on our products, processes, and procedures. Upon arriving at their assigned district office, “on-the-job” training occurs under the tutelage of their district managers. And, like other AMERICAN employees, their training process continues throughout their careers. Because they are well-trained pipe experts, they are more than capable of sharing their knowledge by making presentations on pipe design, pipe joints, installation practices, etc. In addition to their technical knowledge, our sales engineers are trained in the importance of listening and other interpersonal skills, which makes their presentations more meaningful. Many consulting engineers, owners, and contractors have taken advantage of this expertise by arranging for “brown-bag” sessions conducted by our sales engineers. The training and grasp of AMERICAN’s culture is critical. That’s where we stress the importance of putting the customer first – the cornerstone of our foundation. For all of us, including our sales engineers, that means finding ways to provide added value. Such was the case on another project discussed in this issue. One of our district sales managers, an AMERICAN customer service representative, and a division manager with one of our customers, spent the better part of a weekend preparing a presentation for Southern Company. Working on a short deadline, they configured a pipe layout design that resulted in substantial cost savings for the owner. That indicates not only AMERICAN’s commitment to finding added value but our ability to do so. It also indicates the strong partnerships we have developed with customers – partnerships built on doing things right. Ask our sales engineers about their efforts, and every one of them genuinely will tell you they are only part of a team effort. They know it. I know it. Still, I am proud of the high work standards they attain. From all of us at AMERICAN, including our sales engineers, “Thank You” to Albany and all the others for the opportunity to work with you.

Mike O’Brien, Vice President of Sales

Mike O’Brien Vice President of Sales