Company Name

Falk Supply

Search Job Title

Director of Sales and Business Development

Client Profile

Falk Supply is a fourth-generation, family-owned wholesale distributor of plumbing, welding, and tool supplies headquartered in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The company operates a multi-division business serving plumbing contractors, industrial clients, residential construction firms, and independent tradespeople across Central Arkansas and surrounding regions. With approximately 115 employees and a network of locations supporting each division, the organization has built a strong reputation for reliability, technical expertise, and long-standing customer relationships.

Plumbing supply represents the largest share of revenue, while welding and industrial distribution has become an increasingly important growth engine following significant capital investment. The company has expanded into new markets over the past decade and continues to evaluate additional locations, supported by a strong balance sheet and sustained growth momentum. Leadership sought to elevate sales performance and prepare the organization for continued expansion while maintaining the hands-on, relationship-driven culture that has defined the business for generations.

Role Objectives & Challenges

The role was designed as a senior leadership position reporting directly to the President and serving as a key strategic partner across the business. The Director would oversee all sales operations spanning plumbing supply, welding and industrial distribution, and tool supply, while directly managing division Sales Managers and supporting a broader team of outside and inside sales personnel.

A central objective was to strengthen sales processes, training, accountability, and performance management across a largely blue-collar, field-oriented sales organization. The position required someone capable of leading experienced territory managers while also building structure where leadership had historically been thin, particularly in the showroom segment, which had multiple contributors but no dedicated oversight. The Director would be expected to establish goals, performance standards, forecasting discipline, and continuous improvement initiatives across divisions.

The complexity of the business model added further challenge. The organization’s revenue mix spanned wholesale plumbing distribution, technically oriented welding supply, and contractor-focused tool sales, each with distinct customer bases and selling approaches. It was unlikely that a single candidate would bring deep experience across all three segments, making wholesale distribution leadership experience the most critical requirement. The role also demanded strong financial acumen, including involvement in budgeting, margin management, pricing strategy, and P&L oversight, alongside a willingness to remain hands-on in customer development and key account activity.

Culturally, the position required a leader comfortable working closely with ownership in a family-run enterprise while guiding a seasoned sales force through modernization without disrupting existing relationships. The Director would divide time between field activity, strategic planning, and regular on-site leadership presence at headquarters.

Our Approach to Solve the Search

The search began with a focused effort in the local market before expanding across Arkansas and the broader region to access a deeper pool of qualified wholesale distribution leaders. While the role allowed for a hybrid arrangement, it required consistent on-site presence several times per week, which influenced geographic targeting and candidate viability.

Sourcing emphasized leaders from wholesale distribution environments with relevance to plumbing, HVAC, electrical, building materials, industrial supply, or welding products. Direct competitors within the plumbing and supply sector were heavily targeted, along with adjacent industries where candidates would possess transferable experience managing contractor-facing sales teams, technical product portfolios, and branch-based distribution operations.

Candidates were evaluated for prior experience managing multi-location sales organizations, building scalable processes, and driving continuous improvement in traditional wholesale settings. Particular attention was given to individuals who combined leadership capability with a willingness to remain active in the field, reflecting the hands-on expectations of the role.

The Hire & Results

The position was filled in less than one month, reflecting both strong alignment between the opportunity and the candidate market and a streamlined selection process conducted directly with the President. A robust slate of candidates was developed, representing a range of regional markets and industry backgrounds, including plumbing supply competitors, metal specialties distributors, HVAC suppliers, and broader building materials organizations.

Ultimately, the selected candidate brought experience from a mid-sized to large wholesale distribution company, offering the leadership maturity, operational discipline, and field credibility required to oversee a multi-division sales organization. The hire positioned Falk Supply to strengthen sales execution, support margin growth initiatives, and pursue expansion opportunities while maintaining the entrepreneurial culture of a fourth-generation family business.

The addition of a dedicated executive sales leader provided immediate capacity to standardize processes, develop talent, and focus ownership attention on broader strategic priorities as the company continues to grow across both existing and new markets.