Top of the Chain with Ted Eysenbach

GENERAL MANAGER, STEPHENS PIPE AND STEEL

With 34 years as general manager of Stephens Pipe and Steel, Ted Eysenbach brings experience, wisdom and a healthy dose of good humor to the table.

From his early days playing in bands, he made a career move to the fencing industry. He is a long-time sailor who enjoys sailing offshore as a means to recharge his batteries. Check out his thoughts on the future of the fencing industry and how SPS keeps customers at the forefront.

WHAT WAS YOUR CAREER PATH TO THIS POINT?

After working on the railroad for several years and weary of the traveling, I went to work at Allied Tube as a shipping supervisor. After holding several positions, I was promoted to build and operate the infamous Steelwood plant in Antioch, California.

When the plant closed, I was offered the position of general manager in the NP products division back in Harvey, Illinois. I jumped at it. It was there I met Terry Stephens. Stephens Pipe and Steel (SPS) was one of our biggest customers. We became friends. After a brief departure from Allied, Terry called and offered me a job to help him grow the business. It has worked out well.

DID YOU PLAN TO WORK IN THE FENCING INDUSTRY, OR DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER CAREER IN MIND?

Nope, I never saw it coming. When I was 19, I was in a good rock band, playing around the Midwest, backing up bigger bands. Oh my! It was a riot! I thought it was my future -- guess again! Here came the draft, and there went the band.

In 1974, I went to work on the railroad. Traveling a lot. When the love of my life, Pam, entered the picture, I knew I needed something more settled, so I took a job at Allied Tube. And the rest is history.

WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS GENERAL MANAGER?

Let’s see: I buy steel, I sell steel. I supervise our advertising and graphics efforts. I work with sales folk, imparting sage advice, wisdom and knowledge. I help them with non-fencing products that we carry. I handle a lot of trade shows, particularly in the retail side of our business.

One thing I don’t do is cook. We have a commercial grade kitchen in the office and plenty of topnotch cooks masquerading as sales and staff. If you have never had Donna’s strawberry pie, you have never had strawberry pie.

WHAT IS SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR JOB THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD FIND SURPRISING?

People would be surprised to know how much fun it is. Terry tells a story about talking to a songwriter in Nashville one evening. Terry asked the man what he remembered most over the many years he played and wrote music. He answered, “Laughter. We laughed for all those years.”

Well, at SPS, we have laughed for decades, all the while growing the business to where it is today. That will never change.

WHAT ARE A FEW THINGS YOU REALLY ENJOY ABOUT YOUR JOB AND THE FENCING INDUSTRY?

My work family, our vendor and customer family. We do business with people we like. We have a unique dynamic.

There is a core of people who are all turning 71 this year. Most of us have been together for decades, and many others have been with us for 25+ years. The next generation is onboard and moving up. I always laugh that we’re one big, crazy family. There is no company better than ours.

WHAT IS YOUR PROJECTION ABOUT THE FENCING INDUSTRY FIVE TO 10 YEARS FROM NOW?

Two industries will drive the fence business for the next five years: energy and security. Whether that is a sub-station surrounded by mini-mesh or a prison sally port, these are features of the future of fence.

In ten years? I’ll be retired by then. Maybe.

HOW DOES SPS KEEP THE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF EXCELLENCE IN PLACE WITH 18 LOCATIONS AND MORE THAN 1300 EMPLOYEES?

From the first day in November of 1974, SPS has been customer driven. Everything we do is geared toward making sure our customer has what they need, when they need it. As a result, we have grown to 18 well-stocked locations.

We are deliberate when deciding about a new branch. Most importantly, we find the who, the branch manager, before we decide the where. All our branches are run by people who have been in the fence industry for years and operate by the same philosophy: customer service first.

HOW DID SPS HANDLE THE RECENT SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES?

We suffered through it like everyone else. We were fortunate to have our own tube mills and GAW plant. We could make fabric at many branch locations but, it was nip and tuck for a while. Thank God we never ran out. Today is better, but there are still challenges.

WHAT ADVICE HAVE YOU RECEIVED THAT HAS HELPED YOU IN YOUR CAREER?

My father taught me to “always tell the truth, it’s easy to remember.” Terry’s maxim is, “You only have 10 minutes to be mad about a situation because in 10 minutes something will come along that will make you madder!”

WHO ARE YOUR BUSINESS MENTORS?

There are several, but I’ll name three.

Terry Stephens has that rare ability to put himself in another man’s shoes and to look at a situation from all sides. That has made for good sound decisions.

Ted Krengel had an idea for a tubing process unlike any other. Many told him it would never work. Through sheer determination and persistence, he made it happen. The result was Allied Tube.

Lastly, my friend Mark Levin, executive director of the Chain Link Manufacturer’s Institute. Mark has kept a light hand on the wheel, steadily guiding the CLFMI for more than 30 years. He has pushed and prodded us to many achievements in that time and made it look easy. I assure you; it is not.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE BUSINESS AND LEISURE TIME?

It all blends together. I have been a life-long sailor and I try to make an offshore passage whenever I can. Nothing is as peaceful as being surrounded by miles and miles of water. Those typically last two to three weeks, and even longer. Enough time to recharge the batteries until next time.

WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU’VE LEARNED OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR CAREER THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN SOONER?

The parable of the sower. Matthew 13:1 – 9 is one of my favorite scriptures. In my twilight, I seek to grow in Christ, like the seed in the good soil.

When we were younger, and could stay up past midnight, many things that happened both good and bad, seemed to be of earth-shaking importance. I hope that as we grow older, we realize the difference between what is important and what is just noise. Turns out, it’s mostly noise. Don’t sweat the small stuff.