Learning From the Other Side
Despite being with Advanced Equipment Company (AEC) for only a couple of years, Material Handling Specialist Brad Pearson still feels like the new kid on the block. But his experience in the engineering field gives him an edge when helping clients find the right material handling solutions.
Always on the move helping clients, we managed to get Brad on the phone to learn a bit more about him and ask how 21 years of experience as an electrical engineer in the industrial world helps him serve clients as part of the AEC team.
How did you come to work for AEC?
Darin Boik, Brian Hester, Brad Dowless, myself and several other AEC guys worked together 13 years ago at an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicles) company.
A couple years ago, Darin was promoted to president of AEC. Darin called me up to take over his territory, and here I am. Last year I traveled with Darin as part of the transition, so this is my first year flying solo.
How has the first year been?
It’s been an ideal situation. Darin is very well liked and highly regarded by his client base, which made the transition easy for me.
How could there be an easier transition than existing, pleased and enthusiastic customers? That’s quite extraordinary, so it’s been great. Big shoes to fill, though.
What have you been doing to keep those client relationships strong?
I care about what my clients are doing and what they’re trying to accomplish, and that translates. I can also anticipate their needs, because I spent half my career life in their position.
I’ve been the guy trying to make something work in manufacturing, so I can directly relate to their difficulties and hardships. I’ve been that guy looking for a solution on a budget and on a schedule.
Since you’ve been on the other side – what piece of advice would you give to someone looking to hire a material handling solutions company?
Look for responsiveness.
At AEC, we understand budgetary and schedule constraints, so we work quickly to try to come up with creative solutions that meet the budget and schedule.
Lastly, what unique skills would you say you bring to AEC, or to clients looking for a material handling solution?
One thing I offer is a very detailed approach. When providing project consultation, you can’t afford to miss details because there are major ramifications, especially with utilities. In the material handling industry, sometimes there’s a more casual attitude with handling projects, and little details can get missed.
My experience has taught me to take care of all the details upfront to avoid those kinds of problems. This makes for smooth projects and happy customers.
Brad specializes in electrical industrial construction project management, automated controls and PLC programming, industrial engineering and maintenance supervision, process improvement methodologies, including Six-Sigma, Kaizen etc., and ETAP power system analysis, including breaker settings and coordination studies.
To talk to Brad about finding a solution that fits your application, you can email him at brad@aec-carolina.com or call AEC at 704-527-3141.
