In 1998, Taylor-Made Office Systems saw opportunities with POU water treatment systems similar to that of office systems in the 1970s. Fueled by a strong up-and-coming market, the Taylor family sold its independent copier dealership to Icon, and Taylor-Made Water Systems was born.

Casey Taylor, WQA member and certified water specialist, now manages his family-owned business selling PHSI and Oasis drinking water cooler systems primarily to commercial businesses.

Taylor isn’t afraid to take risks in his business; evidenced when he began selling point-of-use coolers that used ozone to sanitize the cooler, something few people had heard of at the time.

Taylor credits his rapid success in the water industry to selling only the most select products available, ensuring his customers are always satisfied.

"A lot of POU dealers switch products regularly, which I think complicates things for their internal organization and for their customers," Taylor said.

Product consistency is a key to Taylor-Made’s success, which has been committed to one manufacturer since its inception.

While many POU dealers diversify their customer base, Taylor-Made focuses on commercial businesses only, giving the dealership the advantage of being specialized and establishes a customer-tailored reputation among their business clientele.

Taylor’s outstanding work habits do not impede him from finding time to give back to the community. Taylor-Made Water Systems and a Taylor-owned digital imaging company support the Taylor Family Foundation, a charity that raises money for children with life-threatening illnesses. Taylor heads up an annual fundraiser each year, with over 90 percent of profits reaching children in need.

For over a year, Don Dammel has acted as the POU industry’s representative in a long, drawn-out fight with Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) over an unanticipated water softener discharge ban enacted in February 2003.

Because the committee that put the ruling together did not seek the industry’s input on the ban, once he became aware of it, Dammel was intent on rallying support from other concerned dealers.

What transpired was an effective grassroots effort combining the experience of the Montana WQA and national WQA.

Dammel began by spearheading a statewide letter writing campaign informing the state’s dealers of the importance of attending a meeting with the Water Protection Bureau, which resulted in the support of 30 dealers and a group from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.

With the help of WQA Technical Director, Joe Harrison, and a local hydrologist, Dammel went on to compile a 2 1/2-inch thick book on water softener septic tank research to support their case that water softeners and septic tanks are compatible.

"It will be quite devastating [if the directive isn’t reversed] because the directive reads that you can put a water softener into any septic tank that was put in the ground before February of 2003, but for any new septic system from February 2003 on it’s illegal to use the septic system for a drain source for the water softener," explained Dammel.

Dammel and his supporters are proposing a directive that will allow the use of a direct initiated regeneration (DIR) water softener on any newly installed septic systems, thereby preventing unneeded regenerations and unneeded salt usage.

After moving to the United States 21 years ago, Peter Waelti, former musician and manager of the 70s’ Swiss rock band Rumpelstilz, probably never imagined he would end up in the water treatment industry or become president of a state trade association.

Waelti, who came to Denver from Switzerland where he was an international banker speaking five languages, quickly found his way into water treatment sales showing incredible leadership and drive. He has been named RainSoft’s number one regional salesperson for decades and recognized in the top 10 worldwide.

In addition, Waelti has set unbroken sales records for his company, including 10 residential softener sales in one day, all installed, and 43 softeners installed in one month.

Loyal to the RainSoft brand, Waelti produced the company’s first dealer-sales recruitment video and persuaded headquarters to expand its awards programs recognizing RainSoft’s top salespeople.

As president of Colorado’s WQA, Waelti is devoted to expanding water awareness and bringing surrounding states, such as Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska and New Mexico, who do not have an organization, into an expanded and united Rocky Mountain WQA.

"As a group we are stronger than an individual to face and fight challenges in the water treatment industry," Waelti said.

Waelti’s commitment to excellence carries over to the certification of his employees. As a result, his Denver dealership has the largest number of WQA certified personnel in the state.

Even decades later Waelti has not been able to let go of the lessons he learned managing the gold–record selling Swiss band.

