Scott Barbour, who took over as CEO of Advanced Drainage Systems in Hilliard, Ohio, in 2017, said one of his early mentors taught him to think long term.
Tom Bettcher, the division president at Emerson Climate Technology in Sidney, Ohio, taught Barbour about the importance of doing what was the "right thing, even if it wasn't necessarily the best move in the short term."
Barbour earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Southern Methodist University and his MBA in marketing from Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management.
Q: How would you describe your company and its culture? Barbour: Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS) is the leading manufacturer of high-performance thermoplastic corrugated pipe, providing a comprehensive suite of water management products and superior drainage solutions for use in the construction, agriculture and infrastructure marketplace. Recently, we have focused on growth, increasing sales in the last quarter by 6.7 percent on revenues of nearly $414 million and completing a $1.08 billion acquisition of Infiltrator Water Technologies, a leader in on-site septic wastewater treatment.
Sustainability is a natural fit with everything we do at ADS. From our beginnings more than 50 years ago as an agricultural drainage company to a water management company, ADS' focus has always been on the environment. We responsibly manage stormwater and employ sustainable raw materials using 400 million pounds of recycled plastic each year to keep it permanently out of landfills. As importantly, we really try to instill sustainability in our corporate culture, encouraging and allowing our employees to develop their own sustainable practices.
Q: What's the most interesting or unusual job you've ever had? Barbour: My most interesting job was serving as group executive and division president of Emerson Climate Technologies, located in Hong Kong. As a family, we really enjoyed living in an exotic location such as Hong Kong and being in a different culture every day. Professionally, the challenge of managing an international organization and working with people from several different Asian cultures was incredibly interesting and rewarding.
Q: What was your first job in plastics? Barbour: In 1987, I was a design engineer on throttle position sensors at Holley Automotive in Detroit.
Q: When did you become CEO, and what was your first goal?Barbour: I was named CEO in September 2017, and my goal was to solidify our fundamentals, making sure we were doing the blocking and tackling that would allow us to grow and execute against our plan. This also meant being accountable to our shareholders and each other for achieving our plan to deliver results.
Q: What's the best career advice you've received? Barbour: Success is achieved by doing a great job on your current role, the one that is in front of you. Above that, use good judgment and be ethical in all of your responsibilities.
Q: What advice would you give to someone starting at your company tomorrow? Barbour: Be visible and seize the opportunities that are put in front of you.
Q: What associations do you belong to? Barbour: The Columbus Partnership, Buddy Up Tennis and the Episcopal church.
Q: What industry events do you attend? Barbour: Water Environment Federation's Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC), StormCon and plastics industry trade shows.
Barbour: I would like to be remembered as an approachable leader who took ADS to new levels of performance and relevance for our customers.
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Post time: Jun-12-2020