People in the News

An industry leader in innovative plumbing and hydronic technology and products, Caleffi North America, Inc. announces the hire of two employees in the support of the company’s exponential growth.  Jacob Hicks, Product Manager, will drive market research and new product introductions.  Pat Cholka, Quality Manager, will focus on ensuring superior caliber products that our customers have come to depend upon.

Graduating summa cum laude from Northern Illinois University at Dekalb in 2017, Hicks has been driven to excel.  His natural technical abilities coupled with a thirst for knowledge have fueled his passion for product management.  He is a solution-finder with a keen eye on solving customer quandaries.  States Hicks, “Caleffi has a rich history in developing and releasing industry impacting products, a commitment to educational excellence and the encouragement of employee success.  It was a simple choice to join the growing company, a decision that I couldn’t be happier with.”  Hicks reports to Kevin Freidt, Director of Product Management and Technical Services.

For 25 years Cholka has invested and refined his skill in the management of quality systems and procedures for the production of superior product performance, supplier conformance and ISO 9001 compliance.  Cholka has a deep appreciation for industry relationships, reflecting an important symmetry with Caleffi.  “Quality reaches further than product conformity.  It also focuses on supply chain relationships.  Without the cultivation of relationship, you cannot be successful,” stated Cholka.  He reports to Mike Schreiner, Chief Technology Officer.

Join us in welcoming Jake and Pat!  To learn more about Caleff employment opportunities, please contact us at (414) 238-2360 or hire.us@caleffi.com.

The Maryville, Tenn.-based public relations agency commemorates a decade serving those in the skilled trades industry across the country

Ripley PR commemorates a decade of providing public relations services for the skilled trades, franchising, B2B technology and manufacturing industries.

Ripley PR, an elite, global public relations agency specializing in the home service industry, marks its 10^th anniversary in business by celebrating a decade of providing strategic public relations solutions to clients around the world.

The Maryville, Tennessee-based PR agency was founded in 2013 by CEO Heather Ripley after she decided it was time to leverage her experience and success in marketing and PR to create a world-class agency in her own back yard.

“This anniversary not only marks a milestone in Ripley PR’s professional existence but commemorates the date when I decided to follow my dreams,” Ripley said. “We’ve seen great achievements and growth throughout the years thanks to the fantastic team we have in place, and we now serve contractors and B2B companies in the skilled trades industry from Georgia to California, and from Virginia to New York. We are proud of our journey and hope to continue to provide success to our clients for many years to come.”

Ripley started that journey as an assistant buyer for a national department store before catching the communications bug. She spent the next decade managing PR and marketing campaigns for a variety of companies, including Clockwork Home Services and its three franchise brands, One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and Mister Sparky. It was at that organization that Ripley first learned how impactful public relations could be to the home service industry.

Heather Ripley

She continued to work for other organizations throughout the Southeast until 2013 when she decided to come back to her hometown of Maryville and open her own public relations agency. Beginning with zero clients, Ripley got to work building a PR company that would help home service business owners grow to the next level and achieve their dreams.

In addition to the skilled trades, Ripley PR also specializes in promoting and growing franchising brands and companies in B2B and construction technology and industrial manufacturing industries.

Ripley PR is now considered the No. 1 home service PR agency in the country. The agency has been named to the Forbes list of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021 and Entrepreneur’s Best PR Agencies for Franchise and is the second largest PR agency in the Knoxville, Tennessee market. The agency offers strategic communications for its clients, including brand awareness campaigns, crisis management, media relations and social media strategies.

In 2021, Ripley released “Next Level Now: PR Secrets to Drive Explosive Growth for Your Home Service Business” through Advantage/Forbes Books as a way to help home service business owners understand how PR can help them improve their brand awareness. She was also nominated as a finalist for the 2020 Blount County ATHENA Awards and was named to the 2021 PHC News’ Top 10 Women in PHCP.

Ripley is also a regular contributing writer for a variety of trade publications such as Entrepreneur, For Construction Pros and Franchising USA. She has also been a guest on dozens of industry podcasts such as the Business Savvy podcast, Mechanical Hub’s Appetite for Construction, Home Service Success, Power Women of the Trades and PHCPPros: Off the Cuff.

To learn more about Ripley PR, visit https://www.ripleypr.com or call (865) 977-1973.

Rheem®, a leading global manufacturer of water heating and HVACR products, today announced that Chris Haynes, vice president of Global Procurement, has been named as a Supply & Demand Chain Executive “2023 Pros to Know” award recipient. The award recognizes outstanding executives whose accomplishments offer a roadmap for other leaders looking to leverage their supply chain for competitive advantage.

As vice president of Global Procurement, Haynes oversees the global strategic sourcing across Rheem’s air and water divisions that include an array of products, such as tank-type and tankless water heaters, air conditioners, furnaces and HVAC systems for residential and commercial applications.

