PEOPLE, PROJECTS AND EQUIPMENT Phil Conklin: Trustworthy, Honest, A Man of His Word Philip J. Conklin, CEO of R.W. Conklin Steel Supply Inc., grew up with his father’s business. One of five sons, Conklin, the second youngest, started working with his father, R.W. “Pete” Conklin, at age 13. He wanted an Apple computer back in 1983, and promised he would help his dad with the business. And so he did, getting quotes on steel. As he grew older, he delivered pile points and splicers to customers, and thus started his early career in the steel business. His father retired from a 30-year career at U.S. Steel to jump into the unknown, as Conklin says, to start his own business from the family home. Years later the younger Conklin did the same, return- ing to the family business in 1995 after working in California, where he helped take a computer company public at the age of 25. The senior Conklin died just over a year later. It was Phil’s birthday, and also the day he took over the family business. Conklin had a lot to learn, but it sounds as though he more than accomplished his goal of growing the company. He says sales volume vs. equity has grown 5,000%, a very impressive figure. The company has dozens of sales offices and inventory locations all over the country and western Canada, from Vancouver to Alabama to Baltimore with more to come. While those numbers might suggest a ruthless businessman, observers have a totally different story. Doug Keller, CEO of Goettle Inc. says he and Conklin are good friends, adding that “if Phil says something, you can take that to the bank. Phil cares about your business as much as you do.” Ken Scherzinger, of Scherzinger Drilling says Conklin is an absolute gentleman; his employees are treated like family, work as a group and are all friends. The firm’s people are trustworthy, can’t say enough good things about doing business with them.” Conklin is “honest, a man of his word.” The praise comes from inside the firm too. Thomas B. Meyer, vice president of operations, met Conklin when they were in high school. When the senior Conklin died, Meyer was still in college, but they talked about him coming to the company. Meyer traveled after graduation for a while, but joined his old friend in March of 1998. Meyer describes Conklin’s business philosophy as taking care of the little guy in the same manner as they do their biggest customer. A smaller customer is given the same level of customer service as a customer who orders thousands of tons of steel annually. Conklin is one of the most upstanding guys he knows, says Meyer. They both work hard at thinking of new ways to do things better while servicing their customers. For example, he and Conklin worked out an inventory location system that lowers overall costs and gets the steel out faster and on time. Hero Dad When Phil Conklin moved up to the top spot after his father died, he was only 26 years old, and his prior work experience Asked about his management philosophy, Conklin says he hires people and gives them a “long leash” and leaves them alone. (except for his teenage efforts with his Apple IIe/Macintosh) were more in line with his undergraduate courses in accounting, marketing and finance at Miami University of Ohio. He was a quick learner, clearly. Outside of his hero Andrew Carnegie, who made his fortune and systematically gave it away, and was said to have consistently hired people better than himself, Conklin’s father was his inspiration. While the senior Conklin worked as a “one-man band,” his son wanted to grow the business. But he has maintained his father’s values and sees the company as a memorial to his father. He quotes the old saying, “the customer is always right,” but also tries to teach value to those customers. One of his favorite references comes from John Ruskin, the critic and thinker, who said “When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do.” Ruskin goes on to say, “The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot — it can’t be done. If you buy from the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.” Conklin says he has to monitor his industry, to know the state of steel scrap, DEEP FOUNDATIONS • MAR/APR 2012 • 33
