www.pyebarker.com
1-800-282-9784
P.O. Box 1387 (30298) 121 Royal Dr. Forest Park, GA 30297
APRIL 2019
As spring rolls into Georgia, exciting things are on the horizon at Pye-Barker. We’ve brought on a new product line and hired some new faces just in time for Easter. While getting that business concluded is certainly a relief, I do still have one major item on my docket for this month that’s proven to be plenty stressful. I’m taking on a new role in my church’s Easter Drama this year. Performing in church plays and recitals is nothing new to me; I’ve sung in choirs since I was a boy. In fact, my family and I have been a part of this very production almost every Easter, and aside from needing to learn a few new songs from time to time, preparing has never been particularly challenging. But unfortunately, the gentleman that’s been playing the role of the narrator had to step down this year. When he did, the director looked to me. So, for four nights in a row leading up to Easter Sunday itself, I’ll be guiding audiences through the story of Christ’s resurrection. No pressure, right? Don’t get me wrong, I’m honored to have been asked to narrate such a meaningful production. But this is very different than anything I’ve ever done on stage. While being a choir member has its challenges, you at least get to sing as part of a large group. Now I’ll be out there by myself, and I won’t just be singing. Our rendition of the Easter story this year requires the narrator to be a character rather than just an omniscient guide. I’m not portraying anyone biblical — just a man on the street giving his take on events as the story moves along. But as someone who’s used to portraying emotional beats through song primarily, learning MY HECTIC EASTER PLAYING THE PART
blocking, facial expressions, and speaking parts is quite a change of pace. I’m even getting a solo! Expect me to be muttering lines to myself in-between meetings for the rest of this month. While it certainly is a lot more pressure than I’m used to, I wouldn’t miss performing in this drama for the world. Seeing our church come together every year to retell the story of the resurrection is always a moving experience. People of all ages and backgrounds lend their time, talent, and energy to make a production that is truly special. It’s a great reminder of what faith and community are really about. Of course, the phrase “the show must go on” is equally true for small business. The same day I wrap up my last production, I’ll have to scramble to the airport to make it to an industry conference in Las Vegas. I just hope I have time to doff my costume. While the timing of the conference is unfortunate, my family’s determined to make the most of it. Rather than scramble back to spend Easter Sunday with my wife and daughter, they’ll be flying out to meet me in the city of lights. It will be different from what we’re used to, but we’re excited! My wife has always wanted to take a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon, so we’ll definitely be scratching that off the bucket list.
Happy Easter,
-Eric Lunsford
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1-800-282-9784 • www.pyebarker.com
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
TIME TO SAY GOODBYE
Getting fired is a horrible experience. Losing a job is hard on an employee, and terminating an employee can create a whole mess of grief for a company. In a 2018 article for Harvard Business Review, Investopedia CEO David Siegel laid out his strategy to avoid the troubles of termination by offering a more considerate approach to firing: transparent separation. In a transparent separation, when underperforming employees are informed that their tenure with the company is coming to an end, they are given a time frame to look for a new job before their last day. Employees are asked to keep the arrangement confidential and are expected to maintain job performance. Siegel states that employees who abuse the goodwill of transparent separation should be let go immediately.
IS TRANSPARENT SEPARATION RIGHT FOR YOUR COMPANY?
Transparent separation is a wild departure from the traditional termination playbook, but Siegel insists that the strategy offers some incredible benefits, such as the following:
• Departing employees avoid the struggle of trying to find a new job while unemployed. • There’s reduced legal risk that the company might be sued by an angry employee. • Managers are not cast in an adversarial role for abrupt firings.
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
DARRELL TURNER’S REASONS TO SMILE
with his brother and recording themselves on their home radio. That radio was Darrell’s most prized possession, but one day, it stopped working. “I couldn’t live without it,” he explains, “but we didn’t have the means to afford a new one.” So a determined young Darrell took the radio apart piece by piece and reconstructed it. “I couldn’t tell you what I did,” he laughs, “But it worked after I put it back together!”
At the end of the day, we here at Pye-Barker are professional problem solvers. Everyone from our sales team to our front desk operators are there to help you and your business find the industrial solutions you need. But when it comes to solving problems with those solutions themselves, only an experienced service technician can get the job done right. That’s why we’re so fortunate to have Darrell Turner on our team! The first thing people notice about Darrell is his optimism. “You’ve got to find a reason to smile,” he explains, “That’s my motto.” Quick to laugh and resiliently upbeat, the former Fort Worth mechanic certainly has a way of raising the spirits of those around him. In a way, Darrell’s positive philosophy directly informs why he loves technician work. “I enjoy the mechanical aspect of the job,” Darrell reflects, “There’s something about seeing something come in broken and being able to fix it that I really enjoy.” Having worked in the industry for 12 years, Darrell is no stranger to mending what others may call broken. In fact, his talent for mechanics reaches further back than his employment history.
All these years later, Darrell’s kept his love of music alive. “I’ve been teaching myself guitar for five years,” he jokes, before explaining that his real passion lies in playing the keyboard and audio engineering. Thankfully for us, it doesn’t sound like Darrell plans to leave us to pursue his music career any time soon. “This is a great place to work,” he tells us, “We’ve got a good product and a great team that pulls together to get the job done.”
“I started fixing things when I was a kid,” Darrell explains, adding, “It was out of necessity.” He was an aspiring musician growing up, beatboxing
Thanks, Darrell!