“I am honored to be chosen by my peers for the Pros to Know award and to be in the company of the other esteemed winners in my field,” said Haynes. “With the fast-paced world of supply chain becoming highly volatile in recent years, this is great recognition of Rheem’s unwavering commitment to deliver high-quality products for our customers. Today’s environment requires us to constantly reinvent what it means to be a supply chain professional and I’m incredibly proud to help lead Rheem’s global sustainability practices, which we have implemented rapidly on a large scale.”

Haynes has had an illustrious career with Rheem spanning more than a decade. He manages a global team with 60 direct and 125 indirect reports across 25 locations in 10 countries. Haynes also is passionate about mentoring staff and investing in talent to build strong teams across Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America.

Facing global supply chain disruptions, post- COVID-19 recovery and inflation, Haynes always ensures Rheem can deliver outstanding results for its customers by spearheading and revolutionizing Rheem’s inbound supply chain process. Serving as a company leader on Rheem’s “A Greater Degree of Good” sustainability initiative, Haynes has worked with global suppliers and manufacturing facility leaders to reduce Rheem’s carbon footprint, utilize recycled materials and work toward achieving the zero waste to landfill goal.

“Chris is not only a ‘Pro to Know,’ he is one of Rheem’s supply chain heroes and sustainability champions,” said Rheem President Global Water, Rich Bendure. “Chris is customer-focused in everything he does and, as a leader, inspires his teams to put that into practice every day. Chris knows that exceeding our customers’ expectations, particularly in times of uncertainty, gives us a competitive advantage in the marketplace, and solidifies Rheem’s long-term reputation as a manufacturer that delivers on our commitments. Congratulations, Chris, on this much-deserved award.”

Visit https://www.sdcexec.com/awards/pros-to-know to view the full list of “Supply & Demand Chain Executive 2023 - “Pros to Know” winners and visit rheem.com to learn more about Rheem’s latest news.

A company-wide kickoff event on February 22 unveiled plans for the group and its engagement activities throughout the year.

Franklin Electric Co., Inc. (NASDAQ: FELE) announced the formation of a new employee resource group (ERG) dedicated to providing an avenue for women to grow both professionally and personally through education, networking and advocacy. Known as Franklin Women’s Network (FWN), the group’s promise is to, “build a welcoming, inclusive community, provide professional alliances, equip Franklin women with relevant development tools and resources, and guide Franklin women to identify and achieve career milestones.”

Companies have implemented ERGs in recent years in response to a growing awareness and support for employee betterment. ERGs create a network of like-minded employees who want to collaborate and grow personally and professionally.

While months of planning went into formalizing the group, the idea for the FWN stemmed from a chance encounter in the company’s hallways between Franklin Electric Engineering Manager Sukaynah Abu-Mulaweh and Global Business Operations Vice President Amy Stauffer. The two struck up a conversation, and Stauffer began meeting with Abu-Mulaweh on a regular basis for mentorship sessions. “Sukaynah and I were from two uniquely different business areas. Our ability to meet and connect took planning, but we both valued the discussions we had during those sessions,” explained Stauffer. “As a new manager, Sukaynah wanted to form connections that would help her grow and learn about the business from someone who has worked in this industry for more than 20 years.”

During Stauffer and Abu-Mulaweh’s mentoring conversations, the two discussed the importance of taking the experience they shared and creating a more formal network. From there, the idea grew. With the help of steering committee members from various areas of the business, including Human Resources, Finance & Accounting, Engineering, Marketing and Supply Chain, the FWN was born.

While the ERG is targeted towards women – who are often underrepresented in the industries Franklin Electric serves – the group has made it a point to invite all Franklin Electric employees to participate.

The group’s kickoff event, hosted in Fort Wayne on February 22, was an example of this inclusiveness in action. More than 70 employees participated, including leaders at all levels of the organization. Franklin Electric Chairperson of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Gregg C. Sengstack, welcomed attendees. Abu-Mulaweh then presented plans for the year that will include quarterly networking seminars as well as frequent interactive workshops and personal development opportunities.

“We wanted to kick this off with a real community feel, and this event accomplished that,” said Stauffer. “Seeing everyone come together for this common goal of learning and advancement is so important to the future of our business, and really, the future of the industries we serve.”

Vice President of Global Water Engineering Don Brown also knows how important programs like this are to the members of his team, including Abu-Mulaweh. “When I first learned of the plans to form the Franklin Women’s Network, I was excited about the benefits it could bring to our company. The strength of a company is in its people, and this initiative will help us demonstrate that we are a company that values diversity in its workforce, and diversity in the ideas of its people. The very existence of this group will help us retain the best women in our workforce, and – just as important – it will help us to recruit more women into our company.”

To learn more about Franklin Electric’s FWN and the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, visit franklin-electric.com.