I felt compelled to write this email after the events from this last weekend.  As you know we are a control systems integrator.  Not only do our clients expect us to support our installations but in the event of an emergency, other machinery as well.  Friday afternoon I received a phone call from Jon Mazander (engineering manager) at Timken that one of their crucial lines was down and they needed help.  We found that an old A-B motion control module was the culprit.  It was 7:00pm and Jon asked me to pull all of the strings I could to get one in their plant ASAP.

First I phoned Lonnie Puterbaugh since he is the motion guru.  He said to call the normal number for Irby in Nashville.  There I would reach an operator that would connect me with after-hours support.  Lonnie questioned what we had found and then assumed me this was the right move.

I phone the after-hours operator, and she sent a message to the Irby person on-call.  Within 15 minutes Anthony phoned and asked how he could help.  While I was on the phone he checked Irby stock.  There were not any modules of this type.  I was not surprised; this has been an obsolete module for quite some time.

Anthony called me back after a few more minutes.  He had phoned A-B, located one in Memphis, had 3 choices for next day delivery to Timken’s Pulaski facility, and he had the price for the module.  I called Jon Mazander to insure he still wanted this module.  He did, so I phoned Anthony back with a PO#.  Anthony phoned me again to say that everything was done and the module would be there tomorrow, and to call him if I needed anything else.  This was all done before 8:00pm.

The next day at 11:00am, Todd Mize (maintenance manager) at Timken phoned.  They have not yet received the module.  I phoned Anthony again.  Anthony had already been tracking the shipment that morning.  While I was on the phone he double checked the status and gave me the tracking number so I could track it as well.  We found the module was still in route and should arrive soon.  The module did arrive within one hour.

I did not mean to write such a long message, but I did want you to know how pleased I was with the support service you have within your organization.  Anthony went above and beyond with me and I really appreciated how he worked for Timken and me.

I have always had an excellent working relationship with all of the Irby guys I have come in contact with.  Lonnie Puterbaugh, Von Meadows, Mike Hefley, Marshall Lovelace, Tim Rowell and Ed Erwin have always been there for DRM when we have needed them and have always gone the extra mile for me.  I don’t know what all Anthony does for you, but I’m sure he does it very well.

Thanks again for all of your support!

Barry Brian

I am the president of a local motor controls manufacturing and assembly business in Pensacola. We have the occasion to purchase a fair amount of Hoffman enclosures, motor control components, PLC's and wiring material from the Stuart C. Irby, Pensacola branch. Our inside contact there is a man that deserves all of the credit he can be given and then some for working in a manner that is what is commonly referred to as "Above and beyond the call of duty". This man is Gary Turner. Gary has the attitude that every employee in a company should have. He responds totally to the customer's need without hesitation and will go to extra efforts to ensure complete satisfaction.

Gary has the uneviable task of being our contact for control components and enclosures. We are like probably a lot of other of his customers, we always ask for next to the impossible to be done by our suppliers and we still want to know when can we have it. We have learned since our association with Gary, that we don't have to worry about it if Gary has it on his list of items to do. He has a great understanding of our business and our job requirements and continuously performs at the highest professional level.

As you are well aware, Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties in Florida and other Alabama counties had a visitor blow through the area that really upset the apple cart. Not only were our businesses impacted but our homes as well. I have the priviledge of living in a small remote area of Santa Rosa County that we refer to as "Paradise", with ten other families. It is located on the eastern shore of Escambia. We all live on the bay with our homes situated were when we look out our windows facing the bay, we see the aftermath of the destructive force of IVAN in the form of the I-10 bridge that collapsed. With that in mind, you can well imagine the destruction that took place in "Paradise" from the storm surge.

After the storm, we all got together and started forming a plan of attack on how to restore our homes. Calling adjustors, lining up contractors, renting tractors, etc.  My tasks was to find an electrical contractor and work with him to repair our services on our homes. First problem, contractors running up against a shortage of panels, breakers, and powerpaks. We had most of what we needed but were short some items. I knew I had the easiest task of the group because all I had to do was pick up the phone and call Gary. I sent neighbors to see him. I ordered material from him, and he has yet to let me down. He kept me informed as to the status of the material and when my neighbors would go to Irby to pick up material, he made them feel that they were the most important person in the room.

This is not an example of how Gary operates in a crisis situation. This is how he operates on a day to day manner. By far, Gary is the most professional individual in a position likes his that I have had the priviledge to work with. And on top of that, he is a great guy.

Saying all of that, I felt that we all have a tendency to complain when something doesn't go like we think it should, but we never voice our opinion when someone constantly performs at a level of "Beyond the call of duty". That's what this message is intended to do. I hope you and you organization realize what a valuable employee you have in Gary.

J.L Roy Hutcherson, President

Automation Control Service, LLC