In our ongoing series on the people of Clearfield, we’re profiling some standouts from seemingly different backgrounds and focusing on what galvanizes them. This week, we’re looking at two men who work in decidedly different fields, but are united in their problem solving abilities.
While it may not be on his business card, Vaughn believes his title should be “Continuous Improvement Manager.” He’s the guy you call when you want to make it happen. (He’ll explain what it is in a moment.)
Art, on the other hand, has a very specific job title, Sr. Manufacturing Engineer, with very specific responsibilities. Among those duties is overseeing the manufacturing engineering process for Clearfield’s copper division.
Vaughn and Art agree that Clearfield’s core values (Listen, Recognize, Understand, Collaborate, Deliver and Celebrate) are a propelling force behind Clearfield’s success. The core value “Deliver” clearly resonates on the highest level with both.
“It,” Vaughn says, “can be as simple as fixing a production issue or construction component that’s not working.” Or it can be something more substantial like embarking on a client cost-savings project that will, in the end, save them 10’s of thousands of dollars. “Clearfield has an unbelievable focus on the customer. We will do whatever is needed to be done. I think of it as a ‘goal line defense.’ We’ll make that last stand on behalf of our clients. We may bend, but we’ll never break.”
Art, who speaks in terms of “manufacturing process improvements,” “interconnectivity,” and “quality control” says the proof is in the client connections. “We have large companies that come to us over and over. We’re always responsive. No matter what they ask, we always deliver.” He cited a transportation company that builds locomotives, and the inherent challenges in providing internet connectivity for these trains. For more than a decade, Art and his team have ensured that they have stayed online and on-track.
Because of the unpredictable nature of problem solving, Vaughn compares it to the Wild West. “There’s always excitement because we may have to change course at the drop of a hat. That’s what makes us unique. We’re able to be responsive to clients’ changing needs.”
He credits Clearfield’s visionaries with embedding this flexible and quick-thinking approach. “You never know when they’re going to say, ‘We want to fly to Saturn.’ It’s our responsibility to say, ‘You’re going to need 1,000 pounds of food to get there…’”