World Fence News

26 • JULY 2018 • WORLD FENCE NEWS Subscribe to World Fence News Today! manufacturer seminars and private, customized training for our dealers." Her dedication to educating deal- ers is unshakable, and Encon con- tinues to be a leader in training. When the AFA's Certified Automated Gate Operator Installer (CAGOI) program be- gan in 2007, Encon im- mediately got involved. Betty insisted that her entire technical and sales team take and pass the certification exam. Encon has demonstrated a strong commitment to educating dealers about the program by offering them several certifica- tion exam opportunities. Betty's strongest leg- acy has been her loyalty and devotion to her cus- tomers and her employees. Her philos- ophy of putting the customer first has not waivered in 42 years. To this day, Encon does not have a voicemail system because Betty al- ways wanted their customers to be welcomed by a live person. Tim Nordstrom, Encon's out- side sales rep and someone who has worked for Betty for over 30 years said, "Betty never accepted excuses for upsetting a customer. If a customer had a complaint, she told me to make it right. She also taught me to always look at the big picture. She would tell me, keeping a customer is more im- portant than being right." This focus on customer service is something her employees quickly learned to adopt and that her custom- ers appreciated. Long-time customer Steve Apple- baum of Tholl Fence had plenty to say about his experiences with Betty over the years: "After speaking with Betty many times over the phone, I met her for the first time in 1984, shortly after she opened Encon Electronics. In my mind, the dynamic business person I had envisioned stood six feet tall and was fully charged with ideas and solutions. To my surprise, the wom- an shaking my hand was of a smaller stature, but had even larger ideas and solutions than what I had ever antici- pated," he said. "Her recurring words to me were 'how can we help you achieve your goals?' "Betty's commitment to her cus- tomers, her employees and to the man- Betty Mullin retires after a trailblazing career in the gate and access industry continued from page 24 ufacturers she represents has always been about truth, support, education and family," he said. "Because of these values, we are in our 34th year of doing business with Encon. She will be sorely missed, but the culture she's developed at Encon lives on with the fine men and women that will con- tinue her legacy." Not surprising, Bet- ty said, "When I'm re- tired, I'm going to miss talking with the custom- ers and all the vendors that I've known forever. I loved getting to know them, hearing about their families, and just talking shop. "I also loved work- ing with my employees. So many of them have worked with me for many years. I am grate- ful that we were able to maintain a small, family environment even as our company and offices ex- panded," she said. Tim agreed. "Betty sincerely cares about the people that work for her," he said. "She always asks me how my kids and family are doing before she asks me about work. She also is an amazing judge of peo- ple. I truly believe the success of En- con is because of her ability to hire good people, and those people not wanting to work for anyone else." This appears to be true when evaluating how long most of Betty's employees have been with her. The majority have worked at En- con for over a decade, some over 20 years, and a few over 30. Considering there are 26 employees, this is a testa- ment to Betty's character and her gen- erous and kind leadership style. "I remember the first day I met Betty," Lawrence said. "She was very professional, and she had a friendly, easy presence that instantly made you feel comfortable. You knew she was a person of authority and you respected her, and at the same time, she was so down to earth." Betty created a unique family environment based on her personal background. She has been married to her husband, Pat, for 58 years. He has been her biggest advocate through ev- ery step of her journey at Encon. The support of their four children, Jeff, Joel, Jon, and Jennifer, has also been a major factor to Betty's longevity in the industry. Employees are grateful to be part of the Encon family, and the indus- try is fortunate to have Betty as one of its trailblazing pioneers. Longtime continued on page 78 VP of Sales and Operations Jeff Harris has assumed the position of president of Encon Electronics. Jeff has worked at Encon for 23 years. Above, Betty and Jeff enjoy Encon's recent 3rd NorCal Trade Show, where Betty officially an- nounced her decision to retire after 34 years. (Encon Electronics photo) ATHLETIC PADDING Backstop, Wall, Top Rail, & Post Padding FIELD BRANDING Windscreen & Padding Logos, Bleacher Wraps, Advertising Banners Banners 866.360.1008 | 510 W Arizona Ave. | DeLand, FL 32720 | fax 386.740.7206 U.S. Manufacturer of Fine Quality Field Equipment Since 1987 WINDSCREENS Including ExtremeScreen Made in the USA 7 Year Warranty SPORTS NETTING Backstops, Batting Cages, Overhead Nets, Retractable Netting Systems BASEBALL/SOFTBALL BUYING SEASON IS HERE! Colleges, High Schools & Municipalities Are Purchasing Now!

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