Women in the Industry
Published May 2021
Editor’s Note: Cleaner Times is excited to present our first Women in the Industry feature. Though many men and women have provided important contributions to the pressure washing industry, our May issue will highlight and give attention to just a few of the many women that have contributed so much to the pressure washing industry. As you read this issue, please say, “thank you” to all the women who give back so much of themselves for the good of the pressure washing industry.
Karen Anderson
Marketing Manager
Mi-T-M Corp.
Sarah DeMarte
Marketing Project Manager
(800) 553-9053
www.mitm.com
On any given day in the Mi-T-M marketing department, you will see a group of talented ladies collaborating on the latest marketing project. At the helm is Karen Anderson, marketing manager, and Sarah DeMarte, marketing project manager. Leading a team of talented designers and marketing staff, they credit teamwork for the success they’ve enjoyed at Mi-T-M. “It makes my job much easier when working with people who strive to do their best every day,” says Anderson. DeMarte echoes the sentiment, “We’re a really cohesive team and highly motivated. We just enjoy the work we do.” Anderson has been marketing manager at the Mi-T-M Corporation for 14 years, and DeMarte joined the company five years ago.
Linda Chambers
Brand and Sales Manager
Georgia Chemical Equipment (GCE)/Soap Warehouse
Involved in pressure washing for over 10 years
1580 Beaver Ruin Road
Norcross, GA 30093
(770) 921-0397
lchambers@georgiachemical.com
www.georgiachemical.com
Linda has a science background with degrees in agri-science, agri-business, and animal health technology. After college she owned her own business before finding a job in veterinary medicine as a technician and then clinic manager; she later worked for Merial, a veterinary pharmaceutical company. After a company shift a little over 10 years ago, she started managing Soap Warehouse. She enjoys writing articles for print and online publications, blogging for Soap Warehouse and Georgia Chemical Equipment (GCE), and speaking at local education events and at national industry conventions on the subjects of chemicals, chem-ical safety, and OSHA compliance. She is an avid deer hunter.
Kristen Cron
President
CSC Insurance Options
4552 Route 51 S
Rostraver Township, PA 15012
(724) 929-3558
kcron@cscinsurance.com
www.cscinsurance.com
As the new president of Joseph D. Walters, my priority is to modernize the customer experience, expand our client services, and make it easy to do business with us. Power wash contractors expect quality and an insurance program they can trust. By the end of 2021, I will gain access to competitive pricing with new carriers and offer more policies to provide a bundling discount. We will expand our service hours to be available for contractors in different time zones and offer flexible payment plans. We will be able to offer new technologies, which will include mobile apps and the option to get online quotes for over 10 lines of coverage. I will continue to innovate and improve our policies and processes for the power washer’s insurance program to always provide a better client experience at Joseph D. Walters.
Rachel Forehand
Marketing and Digital Design
ChemSouth Solutions
P.O. Box. 26637
Macon, GA 31221
(478) 972-8529
chemsouthsolutionsllc@gmail.com
Chemsouthsolutions.com
Rachel Forehand works at ChemSouth Solutions LLC in Macon, GA. She started working for ChemSouth in January 2021 after recently graduating from Georgia Southern, and she is head of marketing/digital design.
Her dad, Dwayne Forehand, started a chemical business when he was 22 and has 38 years of experience formulating and manufacturing cleaning compounds.
He and his partner, Roger Gregory, started ChemSouth three years ago with determination and high expectations for greatness. Rachel says, “They have done a great job, and I’m excited to be working with them and hope to carry on their legacy formulating chemicals.”
Outside of work, Rachel is a local musician/singer/songwriter in Macon, GA, and enjoys making art.
Lacie Farley-Gregory
“Very Official Office Lady”
Coils-R-Us
Involved in pressure washing industry 11 years.
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
(479) 549-3880
ap@coils-r-us.com
What I love about my work: Every day we get to provide solutions for hard-working people across this continent in all types of industries. The applications are endless and interesting. Partnering with companies that are creating innovative products from the ground up is always an honor to be a part of. There is a lot of science involved, and I love that I learn something new every day. If you call us, we will go to work for you.
My interests outside of work: This is mainly consumed with my two amazing kiddos, my friends, and my plants. I love exploring new places in the world and being outside doing absolutely anything, especially next to water. I am typically on my kayak or some sort of a boat, with a fishing pole, most any given summer weekend.
