Who Can Help Me?
Great question! Let’s introduce who we are and most importantly those that can help you get done what you need!
There’s the inside sales/customer service team, they are answering the phones, generating formal quotes and getting your customers orders entered so production can get them fulfilled and shipped. Our team is always willing to help educate you or the end-user on their needs as well as work on the alternates, substitutes or up sells that will help the end-user ultimately do the job in the most efficient and safe manner.
Shawn Kyler has nearly 24 years experience and service to Cementex. One time he was our production manager, many years ago and then came back to work with us in the customer service role. He’s since moved to Florida and still works with us remotely working on Sales and Marketing goals as well as pitching in with customer service as needed.
Phil Stahl has been with Cementex since May 2005. He’s wonderful at follow through, creating custom kits, parts, etc. He will get you the answers you need. He’s always willing to help.
Katie Forvour is the newest inside on the customer service side but she has been with us since June 2021 and is well versed! She’s helping on the phones and getting orders entered so the product gets out to you as your customers ordered!
Melissa Kyler may not officially be in this inside sales/customer service team, but it is more than likely that you or your customers have spoken with her. Melissa is another long timer in our Cementex family and she’s been serving Cementex well in her role of Inventory and Purchasing Manager. She knows our products, our suppliers products, what need to do to build the correct methods to build our goods and how to keep inventory on hand of all things in order to deliver to our customers.
Outside sales — you should know this guy!
Franko Gregory joined Cementex in February 2009 and is also based on Myrtle Beach, SC. Together with Frank, he helped restructure our distributor program. Franko also designed our most recent catalogs and helps push Cementex to the branding levels we have achieved. You can reach him at franko@cementexusa.com or 843-742-1262.
We hope to again have a Western Regional manager who would cover the yellow areas, but at this time, it’s Franko, inside sales and ownership.
You also have met or spoken with at least one of the owners – Steve, Tracy or Jeff. I believe you all know that this is a family business and we are very proud of where we are and what and how we do it.
Steve Russo since his purchase of this small company in 1981, he has grown the business from being the supplier a few sizes of insulated screwdrivers and nut drivers to ConEdison in New York to being a big player in the insulated tool industry, we think the best. He’s one of the founding fathers of the ASTM F1505 insulated tool standards. He loves to engineer and design tools that are not available anywhere. No one else can do what we do as a company and it’s Steve’s drive and leadership that paved the way to who we are today.
Tracy Johnson has been with Cementex since June 2006 though her tenure is longer if you count the endless hours doing “catalog stuffing” or “catalog promotion fulfillment” during her teenage years as well. Tracy has a BA in Journalism and her Masters in Business Administration.
Jeff Russo is our Senior Vice President. He’s been with Cementex since high school and has worked in nearly all production areas. He represents Cementex well on the ASTM F1505 committee, serves on the CSA-Z462 committee. Jeff’s love of engineering and designing products mirrors Steve’s for sure.
And certainly Cementex would not be complete without our team behind the scenes. These members of the family that you may have talked to one or more of at times they handle all the finance and other office necessities.
Carol Meredith is our Business Administrator. She oversees not just how we function in the office but also serves Cementex as our HR Administrator. Carol has been with Cementex since December 1997. Carol was a steering committee member for our new ERP software.
Nancy Boettger handles our Accounts Receivables and has been doing so since February 2016. Nancy is fabulous at ensuring our receivables are in good shape and will work with you should the need arise.
Lynda Forvour handles all of our Accounts Payables and joined our team in May 2016. Lynda makes sure that we are paying bills, taking discounts, but also makes sure that we have all the office supplies that we need and that we don’t run out of them.
The true magic is what happens on the production floor. Our production team knows the importance of what they do for those who use and don our personal protective equipment. Our production team is unparalleled in their expertise and dedication to everything they do. We are proud of our team and the work they do to make us all look so good. Our production team’s combined length of service averages over 15 years. That says a lot about our employees doing something they love for a company they believe in as well. There are many people in different areas of production who make it happen, leading the charge is a dynamic duo team who are strong employees and each care about the company and are always willing to go above and beyond to help meet what sometimes seem to be daunting deliverable requests.
David Jones is our Plant Manager. Dave started with Cementex as a production employee in July 2006 working in the raw material department before taking on the front-end fulfillment of all orders. Dave is the resident expert on MRP. He also designs processes that continue to help us evolve our production methods. Dave has overall responsibility for all manufacturing, testing and machining equipment as well as building needs.
Tyler Brooks is our Assistant Plant Manager. Tyler worked for Cementex during a summer or two when he was younger and rejoined Cementex in December 2021. He was promoted in June 2022 to this position and has been doing fantastic. He’s learning all the ins and outs of Cementex as well as our MRP system from Jones; he’s funny and great with all the production team.
