Jared Rentmeester, 30
Purchasing Manager
Werner Electric Supply
Jared started his career in the HVAC service industry as a service tech in 2013. “I decided to go back to school, which led me to an internship at Werner Electric in the summer of 2015,” he recalled. From there, Jared was hired on full-time as a customer service rep, which eventually led to an inside sales position and then to his current role as purchasing manager in 2020. “I have been blessed to have mentors and leaders along the way that have helped me get to where I am today—from a young intern to a confident purchasing manager,” he said. “It has been nothing short of a fun, amazing ride.”
Asked what continues to appeal to him about the industry, Jared said, “It’s full of hard-working blue-collar men and women who care about helping one another out for the greater good. The industry is always evolving, and new world-changing technology is always being introduced. Werner Electric has allowed me to take what I learned from the HVAC industry and spin that into a new way to help people—instead of installing or servicing, I’m helping find solutions for those who are installing and servicing. Werner Electric is truly a ‘family first’ feel, large enough to make an impact yet small enough to feel appreciated. We work hard to find solutions for our customers, but we also have fun along the way. To be part of a company that prioritizes not only you, but also your family helps keep you motivated and drives you to want to be the best person that you can be. Lastly, I love that no one is complacent, everyone wants to be better, everyone wants to grow, and everyone wants to win.”
As the purchasing manager, it likely comes as no surprise that Jared points to the supply chain as the biggest challenge the industry has faced the past three years. “Werner’s mission and vision has always been around giving customers an exceptional customer experience and having an unwavering commitment to our customers, families, and community,” he noted. “Our culture is built around working together and serving our customers so anytime there is something that puts that at risk, it can get demoralizing. The competitive nature in me always wants to win. I want Werner Electric to be the company that is winning and taking market share because we are making the right decisions and because we are positioning ourselves for success—which in a lot of cases means having inventory and keeping our customers as shielded as possible from any supply chain disruptions. Fortunately enough for me, I have had nothing but 100% support from our leaders all the way up to the president to ensure we are doing everything needed to make our supply chain as agile and resilient as possible. They invested and trusted in me to navigate through some of the biggest supply chain challenges the industry has ever seen. This would not have been possible without our strong vendor relationships, which were key to working through the challenges. These relationships were true partnerships because we both strived to reach the same goal: providing products and services to our customers. Lastly, working through these challenges could not have happened without my fantastic team of buyers buying into our vision and plans. Their commitment, grit, and passion matched mine, which matters when things get tough, and I could not be prouder to have led them through it.”
As for his future career goals, “I want to leave a legacy,” said Jared. “I want to make a difference and I want to leave a positive impact. I take every opportunity that I can to learn from those around me. I have had extraordinary leaders to learn from here and I soak up as much as I can to take their decades of industry knowledge, skillsets, leadership styles, and both positive and negative experiences and morph them into my own unique set of skills and styles. I know I will continue to grow in my role personally and professionally through all the opportunities Werner Electric provides. My hopes and dreams are that I can continue to be leaned on as a business resource and one day make my way up to vice president level. However, I am always interested in learning new skills and learning new areas of the business and could see myself leading on the product management side or customer experience side of our business. I am always up for an exciting new challenge.”
What would Jared tell someone just entering the industry? “You may not know everything there is about electrical products, but the opportunities to learn and grow are endless. If you come in and are passionate, hungry, and motivated and want to make a difference, the opportunities will be there,” he said. “This is an industry for both men and women and we all want each other to succeed. It is a tight-knit community where you can make a difference and you can make someone’s life better. Lastly, I tell new hires all the time: No matter the situation, no matter the conversation, no matter the audience, make it a goal to leave a positive impression and impact on those you interact with, and good things will come your way. It is truly an industry where hard work and dedication pay off, and it will lead to a long rewarding career. It worked out this way for me. “
When he’s not working, Jared enjoys spending time with his wife, Jamie. “Our dog, Jersey, is always a priority along with hanging out with friends and family,” he said. “Some of our interests/hobbies include hiking, hunting, gardening, playing softball, attempting golf, and of course we are always looking for opportunities to travel and vacation.”
Each year tED magazine recognizes 30 of the industry’s best and brightest under the age of 35. Please visit tedmag.com/30Under35 for nomination information and updates about the 2024 program. Questions can be sent to tED Editor Misty Byers at mbyers@naed.org.
Tagged with 2023 30 Under 35, 30 under 35, people