TEEN JOB TAUGHT SALES LESSONS

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June 1, 2008
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CAREER PATH
Teen job taught sales lessons
Grainger chief found appeal in marketing

By Ann Therese Palmer | Special to the Tribune
June 1, 2008

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Back in high school, when James Ryan was a part-time ski equipment salesman, he would regularly win store sales incentive contests.

"The customers had a wide range of talent," said Ryan, a recreational skier who also competed in slalom contests. "There were expert skiers, as well as people who'd never skied before. I prided myself on being able to sell to both ends of the spectrum.

"I made it my business to learn as much as I could about the technical nature of equipment for the experts, while also being able to alleviate the anxiety of first-time skiers."

That experience whetted Ryan's interest in marketing, particularly brand management.

After graduating from Miami University in Ohio with a marketing concentration, Ryan joined W.W. Grainger Inc., a locally based distributor of industrial facility maintenance products, as assistant product manager for heating and refrigeration products.

His responsibilities involved managing an entire product line, "where everything comprising marketing comes together—sales, market research and advertising." That convinced him he had made the right career choice, Ryan says.

NOTE: PASSION IN YOUR CAREER WILL LEAD TO SUCCESS.

Having spent his entire career at Grainger, Ryan, now 49, adds the title of chief executive on Sunday and continues as president. Sales last year at Lake Forest-based Grainger were $6.4 billion.



• • •

Q: What's been your toughest assignment?

A: In 1994 I was running a small business unit when Dick Keyser, now Grainger's chairman, asked me to run IT, something I didn't have a particular interest in. That's when many firms were asking non-tech people to run IT to get a tighter connection between the technology and the business strategy.

In hindsight, it was a great experience. Early on, I realized I wasn't the subject matter expert and wouldn't be anytime soon. I developed strong working relationships with people whose expertise I didn't have.

Q: What's been your most rewarding assignment?

A: My first general manager's job, president of Parts Company of America, which was the first time I had profit/loss responsibility, was a turnaround situation. We had to reduce the cost structure significantly. We also had to focus on improving service levels.

After we made big improvements in how we handled people on the phone, our order fill rates improved and revenues took off.

Q: You've got an MBA. Could you have been named CEO today without it?

A: Getting CEO jobs has a lot to do with what you've accomplished and how you've accomplished it. The MBA helped, but wasn't a prerequisite.



Q: What's the best advice anyone's ever given you?

A: Several years ago Dick Keyser gave me great advice: You can judge how close you are to the target by how much flack is coming up.

Q: How has your personal life fared as you've moved up the ladder?

A: I met my wife, Michelle, when we were in high school. You can't have jobs like mine or be successful in general without being on a team.

Michelle and I are a very good team. She complements me. She's a great source of inspiration and motivation.

NOTE: PARTNERSHIP DOESN'T ONLY APPLY ON MAJOR CONTRIBUTION ON ASSETS BUT ALSO BE A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION.
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Related topic galleries: Management Change, Corporate Officers, Sales, Lake Forest, W.W. Grainger, Inc., School Supplies, Ohio
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