Commodity Chemistry Sales Team
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Surface Finishing Technical Director
Graham Torr currently serves as Sales and Marketing Manager for Haviland Products Company and is liaison to company President & C.E.O. Bernie Haviland for all technical service issues, general director of surface finishing operations for the Technical Sales Team, specialty product research, development, marketing and advertisement.
Since joining the company in March of 2000, he has orchestrated the transition from mere distributor, to formulator and manufacturer of specialty products. This has subsequently grown this business area to compete with other major SF suppliers and set the stage to take Haviland Products Company (Surface Finishing Division) in to the 21st Century!
Graham has over 15 years experience in the surface finishing industry and is fully conversant with chemical process and properties of all analytical, theoretical and practical plating operations, including: Zinc (Alk. CN, NCN, Cl), Copper, Nickel, Chrome, Tin, Tin-Lead, E-Deposition, Phosphate, Aluminum and Zinc Chromate conversion coatings, rack design / process optimization, customer services and general plant management.
His previous work experience as Plant manager for two plating plants include responsibility for entire plant operations, including: workforce (>50 employees) die cast quality, polish/buff process, plate and all environmental reporting pertinent to EPA, DEQ, City of Grand Rapids and Michigan effluent and emission limitations.
He is a current N.A.S.F./A.E.S.F member, serves on the board of directors for the South-west Michigan N.A.S.F. branch, holds A.E.S.F. diplomas in study courses ranging from electro-chemistry to electro-finishing metallurgy and has attained CEF-3 registration.
- Lydia joined the Haviland team in 2011. Prior to joining Haviland, Lydia gained 14 years of experience in sales, customer service, and finance. In addition, she brings an impeccable ethic and desire to create that customer to client relationship which Haviland saw as an undeniable reason to bring her on board. She is a 1999 graduate of Baker College in Muskegon with an Associates in Small Business Management. Lydia currently is Haviland’s Account Manager for Inside Sales.
Susan joined the Haviland Products sales team in 2004.
Her 25 years in the chemical distribution industry has provided her with the expertise in the commodity chemical industry, while specializing in the solvent market. She is also familiar with the pharmaceutical industry and its standards. Susan’s 25 years experience includes purchasing where she was responsible for procuring $3,000,000 per year in solvents and acids for Haviland Products.
Susan also has a certificate in Management, and belongs to the American Purchasing Society as a Certified Purchasing Professional.
- Terry Thompson joined Haviland Products Company in 2009 as an Account Manager for Water/Waste Water Treatment accounts. Terry’s 30 years experience in the chemical business includes sales, marketing and management.
- Starting with Haviland’s Consumer Products Division in 1975, he called on swim pool dealers, distributors and manufacturers. He was often called upon to give swim pool chemistry seminars to the retail public. After a short stint as Branch Manager for a major pool manufacturer in Southeast Michigan, Terry returned to Haviland in 1979 to head up the Consumer Products Division. It was during this time that the Division started to expand the business to major mass merchandisers and national accounts.
- In 1988, Terry transferred to Haviland Products Company and was appointed Solvent Product Manager. In 1989, he was assigned a territory and became an Account Manager for Industrial Products. In 1992, he was appointed Senior Account Manager for a West Michigan chemical company and was responsible for sales to major pharmaceutical and specialty chemical accounts. Always seeking ways to improve logistics, solve problems and lower costs, Terry looked for opportunities and potential from bag and deldrum products to railcar shipments. In 2000, he became Sales Manager overseeing a sales force committed to quality and service.
- In 2005, Terry left the chemical business to form his own construction company and get a taste of the entrepreneurial experience. The many facets of business experience gained over many years has given him a great insight into the works of the business world and the critical importance of good chemical distribution combined with technical expertise.
- Sales people talk. Good sales people listen. Great sales people solve problems.
Mark Siegrist is an Account Manager for Haviland Products Company. The experience he has at Haviland creates a seasoned, technical and resourceful problem solver for many different areas of the chemical industry. His combination of a technical degree in Chemistry, along with his formal training in Sales and Sales Management has made for a long and storied career at Haviland.
The greatest accomplishment Mark will say he has attained is in collecting the best team available and the commitment to continuous personal and professional growth. His 25 years at Haviland has seen growth in very tough industries and very different economies. With a winning attitude, customers have benefited greatly in many different ways in their dealings with Mark. For some, it was process improvements that lowered overall cost or brought them into different markets. For others, it was the offering of a single-source value proposition that greatly reduced administrative, delivery and inventory costs. With the experience gained in so many different customer situations, he always brings an idea to the discussion.
There were short stints with Vopak (now known as Univar) and MacDermid, but it was the entrepreneurial attitude and growth at Haviland that drew him back. The time away was well spent though as it opened up his exposure to many different markets, management methods and business models. The growth, which accompanied his return, was due to creating a team approach with the cornerstones being Industry Specialists working as Manufacturing Chemists to create Excellence in Distribution.