Charli, K. Matthews & Jack Creamer at the 2013 Turbomachinery & Pump Symposium
The team at Empowering Pumps & Equipment is so excited to feature Today’s Industry Person of the Week, who on countless occasions has ‘schooled’ us on a range of technical topics. He has been one of our ‘go to guys’ when our team has had questions, or didn’t understand a concept, or just needed to wrap our heads around where certain technologies were headed…Today, we are honoring an Industry ‘Veteran’ who has spent the past 44 years making immeasurable contributions in the field of controls and automation for pumps and air / gas compressors.
Jack Creamer (it’s also his birthday today!!) is a Market Segment Manager with Schneider Electric, supporting numerous sectors where controls and drives are utilized. “Becoming a Market Segment Manager was actually a new role when I first joined Schneider Electric in the 90’s,” explains Jack. Having spent 15 years with General Electric after achieving his BSIE in Industrial Engineering from Syracuse University and an MBA in Marketing from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Jack had been perfectly positioned for this newly created role within a globally diversifying company.
“There was this recognition that the ‘stand-alone’ pump industry was moving toward becoming a pump ‘system’ industry due to external forces like energy regulations and efficiency standards. So it became essential to build relationships with pump manufacturers, skid builders, equipment suppliers, and others to understand what they were doing and help them uncover opportunities for working together to offer system-based solutions.”
Jack at AHR Expo – HVAC Industry
Shortly after accepting the Raleigh-based position, Jack volunteered for a 3-year term that would move his family from North Carolina to a Schneider Electric location just outside of Paris. “My wife had majored in French during college, and she benevolently urged me to apply for this opportunity,” shares Jack. “I was given 2 months to learn French – technical French – which is much more complicated than conversational French. Then, I had to make a presentation in French to the Vice President, who would either give me the ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ to confirm if I could go work there overseas. Fortunately, I did well and we went to France from ’95 to ’98. My three sons were in elementary school, but adapted quickly (they all still speak French to this day!).
Jack Creamer has served as the Secretary-Treasurer on the Executive Committee for the Submersible Wastewater Pump Association, as well as various roles within the Hydraulic Institute, Nationals Ground Water Association, and Irrigation Association.
“I traveled all over Asia, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and I learned so many amazing things during my time as an ‘expat’. There’s significant benefit to being outside of the US. I learned a lot there about the global aspect of marketing, which helps me today when I talk to OEMs who have global presence and perspective. Different cultures have different priorities, needs, and focuses, and we can really learn a great deal from one another – if we’re paying attention!”
Throughout Jack’s career, he has been an active participant, attending conferences and trade shows across the country, and growing partnerships in several areas. “As a team leader, one of my primary roles has been to get market feedback and bring it back to our team so we can develop value-added solutions. I’m able to do this because I’m speaking with manufacturers, distributors, consulting engineers, and end-users through industry organizations, such as SWPA and the Hydraulic Institute. Within these organizations, we’ve been able to educate and inform these various groups about the solutions that are needed within the market and have actually assumed a leading role in developing standards which support manufacturers operating within the industry.”
Jack presenting at the 2017 Submersible Wastewater Pump Association training course in Chicago, IL.
While Jack is too humble to mention that he has received several awards, Empowering Pumps & Equipment has no problem bragging on a professional who has been so frequently recognized by the Pump Industry! Jack has been honored with several awards over the years, many acknowledging him for his authorship of technical journals – and Jack is still at it, currently working on a Hydraulic Institute eBook about Drives & Controls (more on that later)!
When asked if he has any advice for new people entering the industry, Jack responded with two words: “Seek Partnerships”. He then elaborated, “Seek win-win-win interactions and relationships. Seek them within your own organization and with people outside too. Seek ventures and partnerships with those willing to help you succeed.”
Thank you, Jack, for your words of wisdom and all of your contributions to the Pump Industry over these past four decades!
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Congratulations, Jack!