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"What drew me to Ashland Distribution in the first place was its reputation. Ashland is a very well-known and respected company, especially in this part of the country."

Bernie
Environmental Services seller
Ashland Distribution,
Cincinnati, Ohio

Day in the Life

As an environmental services seller for Ashland Distribution, I'm part of a team of experienced and dedicated professionals who work in full compliance with federal, state and local regulations to assist customers in managing, recycling and disposing of waste generated by their facilities. We are a full-service company, which means we can be the "single source" for meeting our customers' needs.

What I like best about my job is the constantly changing work environment, which provides front-line learning opportunities for me. My biggest challenge is meeting - and where possible, exceeding - customers' expectations.

Of course, I want to stay ahead of the competition, but my main concern is environmental protection. That's Ashland Distribution's primary business philosophy and the focus of everything we do. We rely on the Chemical Recyclers Council and the American Chemistry Council for support and direction. In fact, Ashland was among the first chemical companies to adopt the ACC's Responsible Care* initiatives more than two decades ago.

I begin a typical workday by meeting with either existing customers or potential new accounts. We talk about ways in which Ashland Distribution can resolve any issues a customer may be facing. This can range from profiling new waste streams to finding better ways to manage a specific waste. I usually make it to the office by late afternoon and begin working on my list of "to dos," generated by meeting with customers earlier in the day.

I'm certainly not on my own when it comes to finding the best solutions for customers. On a given day, I may call upon professionals throughout the state, including members of our Compliance and Chemical Distribution teams, and Ashland Distribution customer service, environment, health and safety, credit and purchasing personnel.

If I were to name the primary skills needed for success in this job, the first thing I'd say is that you have to be a good listener. How else are you going to be able to help customers find solutions to their needs? An environmental services seller also must be energetic, creative and persistent.

There are many opportunities to learn and to grow here. In fact, in my time at Ashland, I have been able to work in four unique positions. All in all, I'd say about 85 percent of my work days are good ones. Sure, there are some days that may not go like you want, but for the most part, I really enjoy my work.

* Responsible Care®, the hands logo mark, Responsible Care Management System®, and RCMS® are registered service marks of the American Chemistry Council®.