"In the music industry you’re only as good as your last hit — in the water industry, you’re only as good as your last sale," said Waelti.

For more than a year, Jeff Twitchell’s primary focus has been concentrated on efforts to remove drinking water contaminants, including bacteria, arsenic, radon, uranium, iron and manganese, from Maine’s public water system, bringing it into compliance with the state and federal requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

A Kinetico dealership, Air and Water Quality was approached by Kinetico nearly a year and a half ago to help provide installation of POU systems for arsenic removal in Unity, ME, as part of a nationwide study conducted to determine if POU water treatment devices can be used to meet arsenic compliance requirements.

Aside from Twitchell’s involvement in the study, Scott Whitney, Maine Dept. of Human Services Drinking Water Program, describes the dealer as a knowledgeable water treatment installer who works well with the state regulators, always keeping them informed of the latest developments in the POU/POE industry.

Twitchell and partner Michael Gelberg founded Air and Water Quality in 1989. Since its inception, the water treatment portion of the business has grown into the more profitable division — something Twitchell attributes to a unique approach.

"We take a different view than most people when we try to solve a problem," Twitchell said. "We take standard, proven technologies and use them in ways that people haven’t thought of using them before."

Approaching treatment problems in a unique format also allows the company to offer solutions that are more economically feasible for customers.

Brad Brady, owner of 40-year-old water treatment dealership Brady’s, Inc., has always bucked the trends — his company website features dancing leprechauns and he sells everything from water softeners to vacuum cleaners to billiards tables.

However, as president of the Idaho Water Quality Association in 2003, Brady bucked one of the more serious trends facing the POU/POE industry — adverse legislation against water softeners.

While Idaho’s neighbors California and Montana passed legislation over the last two years targeting brine discharge from water softeners, Brady and other Idaho dealers were instrumental in helping get a law passed at the end of 2003 that will actually make it much easier for Idaho dealers to do business.

IDAPA Rule 07.02.06.011.06 indicates all new one- and two-family residences built in Idaho must have a pre-plumbed water softener loop.

The law was a result of lobbying by the IWQA and a compromise with factions of the state’s plumbing bureau that wanted to restrict a license water treatment dealers in the state currently have to install the equipment.

Under the new law, dealers have to do less plumbing, homeowners don’t have to see sheetrock torn from their new homes, and a softener is a much easier sale.

The law became a reality because dealers like Brady have done an excellent job convincing state homebuilders of the benefits of pre-plumbing a softener loop, which many were already doing.

"Our legislature and plumbing bureau have basically said to us ‘your industry is necessary and is going to be even more necessary’," Brady said, referring to infrastructure issues that affect Idaho and most other states.

Brady has heard few complaints about the new law, and expects it to stay on the books.

About ten years ago, retired Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Edwards decided it was time to leave the military and join the water treatment industry.

Today, Edwards owns one of the largest Hague dealerships in the country and has lead his company to six Circle of Success awards, which recognize dealerships for outstanding service. Only six dealerships receive this honor every December.

Edwards’ dealership has also been in the top ten for the last nine years, according to J. Mark Dunn, regional manager of Hague Quality Water International, who cites Edwards’ sales and service strengths as keys to his success.

"When he was actively selling, his record of sales and closing percentage were very impressive," Dunn said. "But Ron is not just about sales. He provides his customers with excellent service."

Edwards takes a proactive approach to providing excellent customer satisfaction. The dealership heads off many potential problems using an effective customer tracking procedure that prevents the customer from having to call the dealership for routine maintenance.

In addition, as a former military man, Edwards shows his appreciation for the US troops in Iraq by offering free service for families of military personnel serving out of the country. Through this program, Hague Quality Water has already helped several families in which a spouse has been deployed to the Middle East.

Edwards also stresses the importance of training and industry knowledge with his personnel. As a result, all of Edwards’ technicians are state certified and have been through the Hague International training program.