Top of the Chain with Jac Whitmire

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER, DOORKING

WHAT WAS YOUR CAREER PATH?

I’ve been the national sales manager with DoorKing since 2018. Prior to that, I was the Southwest regional sales manager and covered Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Las Vegas and El Paso since I started with the company in 2006.

I started in the industry in 2000 when I was hired by Miller Edge in the Tempe, Arizona, office. That position encompassed a wide range of duties including outside sales and branch management.

HAT DOES YOUR JOB ENTAIL WITH DOORKING?

I oversee all sales within the United States, while our sales director oversees international sales. We have 16 regional sales managers throughout the US that report to me.

Additionally, I am involved in helping shape the direction the company takes with new products and new technology. I travel extensively with the regional managers to keep in touch with our distribution and installation partners. My favorite part of my job is spending time with our customers, many of whom have become great friends.

DKS Smart Gate Controller allows operation from a smart phone.

WAS A SALES CAREER SOMETHING YOU ALWAYS ENVISIONED FOR YOURSELF?

I graduated from college with a degree in Radio and Television Broadcast Arts. Yes, that’s a degree! My goal was to work behind the scenes since I am often told I have a face for radio!

I was fortunate to work at a local TV station in San Francisco in the news and public affairs department, researching guests for the daily talk show. It was fun but I didn’t find it fulfilling. Also, the TV industry pays poorly because there are so many people who want to get in the industry.

While I was growing up, I worked in my father’s retail business and enjoyed talking to people and selling. A few twists and turns in the road of life, and I wound up working in consumer electronics sales for seven years. I left that industry in Northern California to move to Arizona in 1995. A few more twists and turns, and I wound up working for an automotive aftermarket company that just happened to share a dock with Miller Edge. Over time, I met Flossie Miller, daughter of Norman Miller, the founder of Miller Edge. Many discussions led to me leaving automotive aftermarket and becoming part of the door and gate industry. It’s the best career decision I could have made.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT SALES?

So many of my coworkers and customers have become like family. We know each other’s families; we have endured the grief of loss and celebrated life’s incredible moments together.

For me, sales is helping people solve a problem; partnering with good, hard-working people to create a positive outcome that makes everybody some money and satisfies the client.

My approach is: this is a marathon, not a sprint. I’ve never been interested in a quick sale; in fact, if we don’t make the right product for what your customer is looking for, I will let you know. No one wins when they sell the wrong product to the customer.

As a manager, I never have all the answers and I never pretend that I do. What I strive to do is create synergy, stay positive and support the regional sales managers. My goal is to answer them the same day when they have a question so they can respond to their customer. I created a program called Heavy Hitters for the regional sales managers that meet certain performance criteria. This may sound illogical, but sales is not one of the criteria for the program. Many times, product is bought through sales channels that are not in a regional sales manager’s sales district, so they may work very hard to develop a new customer, or help design a large system, but they don’t get credit for it. These criteria are internal measurements they can control.

I work with a hardwood bat company to design beautiful, full sized baseball bats with sales manager’s names engraved. I present these to those Heavy Hitters at the yearend sales meeting and the regional sales managers are always incredibly proud to receive their award. It’s a highlight of the event. I strive to create the type of environment that recognizes people’s accomplishments and the hard work they put in.

The bat awarded to the 2022 Heavy Hitter, Dan Bembridge.

WHAT DO YOU APPRECIATE ABOUT DOORKING AS A COMPANY?

The commitment from our owners is inspiring. DoorKing was founded in 1948 by M.K. “Rich” Richmond. One of Rich’s sons, Tom, is our company president to this day, and one of his daughters, Suzie, is also actively involved in the company. Additionally, we have a third owner, Patrick, who oversees engineering.

These are three of the nicest people you will ever meet, and they are extremely dedicated to their employees as well as this industry. They have made a massive financial investment to ensure that our products are still made in Inglewood, California.

We have employees who have worked for DoorKing for 40 years. No one, not even the owners, has reserved parking, which seems funny to say except parking is always in short supply at corporate; after all, this is Southern California! This reflects the mentality of our owners and upper management. We are a team, a true family. Sometimes we argue like family, but it comes from a place of caring for one another and for this amazing company. I am always very proud to wear the DKS logo!

GATE SAFETY IS TOP OF MIND IN THE FENCE INDUSTRY. WHAT DOES DOORKING DO TO HELP BOLSTER SAFETY WITH YOUR PRODUCTS AND SALES?

DoorKing works diligently on multiple levels to spread the word about UL325/ASTMF2200. One successful aspect has been the in-person and online classes we offer for architects through our program that is approved by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). This program makes architects aware of the potential injuries, or worse, that can happen with poorly designed gate systems. The bottom line is we want architects to be familiar with the standard and to spec it.

Ignoring the standard can not only lead to tragic situations but also, there is a strong potential for liability for the installing dealer, any dealer that services the gate system, the distributor, the manufacturer, and so on.

DoorKing also holds training seminars throughout the year in various markets across the country and the UL/ASTM standard is always mentioned, plus the working gate operators in the room all utilize entrapment protection devices.

Like most manufacturers, our gate operators all comply with the UL325 standard, and our manuals reflect that. We are very pro-education and are always willing to help any dealer that has questions about the standard.

Model 1625 Crash Rated Wedge Barrier

HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE WORK/LIFE BALANCE?

I travel two to three weeks of each month; honestly, it’s been a struggle at times. My amazing wife of 25 years, Anne, really did a remarkable job of raising two kids and earning her master’s degree while I spent so much time on the road. We look back now and laugh; even we can’t believe we pulled it off.

Now our kids are 24 and 19, both are incredible, caring human beings and we’re immensely proud of them. These days, work/life balance is easier since the kids are doing well and independent; we just have two crazy dogs that create havoc from time to time. Anne and I work hard on spending as much time together as possible. We’ve made a pact to not exchange gifts; we are more interested in attending concerts, traveling, spending time with the kids, etc. Monday through Friday is busy but Saturday and Sunday, we prioritize each other.

(l to r): Jac’s daughter Caroline is with Jac, his wife Anne, and son Ryan on a vacation in Hawaii in 2023.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?

I am an avid photographer; I enjoy focusing on landscapes and wildlife. I just returned from a week on Kodiak Island, Alaska photographing the Kodiak bears, bald eagles, puffins, foxes and so much of what Mother Nature has to offer.

In 2021, five DoorKing employees, including me, were able to take part in the U.S. Navy Distinguished Visitor program which involved taking a tilt-rotor Osprey from San Diego to approximately 100 miles off the coast and land aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72. I took some photo equipment and was able to photograph military jets launching and landing on deck. We spent 24 hours on the ship; truly one of the highlights of my adult life.

Some of the DoorKing sales team in 2023 with DoorKing’s new lane wedge.