Tencarva

Birthplace: Greer, S.C.

Education: bachelor’s degree, North Carolina State University

Career: sales engineer trainee, Virginia Beach office, 1992; sales engineer, Richmond office, 1992; promoted to branch manager, Richmond office, 1999; promoted to regional manager, 2010, all at Tencarva Machinery Co.

Best career move: “Moving to our Richmond office and having the opportunity to work with a veteran sales and engineering group.”

Career goals: “Although you always want to grow in your career with the natural desire to move up in your organization, my main goal has always been to do the best job I can for my family, my company and my customers.”

The best advice he ever received: “Treat everyone the way you would want to be treated. Be fair and honest, not only to your customers, but to yourself as well.”

The most difficult situation faced on the job: “Like most businesses, I think one of the most difficult things we face is when a customer goes out of business or closes a facility. In general, our business model is based on a long-cycle relationship. Most of my customers have been my customers for 20-plus years. The general economy, government regulations and current corporate tax structure continue to make it harder for smaller industries to survive or start up. Recovering from lost customers through no fault of your own is hard to overcome.”

Career tip for students: “Besides making sure you do well in school, you need to actually work. We interview so many students that have never held a basic job and, frankly, don’t know how to work. Internships and required work for a degree are good, but having that basic job, whether it’s bagging groceries, doing landscape work, answering phones or filing, is a necessity for faster success in business.”

What motivates him? “Knowing the products and services we provide as a company help our customers become and remain profitable and more efficient in their business.”

Role model: “I would have to say my father. He worked very hard for very many years in the textile industry before it disappeared from the United States. I had an opportunity to work in his plant one summer and saw firsthand how hard he worked, the respect he commanded from his people and his fairness to everyone. You try and be fair to everyone, but you always have to do what’s right for your company. I do think the two go hand in hand.”

Family: wife, Kris Josefoski; son; daughter

Pastimes: “A general love for the outdoors whether I’m spending time in the ocean with my kids, mountain biking, hiking or fishing.”

Favorite food: “Any kind of seafood.”

Ideal vacation: “Spending a week at the Outer Banks hanging out and playing with my kids.”