The Macomb Group has experienced considerable growth over the years, and some of this growth has come about through mergers. Even during the course of these significant changes, The Macomb Group understands that a company’s best assets are its people. The Macomb Group credits much of its success to attracting the best people, then taking care of them so well that they never want to leave. So when The Macomb Group acquires organizations with leaders like Jim Tucker , Dick Dixon , and Steve Dixon , the company welcomes their considerable skills and extensive pipe industry experience.
Generations in the business
Dick Dixon began working in the pipe supply industry in 1961. His son, Steve Dixon, cut his teeth in different industries before accepting an opportunity to work in the pipe supply business with his father.
“I guess it’s in the blood,” says Steve.
Dick worked with Bill McGivern, one of Macomb’s majority partners, in inside sales at a competing company many years ago.
“We got to know each other then and we kept in touch,” recalls Dick. “When Bill and Keith Schatko decided to open their first branch, they called me.”
That branch, now absorbed into the larger company, was Dixon Supply, which served as an arm of The Macomb Group starting in 1994. The Macomb Group struck gold when both Dixons became partners in The Macomb Group as part of the merger.
Healthy competition
Jim Tucker also worked at a competing pipe supply company, Coon Devisser, where he began his career with a part-time, after-school co-op job in 1977. He started at the ground floor, sweeping up, washing cars, and taking inventory in the warehouse, before he worked his way up to being responsible for the mechanical contractor sales division.
“We were fierce competitors with Macomb, fighting for the same clients in the same territories,” Jim remembers.
One day 12 years ago, Jim was talking with Bill and mentioned that instead of competing, they should bring the two companies together.
“He couldn’t get his checkbook out fast enough,” laughs Jim, who bought in as a minority partner. “We were gaining ground as two separate companies, but that’s nothing like the ground we gained when we became one. It was long overdue. It’s a shame we couldn’t make it happen years ago.”
Hands-on contributors
The Dixons and Jim have all made their mark on The Macomb Group. In addition to his duties as a part-time chef in the employee cafeteria, Tucker brings extensive experience in mechanical contractor sales from his time at Coon Devisser.
“These are larger orders and there is more guarantee of income when we bring in industrial business. The industrial business sector is responsible for over 40 percent of our business — we know it will provide a steady income stream,” notes Jim.
Dick, still focusing on inside sales and management responsibilities at the Livonia, Mich. branch, brought a loyal customer base with him from Dixon Supply. He is able to establish strong, lasting relationships with customers and employees at The Macomb Group, making everyone he works with feel like they are part of a family.
Steve works at headquarters, a leader in his division, and is currently focusing on job quotations, with a great deal of daily interaction and networking with customers.
People are the key
For all three of these partners, being part of The Macomb Group is more than a job. The Dixons and Jim all value the personal connection they have to the company and to the customers they serve.
“I enjoy coming to work and enjoy what I do,” says Jim. “We give it our all here, and we enjoy the positive feedback we get from our customers. They don’t have to do that, and at The Macomb Group, we get thank-yous on a regular basis.”
Dick echoes that sentiment. “I truly enjoy our employees and customers. It’s wonderful to see employees who like to come to work and the prosperity they and their families get as a result.” He adds, “I also feel rewarded when we help a customer who has a special need. We can give them service beyond what they’d normally get because we take time to know them and their needs.”
As the year comes to a close, all three of these leaders are gratified to see that The Macomb Group has achieved the goals it set for 2012. They are proud of the success The Macomb Group has achieved, but they don’t focus on the rearview mirror; instead they are all looking ahead in anticipation of setting and meeting next year’s goals.
“We take pride in being problem solvers,” says Steve. “There’s never a cookie-cutter solution. For me, the constant challenge is its own reward. Every day, I’m presented with different problems and opportunities that can surprise me, even after 20 years in the industry. It’s those challenges that keep me coming back.”
