Clearfield has an engineering group that is affectionately dubbed “The A-Team.” Two of its leaders, Frank and Ernie, take their roles very seriously. Frank is a Continuation Engineer, with 17 years of experience at the Company. Ernie is a Senior Mechanical Engineer, who has been here a decade. Alongside their brilliant engineering colleagues, this A Team makes the world of fiber management and connectivity a better place.
Frank considers himself a gatekeeper, of sorts. He asks the tough questions so customers will have the information they need when accessing mechanical component and assembly drawings. Ernie pays special attention to industry standards when delving into the intricacies of new product designs. Together, their team’s exacting designs have made history in the fiber communications field.
Over the years, Frank and Ernie have had a front row seat to a lot of new product successes. (This was after a multitude of “back to the drawing board” moments, of course.) Ernie said, “We have had lots of successes over the years, and the newest ones always seem to stand out the most. But I think the best example was either the original Clearview Cassette or our entire FieldShield pushable connector line. Both of these projects were challenging as we embarked on a journey that was outside of our comfort zone, and both of them resulted in key turning points for the company.”
Ernie considers his role in the development of the original Clearview Cassette the high water mark of his career. “This was my first patent as an engineer and was a crucial point in defining Clearfield’s product offering and design philosophy going forward.”
Frank also has his name on a number of Company patents that go back 15 years. “We still sell some of those legacy products to longstanding customers,” he said. “I’m proud that our fiber management product line today has evolved from those early products.”
As if being a member of the A-Team isn’t enough, because of his ingenuity, Frank was also nicknamed “MacGyver” by a former boss. An example? “A customer needed to pull four of our pre-terminated FieldShield cables together safely at one time through ducting. After some brainstorming and collaboration, I set about machining the Quad Pull Bullets. In a few days, they were delivered to the customer and installers.”
Both engineers appreciate Clearfield’s fast-paced yet supportive environment. “We face a lot of challenges, usually on short notice, and are able to come together to make miracles happen,” Ernie said.
The core values that resonate most for Frank are collaborate and deliver. “I think it is Clearfield’s collaboration with customers and suppliers, both internally and externally that enables delivery of successful solutions.” Ernie boils it all down to delivering. “Listen, recognize, understand and collaborate feel like precursors to the ultimate goal of delivering what the customer wants. My favorite part is hearing from happy customers when a solution we design perfectly accomplishes their intended use.” (And that’s when they celebrate.)
Just like Mr. T’s fictional A-Team of old, the attributes for Clearfield’s success that stand out for Frank and Ernie are: focus, strength of character, flexibility, nimbleness and ability. “We really care about the customer and often go the extra mile. Our designs are simple, intuitive and uniquely customizable. This allows each customer to get exactly what they need for their particular situation,” Ernie said.
There’s no question who the good guys are here.