The only thing better than working with KEES is working at KEES

Four Questions with Sales Engineer Steve Tanski

October 3, 2018

Six years ago, Steve Tanski saw a classified ad in an engineering trade publication. Shortly thereafter, he left his position as a construction industry rep in Atlanta, Georgia, and moved his family to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, to work as a Sales Engineer at KEES. He says it’s the best move he’s ever made.

Q: You spent 20 years in the field as a construction industry representative. What qualities did you look for in a supplier?
A: “Short answer: the people who would make my life easier. I know firsthand what it’s like to slug it out in the industry—all the pressure and stress. Deadlines, budgets, customer demands… when a product doesn’t arrive on time, or doesn’t meet expectations, things get complicated fast. Every order I placed was my reputation on the line. You learn quickly to align with the true professionals. KEES was on speed dial.”

Q: What made you choose to come to work for KEES?
A: “As a rep, I knew when I worked with KEES, I could sleep well at night. They recognized and solved issues some others wouldn’t even anticipate. I could always trust whatever I ordered was going to show up right the first time. Now it’s my turn to help those guys in the field look like heros. I like knowing that our team is behind me every single day, helping reps avoid headaches, just like they did for me all those years.”

Q: What makes KEES unique in the industry?
A: “Quality is one thing. I can’t tell you how many times customers comment on the quality of the things that leave our shop. The other thing is flexibility. Here I get to say yes on a regular basis. There are so many big corporations that say ‘we do what we do’— that’s it. ‘You can order a number 1, a number 2 or a number 3. That’s all you’re gonna get.’ We take pride in our work, we have a lot of independence, but there is always collaboration when you need it. Bottom line, our whole team is committed to making reps’ lives easier.”

Q: Moving from Atlanta to the middle of Wisconsin is a big lifestyle change. Tell us about that.
A: “The decision to move to Wisconsin was not easy. My wife grew up in Minnesota and the family was familiar with the beautiful surroundings, but leaving family and friends behind, and 20 years of work as an industry resentative meant a lot of change... But it’s the best move I ever made. It’s great up here. We have a couple of acres, the kids can run around, build forts, and have fun. We have the opportunity to live in a calm environment surrounded by beautiful nature, and my daily commute is literally four stop signs. In Atlanta, I would have a two hour commute.”

If you would like to learn more about Steve’s experience, please contact Steve. He’ll be happy to tell you all about it.

If you’d like to learn more about KEES and our products, visit www.kees.com.

If you’re interested in joining the KEES team, learn about our opportunities at www.kees.com/careers.