As Hydratight’s Americas business leader, Jamie Todd is happy to be back in the driver’s seat of running a business. He believes in always putting the team first and making their success the top priority. BIC Magazine recently chatted with Todd to learn more about his role at the company, how he balances a very busy work schedule with his home life and what’s been occurring lately at Hydratight.
Q: What led to your position at Hydratight, an Actuant company?
A: After a very rewarding 17-year career in the industrial valves industry, culminating with responsibility for a global oil and gas distribution group, I developed an interest in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as a career path/development competency. It took just a few conversations with Actuant leadership to realize it was a team of people I wanted to learn from and help make successful. I made the move to Actuant and haven’t regretted it yet. I spent a year and a half working on M&A and organic growth processes before an opportunity developed for me to get back in the driver’s seat of running a business.
Q: What is the biggest news at Hydratight right now?
A: The biggest news at our company right now is the way in which the current oil and gas dynamics are truly emphasizing the strengths of Hydratight and the value we bring to our customers. This environment has presented a unique opportunity for Hydratight to demonstrate our value proposition around leak-free start-up and ensuring reliability of operations. As the customers become more discerning — whether it is the desire to reduce cost of rework or ensuring disruption-free operations — the Hydratight value proposition is a key differentiator.
Q: How do you maintain a good work/home life balance?
A: Maintaining a good work/home life balance is a choice. For me, it’s about remembering I work to live; I don’t live to work. I take steps to ensure I can leave work at work and be home with the family and focused on them when we are spending time together. As an example, I chose to live an hour away from my office. On the surface, this may seem a bit contradictory, given that means fewer hours at home each day. For me it allows the time on my commute in the mornings to get focused on the day’s objectives, touch base (safely) by phone with key members of the team, and unwind a bit and get back into husband/father mode before I get home each evening. Our family hobbies are all outdoors, and we minimize the wasted “digital” time by staying busy enjoying the recreational activities Texas offers.
Q: What’s the most important thing a person should know before taking a similar career path?
A: The earlier you realize your team is the key to your success, the better off you will be. Creating a successful team is an art form in the dimensions of culture, capability, experience, compatibility, shared vision, facilitation, trust, and clarity in roles and responsibilities. Facilitate the development of a shared vision, and then facilitate the success of your team members through guidance, coaching, redirection, representation and the appropriate amount of cheerleading.
Q: Do you have any plans to grow/expand your business through acquisitions and mergers?
A: Always. Actuant and Hydratight have an extremely robust inorganic growth process, and we are constantly evaluating the market for the right opportunities. Whether the strategy is as simple as a market share or “mass” play or as complex as a new platform altogether, the team at Actuant and Hydratight has the experience and savvy to execute.
For more information, visit www.hydratight.com or call (800) 895-3849.
