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MAN OF STEELE

by Jim Morgan

Like most true heroes, Bill Steele doesn't consider himself heroic. "I don't really think I've done anything any differently in my life than other folks would have done given the same opportunities," he shrugs. "I've always just tried to stay busy and to learn as much as I could from every situation."

Indeed, his willingness to work hard and his desire for constant improvement have shaped Bill's destiny from the very beginning. A native of Tulsa, he began his career back in 1964 as a machinist for Ramsey Winch. He went into the military in 1967 and turned 21 during a year spent with an artillery unit on the front lines in Vietnam. Returning home, he resumed his work at Ramsey, but by 1974 he had shifted to Gear Products.

"I started out at Gear on the night shift running a machine," Bill recalls, "but I eventually worked my way up to foreman, then plant superintendent, then manufacturing manager. I became the vice president of material management in 1988." With over 25 years of experience in all aspects of purchasing, receiving, shipping, and inventory control, Bill felt the need to seek new challenges in 1999.
Having joined RL Hudson last June, Bill became our warehouse manager in March following the retirement of former manager Bud Wilburn. Though others might have been intimidated at the prospect of trying to fill Bud's legendary shoes, Bill didn't see it as an issue.

"I learned a long time ago that managers are like athletes," Bill says. "Everybody should be trying to break everybody else's records. No doubt about it, Bud did an excellent job and is very much respected by everyone, including me. But I plan on setting new goals, and hopefully the fulfillment of these new objectives will be my contribution to the company. That's why I came here, after all — to contribute."

Bill's management philosophy is two-fold. "First, nobody ever works for me," he grins. "They work with me. That's a big difference in my book. And second, I always try to keep a very open mind when it comes to suggestions for improvement. I've come to appreciate the fact that not only can older employees teach you, but younger ones can, too. Sometimes the older people know from experience, but the younger folks know from education. Either way, they are valuable resources for ideas that deserve to be heard."

Bill also carries this same emphasis on open communication into his personal life. "Onthe job or at home," he muses, "most everything can be worked out if you just take time to stop and talk it through." His approach has proven successful. Though they married a scant three weeks after meeting, Bill and his wife, Karen, will celebrate their 30th anniversary in September. They have one son, Travis, who is now 22. An avid sports car enthusiast, Bill likes to restore Corvettes in his spare time.

Though he doesn't see himself as a hero, Bill does acknowledge that there have been others who have influenced and inspired him through the years. Chief among these was his father. "My dad was very firm with me," Bill says, "but he was an extremely hard worker, and he taught me the value of hard work from the very beginning. That has stayed with me more than anything else."

Unwilling to rest on his laurels, Bill is anxious to explore what he sees as the ever-increasing opportunities for improved customer service. "The owner of this company will probably never grade me as hard as I grade myself, but I want to know what I can improve on daily, monthly, and yearly. If you don't set goals and objectives for yourself, you never will get better, and getting better is what interests me most."

He pauses a split second before continuing. "I'm one of those guys that likes to climb a mountain, stand on the top for just a moment and look down to see where I've been, then turn around and start climbing the next one."

Spoken like a true hero.