Claudia Hirschochs
President
Vector Chemicals
316 Alexander Street
Youngstown, OH 44502
(800) 331-0347
claudia@vectorchemicals.com
www.vectorchemicals.com
Claudia Hirschochs, an Army veteran, brought her military skillset and German work ethic to Vector Chemicals back in the 1980s and took over as president in 2000. Her business philosophy is to provide the highest quality products and outstanding service to every customer, which is why so many of them have been doing business with Vector for over 30 years. She loves the challenge and process of developing new, environmentally friendly products while helping to support and grow local businesses in the Ohio valley. A nature lover, she enjoys hiking, biking, photography, and especially gardening.
Maddie Ludzack
Marketing Specialist
Veloci Performance Products
Involved with Veloci for three years
12800 S. Highway 13, Suite 500
Savage, MN 55378
(866) 686-4020
marketing@velociperformance.com
www.vppdealers.com
Maddie is our millennial magician. As our marketing specialist, Maddie takes ideas and concepts and helps to turn them into a reality. Social media and digital design are her realms. Maddie has grown our social media following by more than 35,000 followers and stays up to date on the industry’s latest trends. Maddie can produce a trade show activation anywhere in the country. A fun fact—she is an experienced pianist and likes to spend her downtime teaching others to follow their piano passion.
Trish MacLeod
Sales Assistant
PowerJet Pressure Systems
P.O. Box 7083
Sussex Corner, New Brunswick E4E 5M3 Canada
tmacleod@powerjetpressure.com
powerjetpressure.com
With a degree in business from the University of New Brunswick and over 15 years in the sales and service industry, Trish is driven to deliver the best possible customer experience to match the high standard of products that we deliver. Trish finds great importance in establishing and nurturing relationships; this aligns strongly with PowerJet’s values. We have a wonderful network of distributors throughout North America and taking care of them is our top priority! Outside of work, Trish is a passionate outdoor enthusiast and shares her love of adventure with her family!
Patty Meehan
Customer Service Manager
Vector Chemicals
316 Alexander Street
Youngstown, OH 44502
(800) 331-0347
patty@vectorchemicals.com
www.vectorchemicals.com
Patty was born and raised in the quaint little village of Lowellville, OH, where she now lives. Patty joined the Vector family in 1993 as a receptionist, but with hard work and diligence she became Vector Chemicals’ customer service manager. Patty has developed long-lasting relationships by taking the time to understand every facet of a customer’s business, allowing her to give them the very best service available. Her passion in communicating with customers and meeting their every need is an invaluable asset to the company.
As a proud Italian-American she enjoys family, food (cooking), and fun, which includes playing bocce.
Brenda Purswell
President
Alklean Industries Inc.
Involved in pressure washing industry 50 years.
2111 Catalina Drive
Pasadena, TX 77503
(800) 458-6304
brenda@alklean.com
www.alklean.com
From our beginning days in 1971, I have been active in the business continually. Just because other women weren’t doing those jobs never bothered me. I enjoyed the challenges, and I was blessed to have a good mechanical aptitude, so I attended the distributor meeting when I was the only woman there as a distributor. I was able to learn most of the mechanical aspects of the equipment, but I left the electrical to John. I told him I preferred to get my curls from the beauty shop instead of a hot wire. I have worked in all aspects of the business, from office, parts, and sales to management. We always felt the more we both understood about the business, the more secure our livelihood would be if one of us was unable to continue for whatever reason might come. Praise God that never happened except for short durations of illnesses in the last 50 years. The time spent together with family and understanding each other’s challenges were a great blessing, we feel. I cannot overemphasize the blessing of having the additional time with our son during the 41 years God let us have him with us. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 2013 at the age of 41. Working with him daily virtually all his life provided memories I will always cherish.
Kerry Siggins
StoneAge Waterblast Tools
466 South Skyline Drive
Durango, CO 81303
sales@stoneagetools.com
www.stoneagetools.com
Kerry is the CEO of StoneAge Waterblast Tools and is the Waterjet Technology Association’s (WJTA) Vice President. She is also a founding member of the Global Industrial Cleaning Coalition (GICC). She is widely recognized for her passion for technology and her vision to create global industrial cleaning standards, leading to safer working conditions for all operators and supervisors. Additionally, Kerry is a thought leader and leadership influencer and uses her platform to help others on their leadership journeys. Her two podcasts, Industrial Theory and Reflect Forward, are highly regarded, and her leadership blogs can be found on her website at www.kerrysiggins.com.
Angie Farley Thurman
President
Farley’s Inc.
