Crosby News

Meet Melissa Phillips, she is Crosby’s Director of OEM sales. Melissa has been with Crosby for two years this upcoming January. Although she was new to the rigging industry, she has over 19 years’ experience in Manufacturing and Sales Management.

[Stephanie Price, Director – Canada Supply Chain]

1. How long have you been in the industry? - I have been in the crane/lifting and hoisting business for about 22 years.
2. What do you like most about this industry? - I have always been amazed of what cranes and rigging can lift. I have a passion for safe lifting and passionately inform others of this through the industry committees I am part of.
3. How did you come about lifting Crosby shackles? - We use Crosby shackles in many aspects of our operation. I was lucky enough to have a few donated to me, so I brought them home to use as lifting tools. A big part of my job duties now is teaching and coaching with crane lifts and rigging as well as keeping up with various standards. While teaching, I always relate the human body to a crane in various scenarios. I have been competing in Amateur Scottish Highland games (Strength Competition) since 2006 and did my last one in 2013. During my years of competing, I use various techniques and ideas to develop my strength. Lifting odd objects is very effective for this. Thus, heavy shackles work great as well as stones, kegs, etc.
4. Why Crosby? - Crosby makes an excellent shackle, and they have an excellent reputation.

“I’ve been familiar with Crosby shackles for the 22 years of my career thus far. Never had one of the shackles fail on me yet.”

Who’s got your back in the Crosby-Tulsa plant?

Paul Skladzien has been in the rigging hardware industry for 34 years, most recently with Crosby since 2008. As the District Sales Manager and Product Trainer, Paul is responsible for managing and directing the sales in Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico with many diverse markets. His focus being on the land-based oil and gas markets. He resides in the wonderful city of Wichita, KS with his wife, Valerie.

Colin has been in the lifting and rigging industry for over 30 years. After graduating from college with a business degree he started in sales, selling industrial lighting. It was a natural transition to move to rigging since he was always looking up.

Colin is our Vice President of Sales for Canada and is celebrating his 10^th anniversary with Crosby this year. What he loves most about the industry is that it is infinitely changing. Each day brings a new challenge and new opportunity.

The lifting and rigging industry has given him the chance to go underground at an iron ore mine, 300 feet over center field at the Roger’s Centre (home of the Toronto Blue Jays) and all points in between. He has had the opportunity to see Crosby products in action all over Canada.

“It is a great feeling to sell and be associated with such a well-respected brand and quality product.”

To have the knowledgeable, and experienced technical team at Crosby behind him gives him the confidence to hit the road and promote such a strong, industry-leading brand.

 [Colin at a mining expo in Las Vegas, Nevada]

Colin has enjoyed working with all of Crosby’s strategic partners during his rigging career, and he looks forward to continuing to promote the Crosby brand. 

 
Jim DuCharme is the District Sales Manager and Product Trainer for Crosby overseeing the West Coast of the United States. He considers himself to be the luckiest of all Crosby salespeople, from a territory perspective. Jim has had the opportunity to sell Crosby products in the beautiful states of: California, Hawaii, Alaska, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada.

In Jim's free time, he enjoys playing golf, cooking, and traveling with his wife, Kelly.

[Jim DuCharme at a training in Port Hueneme, CA]

Jim has been in the rigging industry since 1986. He has been a part of the Crosby team for over 10 years, joining in March of 2008. His true passion for the rigging industry is with the training. Jim enjoys the challenges of questions he receives from training attendees, and seeing the reaction when someone discovers something new, is always inspiring.   

“What I like about Crosby, is that we are the complete package. Crosby doesn’t just sell the product then walk away. We offer support long after the product is in use.”

Why He Loves Training
Immediately after a Crosby RTD (Rigging Trainer Development) class that Jim lead a few years back, he was met by one of the attendees who wanted to personally thank him for the class. The training had a powerful impact on the attendee, as he was involved in a previous accident from a dropped load. It did not result in any injury or damage, but it was a near miss (just inches) from a man on the ground. The Crosby training class taught him why he made the initial mistake, and was relieved that he would never repeat it again.

[Jim DuCharme in Las Vegas, NV]

“It is a great feeling knowing that I am part of something (Crosby Value Added Training) that could make a serious difference in people’s lives.”

Rick Nyles has been a part of the rigging business for 30 years. He first entered the industry as a Design Engineer and soon found his expertise in Sales, Marketing, and Training. He has been an active member of AWRF in the past, as well as served on their technical board. He is currently a District Sales Manager and Product Trainer for Crosby, where he covers the mid-Atlantic territory for the company.