Q & A with Rich Italiano

Q & A with Rich Italiano

Need something? Rich is your human catalog.

Rich Italiano has been a valued member of the Superior Industrial Supply team for 20 years. That’s not all. Rich boasts an additional 15 years of experience that is evident in his customer service skills and relationships. He believes the best way to help his customers is with his many years of hands-on experience. His territory runs from St. Louis to St. Robert. We wanted to know more about Rich, so we asked him to share a little more about himself. 

Q: Tell us about your experience prior to working at Superior Industrial Supply.

A: I’ve been here at Superior Industrial Supply for 20 years. Before that I worked fifteen years with a Fortune 500 company in several different divisions, including automotive. I’ve been in the industry for over 35 years selling industrial supplies such as gaskets, U-joints and hydraulics, just to name a few.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working at Superior?

A: The people. I love my customers first and foremost. My territory consists of a 120 mile range from St. Louis to St. Robert and I get to work with a great group of people in various industries including plants, quarries, manufacturing facilities and more. Over the years, my customers have become my friends, my buddies. If they need something, they know they can call me and I’ll help them figure it out. Also, I work with good people. We may have stressful times like any other job, but we have fun. It’s like a family.

Q: Is there a specific skill set that you bring to Superior?

A: I’ve been in this industry for such a long time, and in that time, I have gathered a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge. There’s no substitute for hands-on experience and time invested. Our customers rely on us to have the answers they need and the integrity to give them accurate answers. And if I am not certain about a solution, I will go find the right answer for them.

Here’s a fun fact about me. Out of about 25,000 parts numbers we deal with, I know about 80% of them right off the top of my head.

Q: What interests you the most about this industry?

A: It’s interesting to me to visit my customers and watch how they build things. I enjoy walking a plant. It gives me insight into what’s really going on with the work they do, what their challenges are and how I can better serve them. Recently, I was able to help a concrete company. They were putting a new drum on the back of a truck and using a different fitting they had never worked with before. After spending a little bit of time with them, I was able to help get them measured and plumbed up, saving them a lot of time. That’s a great experience.

Q: What do you do in your free time?

A: Well, I’ve been married for 45 years with two kids and 6 grandkids. That keeps me busy. Other than that, I enjoy hunting and fishing. I play a little guitar but spend the bulk of my time tending our five acres. There’s always work to do around the house to keep me busy.

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