Michael Hammer, 33
Corporate Switchgear Manager
Shepherd Electric Supply
Michael joined the industry about a decade ago, spending his first eight years with GE (now ABB). “I was hired into a leadership program straight out of college and spent seven years in a sales role,” Michael explained, noting that while he joined Shepherd Electric Supply just three years ago “I have known and worked with Shepherd my entire career; it was my largest customer while I was a sales manager at ABB.”
Michael was hired into Shepherd to lead the Southern Gear division. “I led a team of six industry veterans, until this year, when I was promoted to the role of corporate switchgear manager. I now have responsibility for all three gear teams at Shepherd, a total of 20 people,” he said.
Recalling his entry into the industry, “I was immediately given product, sales, and project management training. I now know this type of experience is a luxury in our industry and I am working to establish this at Shepherd,” Michael said. “The freedom, trust, and responsibility I was given from day one was appealing. Early on I was encouraged to take on a large projects sales role, calling on some of the largest contractors in the industry. I enjoyed interacting with customers and appreciated both my coworkers’ and my customers’ desire to teach me about the industry. The satisfaction I get from securing new business, earning a customer’s trust, and solving problems in the field keeps me motivated every day. Recently, it’s been the opportunity to lead and mentor others that I have enjoyed. The responsibility to share my experiences with the next generation of the industry, while still absorbing the knowledge and passion from the veterans, is something special.”
Asked about a challenge the industry is facing today, Michael pointed to the labor shortage—from contactor customers that struggle to find labor to vendor partners who struggle to staff their factories to the broader industry that is facing an experience gap as current employees retire. “For our customers, we collaboratively solve their staffing problems with logistics,” he explained. “We do this through proactive scheduling, JIT delivery, and on-site VMI, allowing the team in the field to be more efficient and focus on the task at hand.”
Internally, Michael said Shepherd looks both inside and outside the industry for new talent. “We have found the most successful hires don’t need to come from the industry,” he explained. “They do, however, need to have a desire to learn, a passion to win, a focus on customer service and an entrepreneurial spirt. It’s a great time to join the industry, as there is opportunity to learn from the current team while reinventing the way we solve customer problems and succeed in the marketplace.”
As for his future, Michael’s goal is to continue to build out Shepherd’s quotations and project management teams. “I take pride in our technical experience and focus on customer service. Identifying, onboarding, training, and retaining the next generation of our team is a large responsibility, but one that I am both excited and appreciative to be charged with,” he said. “On a broader scale, between my prior experience in the leadership program coupled with the team build out I have been engaged with, I intend to take on a larger role with talent identification, onboarding, and retention for the entire organization. One of the best things about being a part of a small family-owned company is the ability to wear many hats and easily reach across departments to share insights and best practices.”
Michael believes that continuing to be innovative and forward thinking while remaining humble will be a key to his success. “In my first role as a leader of a team I have had to learn to balance business imperatives with a team dynamic. In my prior roles I was an individual contributor and had a ‘do everything myself’ mentality,” he recalled. “As my responsibilities have grown, I’ve learned the importance of prioritization and delegation. Finding a balance between long term strategic goals and the tactical needs of customers is one of the hardest parts of being a leader.”
To someone just entering the industry, Michael offered a few pieces of advice:
“Mistakes will be made; it’s how you respond to them that matters,” he said. “Look at them as opportunities to prove yourself under pressure and differentiate yourself from others. Some of my strongest customer relationships are built out of something going wrong.”
He would also recommend finding a mentor. “Identify someone you respect—it can be a peer or a manager—earn their respect and setup regular touchpoints with them,” he said.
And finally, Michael said: “Early in my career I was told this is a small industry, respect others, work hard, build relationships, and don’t burn bridges, you never know when you might be talking to a future employer.”
When he’s not working Michael enjoys spending time with his wife, Jenna, and their two young children, Caroline (2) and Luke (six months). “As a family we have set a goal to visit a different National Park every year,” he said. “Some of the best trips are a daddy/daughter hike that finishes at a local brewery, or an exhausting night out at a local restaurant with the whole family. Also…I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands, working on home improvement projects on the weekends and woodworking in the evenings.”
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.
Tagged with 2021 30 Under 35, 30 under 35, people, Shepherd Electric Supply