 |
John Cosgrove is President
of Atlantic Handling Systems
in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey,
and MHEDA's 2007 President. |
Meet
MHEDA's 2007 President
What was your first job ever?
When I was 15 years old, I got a job cleaning in a liquor store. After graduating from William Patterson College with a degree in Business Administration, I was hired by Keebler, the cookie company, as a district sales manager and was promoted to zone manager.
How did you get into material handling?
One of my responsibilities as Keebler's zone manager was the warehouse. The owner of the storage & handling company servicing Keebler offered me a job in sales, and I took it. My second day on the job I sold a large amount of drawer units to Casio. I had no clue what I was doing, but I really enjoyed it. I was at this company for 12 years until the owner retired and closed it. I then joined Progressive Handling Systems, where I worked for 13 years as VP of sales.
Two years ago, you started your own company, at a time when the economy was a bit shaky. Why'd you take such a risk?
I always had a vision of what a distributorship that provided great value could look like. This opportunity presented itself to me. And I jumped at it.
What is the average material handling end-user looking for?
Solutions that have a return on investment. Customers can't go out and raise prices, so they have to be more effective on the distribution side, faster and less expensive, which increases their bottom line.
What is your focus as MHEDA President in 2007?
We must make sure that MHEDA's Supplier/Associate members know that the best way to go to market is through well-trained, educated, networked MHEDA dealers. That they are going to get the biggest bang for their buck by going through dealers and developing relationships.
Do you think those relationships are good right now?
I think they're good within certain aspects of the industry, and in others they're strained. Supplier/Associates who have strong relationships with dealers are at the top of the industry. The majority of the Top 10 dealers for those companies are MHEDA members.
What can MHEDA do to help that relationship?
The successful Supplier/Associate who becomes part of MHEDA and interacts with dealers ends up with a mutually beneficial relationship. Those dealers are their sales arm and not someone who occasionally sells their product.
What industry trends will the association be facing in 2007?
On the industrial truck side, we're watching how the mergers shake out and how the industrial truck side will look after the mergers. We also have to realize that the majority of our dealers are smaller companies. They're not involved in these mergers, but they are being impacted by them in the marketplace.
The industry seems to be approaching a crossroads with the addition, or lack of, younger people entering it. What's ahead?
The average MHEDA member is between the ages of 40 and 60. Edgers coming into the industry are very bright and talented. But they don't want to grow up to be like us. They want to achieve, but we have to give them the space, and we have to empower them with the right tools. I think we'll see a shift from traditional management in the industry to more empowering of employees and goal achievement.
How old were you when you took your first job in material handling?
23 years old.
Looking back, what do you wish you had at that age to help you grow in the industry?
Like most salespeople, I was thrown to the wolves with a case of catalogs and the words: “Good luck, go out there and try to find some customers.” Training was limited, which is one of the reasons I became involved with MHEDA. Today, there is a training track through MHEDA U. The programs MHEDA put together to get Edgers to network with each other, things like MHEDA-NET and MHEDA Edge, are really going to be beneficial five years down the road. These programs also give smaller dealers a venue to train their employees.
What's the most important thing you learned throughout your career?
Always maintain your integrity. If you say it, you have to do it. Also, managing employees is critical to success. People make things happen. They are the answer to problems. We are in a service business, and you really have to gear your company toward providing excellent service.
What's down the road for material handling?
Technology will be the key to the material handling industry in this country staying productive. There will be more of a push toward automation in distribution, especially as it becomes increasingly difficult for businesses to keep people costs down.
If you weren't in the material handling business, what would you be doing?
I've never thought about that question. I get up every morning and I'm still enthused about going to work. I really love what I do.
What do you do for fun?
I have three children: John, 22, who works at Atlantic Handling Systems; Kevin, 20, is in college; and Kerry Ann, 16, is in high school. We go to hockey games and tailgate at NY Giants football games. I've been a volunteer fireman in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, for 33 years, and was fire chief in 1997. I'm also CEO of a local community arts and recreation center. I try to make whatever I do fun.
Is there anything MHEDA members don't know about you?
I was shy when I was a kid.
No way! Are you still shy?
Well, perhaps a little on the inside. I did get past it externally, though. My third grade teacher made me get up and read in front of the class. People who knew me then say she created a monster. |
