CEO MONTHLY / CEO OF THE YEAR 2022 33 CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 12 2022 18 Life Saving Supplies Emergent Safety Supply is a nationwide distributor of safety and janitorial supplies, providing equipment in the form of personal protective equipment (PPE), hand protection, hearing protection, eyewear, head protection, ergonomics, first aid, fall protection, gas monitors, signage, and much more. With a PhD in organizational leadership and 30 years’ experience in executive leadership, Mary Porter has grown a small safety supplier into a nationwide distributor through her personal passion for safety and organizational culture. She has built a firm that truly believes in its impact on society – and she is the well-deserving winner of the title, CEO of the Year, 2022 - Illinois, USA. ach year, in the US, 5,000 workers are killed on the job, and another three million are injured. Beyond the personal cost, accidents damage property, cause delays, and otherwise cost companies money. But when safety becomes the priority, the human and business costs are avoided. As processes improve, so do quality and team satisfaction, along with the company’s reputation and relations with customers. It is with the desire to keep her husband, Dick, a masonry builder, safe at work that Mary Porter found a passion in supplying safety equipment – and she became CEO of Emergent Safety, with the motto of “Whose life are we going to help save today?” Mary acquired Safety Supply Illinois in 2011, at which time it had six employees and annual sales of about $1.2 million. Its primary business was selling safety supplies to municipalities and some manufacturers. During her time as CEO so far, Mary has broadened the company’s customer database to construction, food manufacturers, transportation, and a variety of other categories, which in turn have increased sales to over $14 million a year and quadrupled the staff. They have then changed the name to Emergent Safety Supply as they were becoming a new nationwide company. “We are not just sending emails or stocking inventory today; we are saving lives today,” says Mary. Equally important is the need to strengthen existing customer relationships. As long as those relationships are being managed by the Emergent Safety team, they can strive for continuous improvement. This is pursued on five fronts: ‘True team culture’ – Elevating the best ideas from the bottom up; ‘Cross training’ – Learning from each other to build personal tools and service skills; ‘Focus on the customer, not the products’ – Listening and developing goals for each account; ‘Invest in people’ – Training to keep the team sharp and the clients well informed; and ‘Walk the walk’ – Practicing internal and external transparency, honesty, and integrity. Mary tells us, “I believe that each and every day, one of our employees can, and has, brought great ideas to the table. By fostering such innovation, we are able to build strong relationships with both customers and vendors, as well as continually improve our systems and processes. Each week, we meet as a team to discuss the current conditions of the safety industry, brainstorm solutions, and hold each other accountable for the goals we set.” Emergent Safety Supply has several customer success stories that say its team’s ideas are having a positive impact! The Un-Washable FR Shirt A client loved Emergent Safety’s fireretardant shirts, but hated the way their own process oil left just enough stain to leave them looking dirty. The first step was to test the shirts with three different laundries. But there was no luck there, as the high-vis colour was too light to hide stains. The solution? The team asked the supplier for a two-tone shirt with a darker colour over the waist and arms, where stains were most likely. The customer was delighted to keep the same comfortable FR shirts, without the unkept look. Stub Hazard Solved When a concrete slab is laid with electrical conduit embedded the pour, the protruding conduit “stubs” become a work hazard, causing trip-and-fall or foot injuries. Even without an injury, damage to the stub can require repair of the concrete, the conduit or both. Emergent Safety partnered with a manufacturer to bring to market Stub-EASE, a true innovation which is helping its electrical contractor clients avoid many needless injuries, and many thousands of dollars in damage or delay. Now, Mary and her team have a bright future ahead of them where they are looking to further their innovation in new and private label products to help customers and save them money. Additionally, Mary will continue to be an active member of the community, as well as the Women’s Business Enterprise where she has been asked to speak and mentor members on multiple occasions. She shares, “I believe strongly in supporting other women-owned businesses and the growth of women in leadership roles. To that end, I’m involved in WBENC and am open to mentor other females looking to grow as executives.” Oct22652 E Company: Emergent Safety Supply Contact: Susie Farmer Email: [email protected]
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