PO Box 1209
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
(479) 524-9594
angie@farleysinc.com
www.farleysinc.com
Angie Farley Thurman has served as President of Farley’s Inc. since 2018. Farley’s Inc. is a family-owned manufacturing company set in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Angie grew up in the business since its inception in 1979, including working in the office and learning the business during her high school years and summer breaks. Angie earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Northeastern State University. She then moved to central Oklahoma and taught reading to junior and senior high school students. During this period, she acquired her master’s degree in Education from Oklahoma State University. In 2012 she returned to Farleys Inc., as her parents, Bob and Ethelyn Farley, well respected individuals within the pressure washing industry, were ready to retire and transition the family business to Angie’s leadership.
Deb Tumbleson
Marketing Manager
Aqua Blast Corp.
Involved in the pressure washer industry since 1987
1025 W. Commerce Drive
Decatur, IN 46733
(260) 728-4433
deb@aquablast.com
www.aquablast.com
In 1987, my husband started working for Aqua Blast. In 1989, with the help of a partner, we bought the company. Since then, I have attended trade shows and traveled to meet customers. In 2017, I became an official employee with the title of marketing manager. Over the years we have been the solution for many different industries in their quest to clean. I am very proud to put the name of “Aqua Blast” on every piece that leaves the shop.
Alexis White
North Florida Regional Sales Manager
Nilfisk HPW, Pressure Pro, and Hydro Tek
3700 Commercial Circle
Fort Pierce, FL 34951
(772) 461-4486
awhite@nilfisk.com
After 19 years in the industry and holding various positions, Alexis has become a “wonderful resource for industry questions” for her customers and coworkers. She is always willing to assist others and help THEM succeed. Alexis is strong willed and loves having the perseverance to overcome any obstacle that has been put in front of her by being creative and thinking outside the box for customer solutions.
The best advice she was ever given was to take the job with Nilfisk. When not working, you can find her with her two boys, Mitch, and their chocolate lab, Cooper, or working on “therapy” through refinishing furniture.
Abigail Dameron Wilson
Sales
Southeast VAL6 Inc.
20 Chestnut Drive
Beckley, WV 25801
(540) 420-8103
southeastval6@gmail.com
Abigail, affectionately known as the “heater girl” by her customers, was born and raised in the family pressure washer company her father and grandfather started 40-plus years ago. As that company evolved with VAL6 heaters, so did Abigail’s role in the company— from “floor sweeper” as a young child, to finding her true niche most recently in heater sales. A determined and compassionate problem-solver of her customers’ unique applications, Abigail states, “Being a part of the family business is something I long took for granted. It is my honor to be able to continue a legacy my dad and grandpa created for our family, and it’s just the icing on top that I not only enjoy what I do, but I’m not too bad at it either. I guess it’s in my blood!” In her spare time, Abigail enjoys hiking, disc golf, her dog, and board games with her husband and family.
Jenn Wolfe
BE Power Equipment, Chief Technical Officer
30585A Progressive Way, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
(800) 663-8331
jennw@bepressure.com
“The grout that holds everything together.” Hard work, passion, and a positive mindset drive Jenn to continually take on new challenges. Jenn has been with BE Pressure for 24 years and has been described as the go-to person, a reliable team player, thoughtful, and hard-working. These attributes have enabled her to successfully work in all areas of the business. Most recently, she has taken the executive CTO role, allowing her to help break down departmental silos. When not at her executive role, with the support of her husband, she runs a local grass-fed beef farm gate sales business and is a mom to two beautiful girls.
Charlene Yarbrough
Publisher–Retired, Cleaner Times
Charlene Yarbrough acquired Cleaner Times magazine from her brother, David Hunt, in January of 1990. For 28 years she owned and published Cleaner Times until October 2018, when she handed the reigns to her daughter, Dana Yarbrough Johns. Entrepreneurship, combined with her love for reading and writing, proved a perfect fit for publishing. She learned journalism and publishing by way of hard work, long hours, and hiring dedicated and loyal employees. She established herself in the pressure washing industry as being honest and fair and developed a good reputation for thoroughly covering industry news throughout the years. In 2006, Charlene was awarded the “Lifetime Achievement Award” presented by CETA for a lifetime of pioneering, dedication, commitment, and service to the pressure cleaning industry.
Ebony N. Young
Steamericas, Director of Sales and Operations
808 Hindry Avenue, Suite E
Inglewood, CA 90301
(310) 327-8900
eyoung@steam.am
www.steam.am
Ebony often says not to take anything for granted and that you have to earn it. She joined Steamericas as an office assistant, which practically put her in the middle of operations of a small young company at that time. With street smarts and full of charms, she quickly proved herself to be more than what she was hired for. Fast-forward 10 years, and she manages dealer relationships as well as the entire operations at Steamericas. She has her way of building relationships with even the most difficult customers turning negative situations into opportunities. Her love for traveling and trying new things keeps her thinking outside the box.
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