Join us as we sit down with Buffalo Electric Industrial Sales Manager, Brad Gravitt, to discuss his leadership role, current projects he is working on and what he loves about the company.
Q: How long have you been in the electrical supply industry?
A: I started working in the electrical industry in the fall of 2006 with another company. I joined the team here at Buffalo in 2014.
Q: What is your role?
A: I was hired an industrial sales manager, leading the company’s new and existing outside sales accounts. My actual everyday responsibilities have evolved into more of an internal operations team member. With the addition of our new business management software, I have become Buffalo’s onsite contact for managing its implementation, training and troubleshooting issues. In addition, when and if I get downtime, I tend to wear a number of hats in marketing, social media, merchandising, showroom layout, vendor agreements, warehouse SOP and human resource SOP as well.
Q: What do you like about working at Buffalo?
A: I like Buffalo’s size and its history in the community. I come from a family that owned a small business and was used to watching employees wear multiple hats as the operator, accountant, purchaser, installer, human resources, etc. There is something comforting about the fact that if I want to buy something from a certain vendor we have never done business with before, all it takes is a two-minute conversation with the person in the office next door and I have my answer. There is very little “red tape” in Buffalo Electric’s business model, which is a breath of fresh air.
Another reason that I like working at Buffalo is our leadership team. They are always looking to better themselves, their processes and, in turn, the work environment for our employees. My immediate boss is a millennial, like myself, who likes to multi-task, incorporate helpful technology, learn lessons from other industries, continue to expand his electrical and business education, and values his personal life. We have a great group of co-workers here at Buffalo; they come from many walks of life, range in age groups and bring unique experiences and background to our company.
Q: What are some of your interests?
A: My personal interests in my work life have always seemed to revolve around behind scene activities. I like to problem solve, create solutions, learn new things and help the others around me. I like multi-tasking through different departments on a daily basis. I have never felt challenged doing the same thing day in and day out, which is why I think I have found my fit with Buffalo. They allow me to explore other areas of the business if I think I may be able to improve something. Our company celebrates our team members that want to wear multiple hats. They allow us to lead projects that align with our interests and encourage us to explore collaboration opportunities where we can make significant impacts while working together.
Q: What else should we know about your role at Buffalo?
A: I think I have found a company where my interests and passions can mutually benefit each other for years to come.