6/17/2014 1:00:00 AM
NEWS BRIEFS
Hepner Retiring from Elgin / Telefast
Jeff Hepner is retiring as director of distributor sales for the Elgin Fastener Group at the end of June.
Hepner started in the fastener industry in 1971 right out of college with his father’s rep agency, which sold multiple product lines, including fasteners, flat rolled steel, screw machine product, molded plastics and wiring harnesses. The agency represented included Lake Erie Screw, Mellowes, Auto Bolt and Amanda Bent Bolt.
“Following the death of my father in June of 1977, the agency was disbanded and I was approached by Lake Erie Screw and accepted a position starting January 1, 1978,” Hepner told FIN. “I held various sales positions within the Lake Erie organization with the last being Vice President of Sales & Marketing.”
In 2002 he joined Telefast Industries and became president in 2008.
When Telefast was acquired by Elgin Fastener Group in 2013, Hepner was appointed EFG director of distributor sales.
His career also included being the 2006-07 associate chair of the National Fastener Distributors Association.
“I would say the biggest changes I have seen in the course of my career will come as no surprise,” Hepner reflected. “They would be the increased participation of off-shore suppliers in the domestic market and the subsequent demise of many large U.S. fastener manufacturers such as Bethlehem, Republic, Armco, Lamson-Sessions, RB&W, E.W. Ferry, Cleveland Cap and others.”
“Another major change we saw happen in the late 80’s and early 90’s was the insertion of the large third party distributors/logistic specialists into the supply chain which changed, to this day, the way major end users (with the exception of the car companies) purchase what were sometimes referred to as Class C items and almost always included the fastener commodity,” told FIN.
Hepner will retire at the end of June. While he doesn’t have definitive plans, he told FIN he intends to engage in more travel, more time in the gym and “most importantly more time with our 2 year old granddaughter.”
“I just can’t see myself just sitting around the house looking for things to do.”
Hepner can be contacted at Elgin / Telefast. Tel: 440 826-0011 Ext 40 Fax 440 826-3785 Email: jhepner@elginfasteners.com
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