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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/103845
be less dog-eat-dog, or I'm going towards the top — I'm going to be the best of this and the best of that.That never seems to play into the side of service.The service guy's attitude seems to be, 'I'm going to do the best job I can for this manufacturer or this distributorship, and represent the product as best I can.'" Pre-EETC days Given Roche's lifelong journey to become executive director of the EETC, it is easy to see why his emotions would get the best of him when presenting the awards. Born and raised in Milwaukee,Wis., he graduated from Washington High School. He attended a local tech college, the Milwaukee Institute of Technology, where he pursued Commercial Art as a career path, but found it really wasn't enough for him. He then attended a four-year college, Stout State University (now known as the University of Wisconsin-Stout) in Menomonie,Wis., where he majored in Fine Arts. While attending college, Roche became a professional musician, singing and playing guitar among other instruments, and then traveled around the country, performing mostly folk music at different college campuses. Although he couldn't make a living playing music, he said it helped him become comfortable standing up in front of people. When his first wife became pregnant, Roche needed to figure out a way to make a living, which prompted him to pursue a career as a service technician. He enrolled in the power equipment program at what is now known as Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire,Wis., and earned a two-year associate's degree in Small Engine & Chassis Repair. Despite graduating in a first-place tie in his class, Roche had no luck finding a job in the power equipment industry, so he decided to open his own dealership, H&R Small Engine Repair, in Osseo,Wis. Roche ran the dealership for about three years before he and his first wife split up, and she and their two children moved to Chicago. "Ironically, she was looking for an apartment," Roche said, "and the prospective landlord said, 'Well, what does your husband do (for a living)?' And she said, 'Well, he's in the small-engine business and has his own shop.' And the guy said, 'Wow.That's very interesting because my company is looking for a guy just like that.Why don't you have him call Ken Anderson (director of technical services) at Echo Incorporated?'And so, I did that, because I was planning to move to the Chicago area anyway, and ended up getting a job at Echo Incorporated." Roche worked as the Eastern Regional Service Manager at Echo from 1981 to 1984, but found that he was missing a connection between the dealership and manufacturer levels, so he went to work for a distributor,Virginia Outdoor Equipment in Charlottesville,Va., as service manager from 1984 to 1985. He then decided to return to the Midwest and work for a manufacturer, landing a job as the North American Service Manager at Husqvarna, which was then based in Itasca, Ill., from 1985 to 1990.When Husqvarna announced that it was moving to Charlotte, N.C., Roche decided not to return to the South, opting to stay closer to his son and daughter. He became president of Service Center/USA Inc. in Glenview, Ill., from 1990 to 1992. Roche returned to his home state to serve as Technical Service Manager at Scag Power Equipment in Mayville,Wis., from 1992 to 2000 before he became the executive director of the EETC and influenced the lives of so many people. "Jim was always looking to promote an industry that he truly believes in," said Dave Worden, SkillsUSA program director, EETC board member and long-time friend. "It allowed people like me to present and deliver information with a passion that is becoming rare. He gives, and will continue to give, you his best and support the cause and also look at how he can help out others. He is a mentor, a passionate leader, an honest man doing what he could to try and 'pay it forward' in an industry that was at times harsh and cold. He has a sense of humor and was always available. He looks out for others and is always ready to help advise and promote the association and the industry and its partners without the political stress showing." Influential people When asked who have been the most influential people in his life, both personally and professionally, Roche was quick to name the man who gave him his first big break. "There's been a lot of different teachers that I've had through my life that have influenced me a lot, but in business, it was Ken Anderson," Roche said. "Ken Anderson taught me how to handle myself in front of groups. Ken Anderson taught me how to dress correctly for the job. He was truly, in my life, a mentor in this industry.There have been other people in the industry as well, but Ken Anderson really stands out as the first person that I met who wasn't critical of who you were. He looked for your potential." Roche said the second-most influential person in his professional career has been Andy Kuczmar, who currently works at Husqvarna but was the service manager at Echo when Roche worked there. "Andy Kuczmar was a tyrant when it came to doing things correctly and would let you know if you did it wrong," Roche said. "And in no few words, he would tell you that 'You're an idiot.' And it took many, many years for me not to be an idiot in Andy's eyes, but he was, and is still, probably one of the most influential people that I've ever come in contact with. He's a genius. He knows his stuff. He knows everything about engines that could possibly be needed and constantly would test me on what I knew and what I didn't know." Future plans As for the future, the 66-year-old Roche said that one of his first plans is to get a dog in the spring. He also wants to get back to doing the things that he pushed aside for years because of his devotion to the EETC. He plans to spend more time playing music, which he currently does on Wednesday nights at a "local watering hole" in Oconomowoc,Wis., as well as devote more time to his artwork and other projects. When asked how he would like to be remembered by his peers, Roche responded, "as a good guy who was helpful to people." He added, "I just hope people feel that I did a good job at the EETC and that they remember me for that. Like anything, we all move on.We let the younger people who have the energy to come in and take over, and I think that's an important thing for our industry." Final thoughts For those interested in pursuing a career in the OPE industry, Roche offered the following words of wisdom: "I think this is a great industry to be in. I think it's extremely rewarding. I think it's not too big where you get lost. And I think it is not pretentious in how it runs its business. It's very down to earth. If you're in this industry to make a living, you can make a good living and also be very satisfied.What I have found is that it's all about the inner relationships.The power equipment industry is small enough that you know an awful lot of people that are in the industry, and if you burn your bridges as you go, you're not going to be in the industry for very long. But if you become part of it, if it becomes part of your soul, you're going to be extremely successful and you're going to be rewarded financially as well. But if you don't put your soul into it, if you don't put your heart into it, you're just spinning your wheels and kind of wasting your time.That's always been my philosophy of the power equipment industry." — Steve Noe OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT JANUARY 2013 13