PEARL BOD Interview with Paul Jesson
What is your industry background?
After graduating from Clarkson University with an electrical engineering degree in 1998, I was able to land a job with ABB Service. They had just implemented an Engineering-In-Training program one year prior to my start and this position allowed me to work in the field and apply all the things I learned, or was supposed to learn, in the classroom. In other words, I got my hands dirty, learned about outages and that electrical service and repairs required a lot of off-hours and weekend work. It was a great experience, and I met a lot of great people, including Harry Lis, a local legend in the DC-MD-VA market. Harry had a wealth of knowledge and a lot of contacts who he had forged relationships with over the years dating back to his start at Westinghouse. Harry was the “sales guy” and was very modest. He knew a lot about everything and used to say, “those who can, do; those who can't, sell.” Harry would sell the projects and I was one of the field engineers who would implement the project. Whether it was a breaker repair or other type of equipment or relay upgrade. It was great experience but it only lasted a couple of years, as ABB decided to sell off the division.
In 2000, I then moved over to the manufacturing side, through a Harry-Westinghouse connection, and started at Eaton/Cutler-Hammer as an inside sales engineer. My responsibilities here included supporting the outside sales team, putting together small quotes and working with the factories on identifying solutions and aftermarket items. My next job at Eaton was as an outside sales position calling on electrical contractors. Over the next 10+ years I worked for an electrical distributor, now Capital Electric (a Sonepar company) and then a renewable energy company, Pfister Energy, focusing on solar installations. Then in 2017 my good friend, Harry Lis, came calling. It was time for him to retire from Potomac Testing, and he needed to find a replacement. The timing was right, and I had the opportunity to work with Harry again. For six months I learned the ropes under his tutelage meeting all of his customers and integrating into the company. So, I have basically come full circle from where I started and am back in the electrical service industry, now in a project management role. It’s a cradle-to-grave position that covers the initial sales process, coordinating manpower and/or the procurement of parts and seeing the project through to the end.
Why is it important to serve on the PEARL Board of Directors?
I was first introduced to the organization through another Potomac Testing colleague, Bob Wrobel, a former PEARL board member who is still active today performing site inspections for potential new members. Bob got me involved in PEARL, explaining what this “group of individuals” was doing to develop, advance, and encourage safe reconditioning practices for electrical equipment. He introduced me to the board and later on I was appointed as a board alternate. From the beginning I observed that it was this group that made sure end-users would have reliable products for their electrical system. Additionally, the market needs a qualified offering for old products that the manufacturers no longer supported. I also knew customers would feel a lot more comfortable if a product came from a trusted source. PEARL provides all of this assurance and if I can contribute by progressing the organizational core initiatives and help promote the brand, I think more customers will catch on to what options are available to them.
What value does PEARL bring to the industry?
I’ve discovered that PEARL is more than a sticker on a breaker. The ANSI/PEARL Electrical Equipment Reconditioning Standard is a publication that brings accreditation to electrical products that aren’t new or that don’t come directly from the manufacturer. I think there can be somewhat of a negative connotation associated with used and reconditioned products. A standardized reconditioning process is a big step in alleviating this stigma. Once this value is understood, it makes clients feel more confident in the products and services they’re purchasing. Presently, some of my customers even use PEARL as a verb, requesting, “I need to get a breaker PEARL’d.”
For a more immediate need, PEARL dealers and products provide a quick solution to get the lights and power back on when something goes awry. It’s also worth noting that PEARL is the only trade association that offers technical reconditioning standards for electrical products.
What do you like to do when you’re not immersed in electrical apparatus and equipment?
I’m a bit of a sports nut. My main teams are the New York Giants and the New York Yankees. The Giants have been really bad lately but at least the Yankees have had some recent success with winning. Although, they’re overdue to win another world series. I really enjoy following and playing golf too. I try to get out as much as I can and appreciate the friendships formed over my years of playing. There’s also the competition that comes along with the game too, especially when competing with yourself. There are always shots or holes that could have been better!
While I did mention sports first, that’s all secondary to spending time with my wife, Jenn. We enjoy cooking and dining together and also attending to our dogs. We have two yellow labs that “require” a lot of attention. They’re spoiled. We take them on hikes and travel with them as much as we can. Jenn is a big sports fan too, so we spend a lot of time rooting for her teams as well. Especially when it’s college basketball season and all eyes are on the Kansas Jayhawks.