Marsh & Moore Sails into the Future

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After successfully navigating the choppy currents of the past few years, Marsh & Moore is sailing into smoother waters as a new generation takes over.

While industry veterans Mark Marsh and Richard Bohl continue to play active roles in the statewide manufacturer’s representative firm, day-to-day operations are now handled by Jennifer Marsh Rodriguez, daughter of founder Mark Marsh, and Garrett Bohl, son of co-owner Richard Bohl.  Both are corporate officers of the firm.

“One of the ways that we vary from other rep agencies is we have implemented a succession plan in place with a younger generation quickly coming up in the ranks.” said Rodriguez in an interview with Plumbing Perspective .  “We want our manufacturer’s to feel at ease knowing that they can continue with Marsh & Moore, Inc. as their manufacturer’s representative for years to come.”  Alongside of Rodriguez and Bohl, Jennifer Austin leads the sales team as Inside Sales Manager and Jonathan Marsh, son of Mark Marsh has also recently joined the company and is working outside sales in the North Florida and Southern Georgia territories.

Based in St. Augustine, Marsh & Moore was founded in 1972 by Mark Marsh.  Then in 1974, David Moore joined Marsh & Moore as Mark’s business partner. As the business began to grow over the years, Richard Bohl joined the company as a third principal in the early 1990’s, and in 2006 David Moore retired.  Since then, Mark Marsh and Richard Bohl have been managing the company, and in 2011 brought on Garrett Bohl and Jennifer Marsh Rodriguez as company officers.

Strategic Moves

With the slogan, “not your ordinary plumbing manufacturer’s representative,” Marsh & Moore has taken the approach of branching off into separate divisions: irrigation, underground and onsite as well as plumbing. Serving a wide range of sectors has helped the firm maintain a strong presence in Florida during the “great recession,” and now provides a solid foundation for future growth.

“Diversifying our company was an excellent strategic move that helped carry us through the bad times,” said Garrett Bohl, noting that there were no layoffs at the firm. “We are truly a multifaceted agency, with strong lines in the plumbing, irrigation, onsite and underground markets.”

Marsh & Moore had to change focus by representing more commercial plumbing lines when the residential market began to fall off, according to Rodriguez. “Now, we’re seeing an upturn in multifamily residential construction, as well as healthcare, hospitality and other commercial sectors,” she said. “One of the real advantages we bring to the market is the ability to handle not just the plumbing, but multiple aspects of new construction projects. We can do the site preparation and stormwater aspects, as well as putting in an irrigation system for the landscaping.”

“The industry has changed dramatically in the past decade,” said Richard Bohl. “I used to know every company owner in the state, but today it takes a team approach to be an effective manufacturer’s rep firm. It’s certainly a different sales environment from the past, where you could show a contractor and wholesaler the latest products, shake hands on a deal and go out to lunch.”

Over the past few years, Marsh & Moore has played a key role in the construction of many landmark Florida projects, including Four Seasons, Grand Palisades, Poinciana Hospital, Streamsong Resort, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Adena Beef “Happy Cow,” Jacksonville VA Hospital, Embassy Suites & Convention Center in Kissimmee and The Terraces Assisted Living in Bonita Springs.
“Today, we are quoting on new commercial and residential projects throughout the state, from Miami to Jacksonville, Tampa and Orlando,” said Garrett Bohl. “We expect 2013 to be much better for our industry than the past few years.”

New leadership

Last year, Marsh & Moore celebrated its 40th anniversary, and continued its gradual transition into a new generation of leadership. “Mark and I have been partners for almost 20 years, and we’re excited about this succession at our firm,” said Richard Bohl, who oversees South Florida sales and operations.  Based in Bonita Springs, Bohl has 30 years of industry experience, including 25 years as vice president of operations for a plastics manufacturer.

Mark Marsh is the president of the firm, and handles the North Florida territory for all major accounts.
 He earned his marketing degree from the University of West Florida, and is a member of the Florida Association of Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors and ASPE. “One of the major reasons that Marsh & Moore has been so successful for 40 years is our solid relationships with our customers.  This is such an important value to have in our industry.  Not only do we have business relationships with our customers but also personal.” said Mark Marsh.

As Marsh & Moore’s operations manager, Rodriguez is following in her father’s footsteps, working closely with the firm’s inside and outside sales teams, as well as handling all aspects of marketing and advertising. She began working part-time at Marsh & Moore in 2002, where she handled Oatey customer service and order entry.

Rodriguez is a graduate of the University of North Florida with a degree in communications, giving her a solid background in advertising, product promotions and other marketing fields.  She also has completed the Certified Professional Manufacturers’ Representative Program, earning the CPMR designation.

Garrett Bohl joined the firm’s inside sales team in 2001, after working for a large plumbing wholesaler during college. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in economics and a minor in computer science, and has also earned the CPMR designation

Garrett Bohl now leads the Marsh & Moore water, sewer and irrigation divisions and has doubled sales since taking charge of those lines.

 

Serving the Florida market

Marsh & Moore’s award-winning sales team combines solid knowledge of the industry, proven sales methods, superb contacts and advanced information technology to serve the Florida market.

The firm’s outside sales force is strategically located throughout the entire state, and the Marsh & Moore’s company plane makes any location in our territory accessible within 90 minutes. “Manufacturers working with us can visit wholesalers in multiple cities in a single day,” said Bohl. “That’s a great convenience, both for the manufacturers we represent and the wholesalers we service.”

Rodriguez notes that the firm’s sales team carefully studies market trends and conducts a thorough sales analysis of each territory, factory and item. “Our inside sales team is noted for excellent customer service,” she said. “We have the latest technology that allows our sales team to keep customers abreast on price increases, product promotions and specials.” “We stay current on the new products and technologies, so we can provide excellent service to the wholesalers, contractors, and engineers” she said.

Marsh & Moore currently represents multiple manufacturers (see list) and has been the Oatey manufacturer’s rep since the 1980s.  “We provide cohesive, convenient single-source management of multiple product lines, says Garrett Bohl. “We also offer a number of packages that provide greater convenience for the contractor and work closely with our customer base when developing bids for new construction and renovation projects.”

Rodriguez adds that the firm conducts job-site demonstrations, lunch-and-learns and other training events to educate wholesalers and contractors about new products. For instance, Marsh & Moore provides training and certifications for contractors on the proper installation techniques of their products.  “We also keep the industry up to date about new regulations, such as the no-lead laws,” she said.

Both generations of leadership are looking forward to a renewal of Florida’s growth and believe the Sunshine State has a bright future.  “As the construction industry recovers and we move into the ‘new normal,'” Rodriguez said, “Marsh & Moore is ready to service our industry for years to come.”

 

Marsh & Moore’s lines in its various market sectors include:

• Aquatic Bath

• Centoco

• CTS Flange

• Florestone

• Froet

• Holdrite/Hydroflame

• Josam

• KBI

• Lasco Fittings

• Liberty Pumps

• Milwaukee Tools

• Multi Fittings

• NAPAC

• Norwesco

• Niagara

• OateySCS

• Sanderson Pipe

• Seisco

• SJE Rhombus

• Uponor

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