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Pye-Barker Supply Co. • www.pyebarker.com
THE RIGHT PUMP FOR THE JOB CENTRIFUGAL OR POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT? A question factory owners and engineers often ask themselves is: Do we need a positive displacement (PD) pump, or would a centrifugal model be faster? There are many processes where either design can get the job done, but when it comes to saving time and money “getting the job done” isn’t enough. Here’s a guide to pump selection that will keep your processes running smart. VISCOSITY The most important factor in determining whether to use a PD or centrifugal pump is the viscosity of the fluid you are attempting to move. Centrifugal designs struggle with thicker liquids since the unit’s impeller has to overcome more friction. Meanwhile, PD pumps’ flow rate actually increases with the viscosity of the fluid being pumped. While PD units may be lower speed than their centrifugal counterparts, when it comes to thick liquids like sewage and oils, slow and steady wins the race. CAPACITY Where centrifugal pumps win out is their ability to pump large volumes of low viscosity liquid quickly. Any fluids at 1 cSt (like water) or lower can be moved far more efficiently by one of these units than their bulkier PD counterparts. Because displacement pumps are limited to the size of their internal clearances, their capacity remains fixed. If you are moving water, light fuels, or petrochemicals, centrifugal pumps are by far the most efficient option. EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE There are two scenarios where a PD pump may be necessary for low viscosity processes. The first is when dealing with shear-sensitive fluids — products like adhesives, paints, and gels require low-friction, steady flows in order to maintain their consistency. The second scenario is any process with a high pump head. Even in low viscosity processes, a higher pump head causes centrifugal pumps’ efficiency and flow rate to plummet. Displacement pumps are able to operate at virtually the same efficiency no matter how many feet of head are added.
• The company has time to find a suitable replacement, resulting in a smoother transition. • Remaining employees feel more comfortable when they don’t have to worry about “disappearing” overnight. Even with all these positives, Siegel notes that transparent separation may not be the best course of action for every employee termination. For example, if the soon-to-be-ex- employee is a manager whose toxic behavior is harming the work environment, they need to be shown the door immediately. Siegel claims that in two-thirds of cases, transparent separations offered the best outcome both for the company and the former employee. There are potential drawbacks to transparent separation. Opponents to this strategy note the potential damage a disgruntled employee can cause after being told they are losing their job. Some employees may even prefer to collect severance and leave so they can fully focus on the job search. Is transparent separation the answer to all your termination woes? The jury’s still out; there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to any business problem. What works great for one company might not be best for another. But if you think the pros outweigh the cons, transparent separation might be worth considering the next time your company has to say goodbye.
There are other niche situations that can affect this traditional wisdom, especially when specialized designs like vortex impellers are concerned. That’s why Pye-Barker carries such a wide selection of both centrifugal and PD pumps. No matter the needs of your process, we are prepared to meet them.
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1-800-282-9784 • www.pyebarker.com
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
P.O. Box 1387 (30298) 121 Royal Drive Forest Park, GA 30297
CALL US NOW! 1-800-282-9784
INSIDE THIS 1
ISSUE
Eric Take’s the Stage This Easter!
A Better Approach to Firing? Meet Darrell Turner
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Have a Laugh on Us! Settling the Centrifugal vs. PD Debate
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3 Great Opening Days in Baseball
Baseball’s opening day has been an American holiday of sorts since the Cincinnati Red Stockings threw out the first major league pitch in 1869. To celebrate the start of the 150th season of professional baseball, here are three of the best opening days in baseball history. A NEW BEGINNING On April 15, 1947, an opening-day game changed the course of Major League Baseball. On this day, Jackie Robinson started for the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first African-American player to start for a major league baseball team. Robinson’s historic showing was lackluster, going 0-for-3 at the plate and making a solid showing on the infield at first base, but his mere presence in a Dodgers uniform had already broken history. Despite his nationally-recognized skills — Robinson was named MVP of the MLB farm team league in 1946 — the backlash that followed his rise to the pros, both from fans and teammates, was palpable. Still, as well-known sportscaster Howard Cosell said, “Suddenly, it was a new beginning.” LOU, COMBS, AND BABE — OH MY! Considered one of the best teams in baseball history, the 1927 New York Yankees started their historic run and 25th season by THE BEST OPENING DAYS IN BASEBALL HISTORY PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACKS
dismantling the Philadelphia Athletics with a score of 8–3. The slugfest was true to form for the 1927 Yankees, whose players would go on to make up baseball’s famous “Murderers’ Row.” With sluggers like Lou Gehrig, Earle Combs, Babe Ruth, Mark Koenig, Bob Meusel, and Tony Lazzeri, it’s no wonder this team went on to win its fifth championship that year. THE HAMMER TIES BAMBINO For decades, no one could match George Herman Ruth. The Great Bambino’s all-time home run record seemed like an impossible feat of strength — that is, until Henry “Hammerin’ Hank” Aaron came along. On opening day, April 4, 1974, Aaron smashed his 714th homer, tying Babe Ruth for the most home runs ever hit and extending the Atlanta Braves’ shutout lead over the Cincinnati Reds. A few weeks later, Aaron surpassed Ruth’s record, prompting a standing ovation from the crowd.
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Pye-Barker Supply Co. • www.pyebarker.com
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
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