A Journey From the Family Soap Business to the ISSA 2026 Manufacturer Representatives' Distinguished Service Award

Talk about some advice, some tips you would offer someone who wants to make a difference in this industry.

In closing, Jeff, what would you tell them?

Be engaged.

I mean, part of ISSA, and I'm not doing this because you got the ISSA logo up in the corner, but I've been able to make so many acquaintances and friends by being involved.

I even became friends, you know, with former competitors, the emphasis on being former competitors.

[laughs] Um, but do, get involved.

Um, there's so many different ways, and meet people.

You get involved as a mentor or a mentee.

I, I was, had a mentor in my early career, uh, which was tremendously helpful.

And now being a mentor later in my career, I've learned so much, so much from the younger folks coming up, and I hope they've learned from me.

So that pretty much is what I've always tell people.

And my father, a blessed memory, used to always say, "Don't burn bridges." So you never know where you're going to be able to become, uh, successful from somebody who you may not have had, had a relationship that was desirable at the present time.

Talk about some advice, some tips you would offer someone who wants to make a difference in this industry.

In closing, Jeff, what would you tell them?

Be engaged.

I mean, part of ISSA, and I'm not doing this because you got the ISSA logo up in the corner, but I've been able to make so many acquaintances and friends by being involved.

I even became friends, you know, with former competitors, the emphasis on being former competitors.

[laughs] Um, but do, get involved.

Um, there's so many different ways, and meet people.

You get involved as a mentor or a mentee.

I, I was, had a mentor in my early career, uh, which was tremendously helpful.

And now being a mentor later in my career, I've learned so much, so much from the younger folks coming up, and I hope they've learned from me.

So that pretty much is what I've always tell people.

And my father, a blessed memory, used to always say, "Don't burn bridges." So you never know where you're going to be able to become, uh, successful from somebody who you may not have had, had a relationship that was desirable at the present time.