Path Of Progress: David Pilon
David started at Harbor 17 years ago as a Driver. He made the transition to the Sales Team starting as a Territory Sales Manager and eventually moved up to the Director of Sales role. As someone who has held a variety of different positions at Harbor, David had some great knowledge to share.
Path Of Progress

Path Of Progress: David Pilon

July 26, 2017

David started at Harbor 17 years ago as a Driver. He made the transition to the Sales Team starting as a Territory Sales Manager and eventually moved up to the Director of Sales role. As someone who has held a variety of different positions at Harbor, David had some great knowledge to share.

Q: What roles have you held at Harbor?

D: Delivery Driver, Territory Sales Manager, District Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager, General Sales Manager, and Director of Sales

Q: How did you make the transition from where you started to where you are now?

D: It has been a long process, but because I had the raw skill set for the positions I had, opportunities were available. There were key people along the way that mentored and coached me that have helped me to succeed. Fred Pearson, Cris Bade, Dan Rochon, & Bryce Schneider were key to my development, although many others have played roles in shaping me at Harbor. What makes Harbor truly great are the people. When we are all focused on the goal of serving our customers at a high level we are unstoppable!

Q: How long have you been with Harbor?

D: I have been with Harbor for just over 17 years. In the summer of 2000, Harbor was in the middle of a huge growth spurt due to a wholesaler in Everett going out of business. I was the first Driver hired that did not come from the Warehouse in June of 2000. Back then it was easier to make the transition from Warehouse to Driver due to the lack of Federal regulations on obtaining your CDL. Because of the fast growth Harbor didn’t have enough Warehouse team members that wanted to make the transition so we had to look outside to fill the spot, lucky for me. I remember vividly at my orientation meeting Mike Erickson in his office and him saying as I left ‘I have a good feeling about you David”. Right away I felt like a member of the Harbor family.

Q: Any advice for advancing your career at Harbor?

D: In every position I have had at Harbor my philosophy has been to work hard and exceed our customer’s expectations. With the right skill set, opportunities will always find you if you have this attitude.

Q: As a long standing employee, what do you think is the most important quality to have to get your started at Harbor?

D: In the beginning when I started my career at Harbor the most important qualities I had that helped me success was to learn not just my job, but how other positions affected the entire ordering/delivery process. I would also add that a great work ethic will help you overcome any learning curve your position brings.

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Path of Progress: Eric Luken
Path of Progress: Eric Luken
Posted on: July 26, 2017
Eric has worked at Harbor for 20 years, starting out as a Merchandiser, and eventually moving into his current role of Creative Manager. Q: What roles have you held at Harbor? A: I was hired as a Merchandiser (Store Solutions today). I did that for about a year and a half. I was then asked if I was interested in working as a buyer in the Purchasing Department. I had no experience in this area, but I was eager to learn, so I accepted the job as the buyer for HABA & GM. Soon afterwards I was approached to take lead in our Planogram program called Merchandising Solutions. This was much more of a job that I was suited for, as I had a design background so I welcomed the opportunity. Planograms soon led to more design projects and this was really the birth of Marketing at Harbor. Harbor was undeniably growing and needed to evolve. Today I stand as the Creative Manager and I’m very proud of how far not only Marketing, but Harbor has come during my time here. Q: How did you make the transition from where you started to where you are now? A: My path within Harbor has been a little unconventional and nonlinear, but that has allowed me to gain experience in other departments and learn more about how the company works as a whole. This has only made me better at my job and allows me to see the bigger picture. Hard work opened up opportunities for me that might not have come otherwise. In the end I’m doing a job that I love and I feel lucky every day that I get to work with an amazing team and for a company that stands behind their values. Q: How long have you been with Harbor? A: 20 years Q: Any advice for advancing your career at Harbor? A: My advice for anyone looking to advance at Harbor is to find a way to make a difference. Be passionate about what you do, be the person people want to come to for answers and show your team you are eager to learn as much as you can about our business even if it’s outside of your comfort zone. Q: As a long standing employee, what do you think is the most important quality to have to get your career started at Harbor? A: I would have to say being resourceful. Be a problem solver and always be positive….see any potential difficulty as a challenge and not a road block.
Path Of Progress
Path of Progress: Alex Johnson
Path of Progress: Alex Johnson
Posted on: July 26, 2017
Through Alex's years at Harbor, he has held various roles starting as a Procurement Intern and working his way up to his current role as a Logistics Manager. Q: How did you make the transition from where you started to where you are now? A: My time at Harbor started in Procurement where we worked closely with the logistics department. Over time, when permitted, I was able to sit down and job-shadow the previous logistics manager allowing me to get a better understanding of the day-to-day process and the industry. I eventually started lending a hand with projects like collecting data for analysis, communicating with carriers, and stepping in where needed. This provided the experience needed to take on the Logistics Manager role when it became available. Q: How long have you been with Harbor? A: 6.5 years Q: Any advice for advancing your career at Harbor? A: Harbor allows you the opportunity to get out of your comfort zone to try new things. Communicating with your manager about something you are interested in and want to learn more about can go a long way. Whether it’s within your current department or not, they can help you find time to explore your interests. Q: What roles have you held at Harbor? A: Procurement Intern, Replenishment Buyer, Pricing and Logistics Specialist, Northlink Logistics - Logistics Manager Q: What do you think is the most important quality to have to get your career started at Harbor? A: I believe collaboration is the most important quality to succeed at Harbor. Every day you face a new challenge that requires you to problem-solve with other departments, customers, and our vendors. Having the skill of collaborating well with others leads to improved productivity, creativity, while also building strong connections. Trust is also built through collaboration which goes a long way as you continue your journey at Harbor.
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