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20 FEDA News & Views string of expletives and threw him out. Next three—same sce- nario. "I came very close to driving that van straight back to Jersey and dropping the keys on the VP's desk," he says. "The irony of it all is that guy, the very first dealer who threw me out, he and I became very close friends. So I went from being thrown out to developing a tough skin and a close relationship that brought me lots of business over the years. "I learned this business in the best possible place," he adds. "The Bowery taught me how to accept rejection to the point that I can go almost anywhere and not be offended by the most extreme personalities. It taught me about the role rela- tionships play in sales success because on the Bowery, it's really price, price, price. Whether you're a customer walking in or whether you're a vendor trying to sell, it's all about the lowest price. And I recognized that very early on. I also recog- nized that I didn't have the lowest price, so I had to figure out how to survive without having the lowest price. It taught me the craft of hard-nosed negotiating and how to close a sale, all skills that we use today at Myers. We don't want to be just a number, and it all starts with a relationship, which is founded on trust. That's what I believe customers want and that's what manufacturers want." Lessons from Ira It was his track record at Intedge that made powerhouse manufacturer Bloomfield Industries take notice of 23-year-old Fusari. Known for its dominance in the coffee brewing busi- ness, the Chicago-based supplier wanted to extend its reach in the New York market. So when Fusari got the call inviting him to interview for the NYC rep position, it was a big deal. The nerves, that's what he remembers most about walk- ing into the Marriott to meet Ira Stabiner, Bloomfield's vice president of Sales and Marketing. "Everyone in the Industry knew Ira in those days," says Fusari. "Bloomfield was a premier vendor to so many dealers and Ira was the guy making it hap- pen. He was all sales and customer service and well-known for mentoring the salespeople that worked for him, and there he was in front of me. But I quickly got over my nerves because he helped me get over my nerves and we just had a conversa- tion." On his Mt. Rushmore of mentors, there's mom, Anne, and dad Charlie Fusari Sr., a larger than life presence known by many for his time in the ring as a professional prize fighter. But to his son, he was the head of the household, unquestionably strong, devoted and unmoving in his adherence to the golden rule. "Respect was high on his list," says Fusari, "respect for yourself, those around you, and respect for your competitors. It's one of the things that drives me and is at the center of my core values today, and Myers' core values." Next, there's Tom Wilhelm, one of the best "relationship developers" Fusari says he's ever met. Ira Stabiner is the other. "Ira used to tell all of his disciples that nothing happens until someone sells something," says Fusari. "And for a salesperson, that made you realize that unless you did your job, the process couldn't move forward. It all starts with the sale and Ira was great at delivering that message." Stabiner also was instrumental in helping Fusari craft his own message, particularly when price became an issue. Which, according to Fusari, was an ever-present hurdle for anyone selling Bloomfield. "Bloomfield was the No. 1 provider of steam table pans and cooking utensils, and they were one of the highest-priced suppliers out there," he says. "At the same time, China was becoming a big force in the United States for commodity-type products and holding onto market share as a supplier was an enormous challenge. "Ira was probably the first one to teach me to get the conver- sation away from price and get it toward quality and service, or your own ability to service that customer, and how important the customer is. That is at the forefront of my existence every single day in this industry—that without the customer we have nothing. Ira was one of the first people to teach me that." Deeply Rooted continued continued on page 32 BEING A SUPPLIER For me, the challenge was learning the entire landscape and working with the entire landscape, working with our dealers and our reps and trying to maintain good relationships across the board while maintaining mar- gins. There, too, you're being pulled in a lot of different directions. There are a lot of different dealers with a lot of different business models and trying to appease all of them is tough. When my time was starting in the industry, the biggest challenge was the food houses getting into equipment. Manufacturers had to ask them- selves, "How do I respond? I want to be involved and I want to be on the cusp and I don't want to miss out on growth opportunities. At the same time, I want to ensure that I am loyal to my traditional dealers."