Employee Spotlight – David Waltmon
In this edition of the Employee Spotlight, we talk with David Waltmon, Account Executive in our Houston office. We caught up with David to discuss his journey, what guides his work, and the unique culture of the Houston team.
What is the story of your role at Cisco-Eagle, and how has it evolved from when you first started?
When I started with Cisco-Eagle, I was in the service department and was the face that a lot of our customers saw first when we were on-site. Making the transition to sales wasn’t a huge difference, because I’m still often the first face people see with the Cisco-Eagle name attached.
The biggest change is that I now get to go a lot deeper with customers. I get to know their business better and am more vested in what they’re doing on a day-to-day basis.
What is the single most important principle that guides your work?
I want to be clear, effective, and communicative. Most importantly, I want to be honest above all. At the end of the day, if I miss a sale, I miss a sale. But to tarnish my reputation or Cisco-Eagle’s reputation by being dishonest, to me, just lasts a lot longer than anything I could gain from a single sale.
How do you know when a customer is truly open to hearing a new idea? What does that look like?
They’ll let you know, and you don’t have to ask them directly. Typically, people want to talk, so when I show up and we discuss certain projects or issues they’re having, I let them do the talking. When they’ve finished, they’ve told me everything from point A to point Z.
Can you describe the feeling you get when a project truly comes together?
It’s very similar to the feeling I got when my daughter graduated high school. It’s that total completion, a satisfaction that’s hard to match.
I just closed out a two-year-long project that illustrates this. Leading up to the close, there is a lot of anxiety…a lot of, “Did we get everything? Is the checklist done?” But once it is finished, and you can look at everything and go, “Yep, it’s done,” the relief and the satisfaction are just unmatched.
What do you think makes the Cisco Eagle culture special or different from other places where you’ve worked?
With employee-ownership here, I feel more like it’s a family. That’s funny for me to say because I came from a family-owned company before Cisco-Eagle. While there is turmoil sometimes inside a family, here it’s just enough of that feeling that we all get along, and when we don’t, we strive to.
How has being an employee-owner changed the way you think about your work?
It’s made me think in the long term. I didn’t think about that before.
Back in service work, I was very task-oriented. Now, I’m considering my retirement on a day-to-day basis. Before, I had no control over my 401K contribution or fluctuation. Now, being an employee-owner, I have control over my future.
Is there a kind of energy or feeling that the Houston office has that is unique to it?
We all help each other out here, even between departments. I’ve seen a salesperson and I discussing ideas, and someone from our Systems Integration Group will pop their head in and say, “Hey, I overheard. Here are some extra ideas you might not have thought about yet.” Then, someone from our service department might overhear and suggest in-depth installation viewpoints.
That family feeling where we’re comfortable enough to step in and say, “I can help with that”, is something I value big time here at the Houston office
You’re on the EAC and have been a key part of organizing this month’s ESOPtober. What’s been your favorite part of this experience?
I have to come right out and say the WiseA$$ Wednesdays (weekly gameshow hosted during ESOPtober) is my favorite part, simply for how much fun it is. Hosting it pushes me into researching ESOP topics and going deeper than just the surface level. For me, learning is always fun, and I feel responsible for being able to answer those questions.
What is the difference between a good day and a great day?
Every day is a good day that I’m alive. But I suppose a great day is when I know I’m making meaningful contributions to the company and to my family.
Who is Cisco-Eagle?
I’d say that Cisco-Eagle is the legacy that Bill and Warren have left behind, which is a family of people who bring warehousing equipment and solutions to the market.
Download our catalog
At Cisco-Eagle, we pride ourselves on being a single source for your material handling needs with a long history of performance you can rely on. Because we also believe in empowering our customers with detailed information and options, we’re proud to offer the latest version of our company catalog.
Download the catalog today
Evan Fleishacker is a Marketing Strategist at Cisco-Eagle. You can find him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/evanf