Dave Baker’s role with CLIMAX has changed over time. After the company expanded by acquiring H&S Tool Inc., he was named corporate vice president of sales and marketing for CLIMAX and general manager of H&S Tool. In July 2016, he relocated his family to Houston, with the intention of being much closer to CLIMAX and H&S Tool customers. BIC Magazine recently visited with Baker to learn more about the growth of CLIMAX and how he drives his sales team.
Q: What led to your position at CLIMAX?
A: After graduating from Lehigh University in 1995, I immediately started working in the rental industry. Ten years later, I was running group operations in St. Louis for a major rental company before finding CLIMAX Portable Machining and Welding Systems, based in Newberg, Oregon. In 2010, CLIMAX recruited me to run its global rental business. Within a few years, we doubled our revenues and opened several rental depots across the world. My influence within the organization continued to grow, and I was promoted to corporate vice president of sales and marketing for CLIMAX. My role also expanded to include general manager of H&S Tool, based in Wadsworth, Ohio.
Q: What is the biggest news at CLIMAX right now?
A: Much change has taken place over the past two years. We acquired H&S Tool in September 2015, and we have launched several new products. In 2017, we also relaunched our newly enhanced line of CALDER advanced valve testing systems. To support our growth and new products, we have opened regional headquarters in Singapore and Dubai, upgraded our sales presence and headquarters in the U.K., and made a significant investment in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. We’ve opened a new sales and rental location in Gonzales, Louisiana; moved our south Houston location to Deer Park, Texas; and opened a rental depot in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Q: What is most important in leading your sales team?
A: First, it’s crucial everyone on our team is committed to delivering outrageously good customer service — every interaction, every time, everywhere! To accomplish that goal, I stay focused on increasing our “position of yes” by removing the obstacles that prevent us from growing and improving our abilities to say “yes” to more customers. Equally important is my personal commitment to our sales team and investing in their success. We have the best salespeople in our industry, and we are constantly launching new products, creating new sales tools, improving our sales and technical training, and supporting them with ongoing marketing campaigns that are loud and local.
Q: Do you have a favorite quote? Why is it your favorite?
A: Mark Cuban had a quote that really resonates with me. He said, “Make your product easier to buy than your competition, or you will find your customers buying from them, not you.” This quote keeps me focused daily on improving our “position of yes,” because making it easier for your customers to do business with you is undeniably a very powerful place to position your company.
Q: What is a “fun fact” about you people might not know?
A: I’ve driven across the U.S. five times, and while my current role has blessed me with the opportunity to travel to other countries, my journeys across the U.S. are by far the most memorable and rewarding. I’ve set foot in all but three of our 50 states, and doing so has made me unapologetically proud to be an American.
For more information, visit www.climax portable.com or www.hstool.com, or call
(713) 333-0260 or (225) 450-9950.
Dave Baker
Corporate Vice President of Sales and Marketing
CLIMAX