Ryan Beauchemin, 33
Service Specialist
Horizon Solutions
Employed by Horizon Solutions for 15 years, Ryan started out working part time in the company’s Rochester, N.Y., warehouse during his freshman year at a local community college.
“To be completely transparent, I took my starting position in our industry just as a way to pay the bills while I was in college,” said Ryan. “That mindset continued for my first few years while working in distribution. But once I started looking at the bigger picture of how Horizon effectively helps many businesses and industries across our footprint, I started to take pride in being a piece of that puzzle and really started to look at what a career path in this industry could look like.”
After a few years of part-time—and eventually full-time—shipping and receiving positions, a spot on the sales counter opened up. “I jumped at the opportunity to apply,” recalled Ryan. “I was underqualified for the position at the time, but fortunately for me Horizon was willing to give me an opportunity to learn and grow as an employee and as an individual.”
Ryan would spend the next two to three years mentored by a seasoned vet in electrical distribution. “He is one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever met in my life,” said Ryan. “He taught me—or at least tried to teach me—everything there was to know about counter sales and the contractor world. He still works for Horizon and he’s still the guy I see when I have a question about, well, anything.”
After counter sales, Ryan spent four years as a Rockwell services and support administrator and then about four years in inside sales. “During that time, I feel as though I really started to enjoy being able to help customers through the various products and services we offer,” said Ryan. “Utilizing my previous services background and the customer services experience that inside sales provided, the transition into my current position, a services specialist, was a logical next step in my career path. I’ve held this current position since this January, and though at time I still feel as I’m getting my feet wet, my previous experience and customer relationships has made the transition an easy one.”
Asked what keeps him interested in the industry, Ryan said “It’s the relationships that I have made inside of Horizon and outside with customers that really keeps me enthusiastic about our work. When I am able to help a customer get out of a downtime situation with minimal effort, it’s a great day! It’s even more fulfilling when that customer who reached out to me for help is someone who’ve I’ve been working with for years.”
The electrical industry is facing several big challenges, and Ryan puts the ageing workforce at the top of the list. “It’s incredible how many customers I speak to that have open positions going unfilled,” he said. “It’s getting harder and harder to find qualified individuals to help keep automated manufacturing systems up and running. In my current position I can help customers find and fill skills gaps by utilizing our many different training opportunities. I’ve personally seen customers go from not knowing what a PLC is to being able to troubleshoot errors and design new programs in the matter of a year—that’s pretty cool!”
As for his future, Ryan noted that as an authorized Rockwell distributor, Horizon staffs several highly technical product specialists that can assist customers with various applications in manufacturing. “I’ve always been fascinated with technology and engineering so I would love to gain the technical knowledge it takes to hold a product specialist role,” he said. “I’m actively taking all of the technical training available to me and will continue to do so. I also take every opportunity to learn from our specialists. They all have a wealth of experience in our industry, and I try to absorb as much of it as possible.”
Asked what he would tell someone just entering electrical distribution, Ryan had this advice: “There’s a lot to learn and it takes time. You’re not going to become an expert in anything overnight, but as long as you continue to challenge yourself, you’ll always be moving in the right direction.”
When he’s not working, Ryan enjoys time with his girlfriend, Brooke, and their dog, Grizzly. “We bought our house last year during COVID-19, which was quite the process as you might imagine,” he said, adding that it’s a duplex, “so we have newly become landlords as well.” He also lists finding new DIY projects around the house and watching hockey and football (Go Bills!) as his top interests, along with maintaining a saltwater fish tank. “We added that recently, and we’ve really embraced it as a new hobby,” he said. “We also foster dogs…and when I find a few minutes of downtime, I love to kick back and play some PlayStation!”
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 2021 program. Questions can be sent to tED Editor Misty Byers at mbyers@naed.org.
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