96/Plumbing Engineer July 2019

ties as an Outside Sales rep at Cintas, personal banker at Chase Bank, and Marketing Associate at Discover Financial Services. Then, in 2010, New returned to Mid- City Supply as a Warehouse Associate. Working his way up in the company, New has served in Inside Sales, then as Marketing Manager, vice president of Operations, and now as vice president of Administration. In his current role, New oversees the majority of the internal functions of the company's branches and Elkhart, Ind. warehouse. He also supervises accounting, IT, credit, pricing, internal auditing and marketing. New earned a B.S. in Marketing & Operations Management at Indiana University and a MBA at Indiana University, South Bend. He is also involved with the American Supply Association (ASA). When he's not busy at work, New enjoys watching sports, being active, and spending time with his family. What can the PHCP industry do better in recruiting young professionals and fostering a work environment to meet their needs? The younger generation today is all about communica- tion. In recruiting, have a vision for where they can go in the company and communicate that with them in an honest fashion. Tell them what it takes to get there and give them realistic timelines so there aren't any surprises later. Communicate your culture. For many young people, culture is as important as anything else in choosing an employer. Once young employees are on board, have an education and training plan and ask what they want to learn. Young professionals want to grow personally and professionally. Give regular, honest feedback. At our recent ASA Emerging Leaders group conference one of the speakers, Jordan Montgomery, said, "Honest conflict holds more value than dishonest harmony." Younger generations want to know how we're doing. Let us know where we excel and where we can improve. And, the words "thank you" can go a long way. Communicate what's going on in the company. We want to know the larger picture and how we contribute to it. JESSICA SCHUSSLER Showroom Manager, Kitchen + Bath Design Studio An experienced professional in the wholesale industry, Jessica Schussler is the showroom manager for Kitchen + Bath Design Studio, the showroom of Lion Plumbing Supply. Schussler has nearly a decade of experience in the decorative plumbing. A strong sales professional, she started working for Lion Plumbing Supply as a reception- ist. She took the role and hit the ground running, now known as one of the most energetic and hard-working leaders in the company. As a dedicated and involved mem- ber of the industry, Schussler founded Luxury Products Group's Youth Executive Officers (YEO) group. Schussler attended school at Florida International University. When not at work, she is at play as a sports fan. Schussler has volunteered with youth football and cheerleading pro- grams in Fort Lauderdale. She is also a full-time fan of the NFL Miami Dolphins. What can the PHCP industry do better in recruiting young professionals and fostering a work environment to meet their needs? It starts with the current leaders understanding what a healthy and happy workplace environment means to us, and how things have changed from when they were first getting into the industry. There needs to be a heavy focus on career development so that we feel confident that this isn't another dead-end job. My generation wants stability; we want long-term. Promoting the longevity of the PHCP industry and showcasing that it remains relevant, neces- sary, and unable to be taken over by robots, means some- thing to the generation who understands that technology is replacing so many other jobs. Holding periodic reviews to discuss the good and the bad, highlighting where we did well, and setting goals for where we need to improve, all show that a company is investing in us, which in turn makes us want to invest ourselves back and plant roots where we are comfortable, but not bored. We are the fastest evolving generation to adopt technology and run with it, yet the PHCP industry is so far behind the tech

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