Meet… Mike Harvey! Mike is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Standard Electric. He works out of our Milwaukee, WI location. Get to know Mike!
What was your first position at the company? When did you start?
I started in August of 1980 in an inside sales role.
What other positions have you held and in what order?
In 1981 I became an Account Manager, and then in 1992 I transitioned to my current role, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
How have you been able to learn and grow in your role?
I’ve been able to learn by listening to good mentors that I’ve met not only within our company, but within suppliers and manufacturers as well. They’ve coached me and helped me learn how to do things. You learn through mistakes.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Seeing the company’s growth. Especially in the last 24 years, after we decided to change our course to focus on the industrial OEM area. It’s been extremely rewarding watching the growth happen.
What led you to choose to work for Standard Electric? Why have you stayed?
It was actually by accident I got a job at Standard Electric. When leaving my sales position at Abbott, I went to say goodbye to a friend of mine who is a pharmacist. An individual in the pick-up area overheard our conversation and let me know they were hiring at Standard Electric. So, I drove down to apply and got hired the next day.
I’ve stayed with Standard for the past 43 years because of the family environment. I don’t think I’ve ever been the guy for a large corporation. I like being a part of a company that is independent, where you can be flexible and make changes as you go rather than waiting on dozens of approvals. I’ve always appreciated the fact that you can usually get answers within the same day, whether they’re good or bad.
What have you learned in your time in the industry?
The most value comes from listening and absorbing what others have to say. There are a lot of moving pieces so when you think you can react quickly, that is likely when you get burned. There is always another side to the story.
What advice would you give to anyone entering the work force now?
Listen. The key is to avoid reacting if you haven’t heard everyone’s side of the situation. Don’t give instant answers, search it thoroughly first.
If you could go back to give your younger self advice, what would it be?
Be patient.
What has been the greatest change from when you started, to now?
The transition we made from being a full-line distributor that also worked with electrical contractors to focusing on the industrial OEM market. This change was pivotal to the organization’s growth and success as a distributor. If we didn’t make this shift, I think we would have been languishing in just getting through the day. There would have been constant activity and threats presented, so it is hard to truly listen. The transition took about 7 years, and the new structure was in place by 2000. We were heavily contractor and lighting focused, so the transition changed our customer mix as well as our internal team.
If you have one, what’s the funniest (PG) work story you have?
Through 43 years I don’t think it’s possible to choose one story. There’s been lots of good ones with funny suppliers in the way they interact with us and grow with the industry. Most of my fun has come from spending time with our suppliers and customers just enjoying the different events we do, like the golf outings. The circumstances that come out of it and the relationships built. At the end of the day that is what Standard Electric is about – work hard, play hard. Individuals who understand this balance are highly successful and those who don’t leave or struggle. Work life balance is important to everyone in our organization, and I don’t think you get this from every company.
Standard Electric Supply Co. is a family-owned distributor, built on delivering outstanding service. For over 100 years, Standard Electric has been the best at what they do; delivering top-quality products, outstanding service, and providing value-added services to customers across the Midwest. Visit standardelectricsupply.com to see how Standard Electric can become the solution to your needs.
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