Susan Thayer never planned on joining the family business. But, when she quit college, Thayer turned to the business she knew best - irrigation. She started her own business, installing Maxijet porducts, before going to work for her father in his factory. The all-male tool room was a tough environment. "I really had to prove that I knew my stuff and wasn't there just because I was my father's daughter," says Thayer. With a fair amount of on-the-job training in injection molding and quality control under her belt, the younger Thayer took to the road, selling Maxijet products.
Once again, she encountered more than her fair share of challenges. "There was a lot of discrimination," she recalls. At the time there were very few women in the irrigation business. When customers finally realized she understood the business and could share her know-how, their attitude changed to one of respect and appreciation.
At the age of 24, Thayer took over Maxijet, and along with Dianne Halliday, took the business to new heights. In 1991, they incorperated a sister company, Mister Landscaper, targeted towards the retail DIY Market. They were able to run both companies by putting in incredible amount of time and effort. With the support of a great team of employees, Mister Landscaper was awarded the Suplyer of the Year from Lowes Companies, Inc, for all the their Rough Electrical and Plumbing Divisions.
She is quick to share credit. "The business is really a joint effort. Our employees are a great team." Her employees aren't the only ones who deserve kudos. Thayer points out that her father never interfered after turning the reigns over to her, allowing her to run and grow the business according to her vision. Thayer has been awarded a dozen Patents and Trademarks/