Doug Ingram, general manager at Benko Products, has a passion for improving safety in the field and finding custom solutions for his customers. BIC Magazine recently sat down with Ingram to learn more about his current role and how he stays motivated at Benko.
Q: What led to your position at Benko Products?
A: I met John Benko in 1983 when he started his company, Benko Products. We became friends and golf partners. In 1985, he invented the Sahara Hotbox, and then, he asked me to work for him. I was impressed by the impact his inventions were having in the industry and the rapid growth of his company. I accepted the position in 1989. I was motivated by his drive to design products that provide quality solutions to customers’ needs.
Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: My motivation to work hard is knowing that I’m making a difference in people’s lives. Fall protection is such an important aspect of our industry. It’s crucial to the well-being of every employee working on an elevated site. The unique nature of fall protection is that requirements, standards, and work environments are always changing. The ever-changing industry regulations amongst the different industries that we serve keep me motivated to create new solutions. I always want to improve the designs of our products to meet and exceed these new regulations. I aspire to work with other companies to collaborate on the safety aspects within different industries.
Q: Are you looking to grow in new markets or expand in current ones?
A: Our company is always trying to improve the designs of our products to stay current with OSHA regulations and the specific needs of the industries with which we work. Our largest target market is the petrochemical industry. Our company tries to stay one step ahead of the industry because we want to be the most adaptive and innovative company to provide fall protection. Another challenging and ever-changing industry that we are constantly evolving with is the cement industry. We are constantly creating new fall protection solutions for cement bulk trucks.
Q: What is your biggest lesson learned?
A: After 28 years of experience, I have learned to listen and be honest. It may seem simple, but those two things go a long way. Being able to listen to the customer’s needs and provide honest solutions is the key to our success. The only way to understand a customer’s needs and provide the correct solution is by carefully listening. There is a large amount of data we have to gather to create custom solutions for each customer, so we have to be organized and concise throughout the whole process. I always emphasize with my sales team that we need to be attentive and listen to the customer so we can provide the best and most cost-effective solution to their fall protection needs.
Q: How do you maintain a good work/home life balance?
A: Overall, it’s pretty easy now. My daughters are in college and starting their own lives, and my wife has her own career. My home life is not nearly as complicated as it was when my daughters were younger. Then, I was balancing being their basketball coach, following their golf careers and my own career. Now it’s easier because they’re on their own away from the nest. I’m not needed as much as I used to be. In contrast, I’m always available by phone, and I’ll take any phone call that comes my way, but I’ll keep my business to myself. I don’t mix work talk with family time.
For more information, visit www. BenkoProducts.com or call (440) 934-2180.
