Dylon De Atley, 34, worked as a design engineer in the oil and gas industry for a few years before transitioning to a role as an application engineer for a progressive cavity pump brand, and he has been in the pumps industry ever since. When asked what led him to specialize in this area within the industry, he says there’s no glamorous story. “I took a role as an application engineer with a progressive cavity pump company [and] ended up learning the technology very intimately before moving into outside sales. I have now been working with progressive cavity pumps for over 10 years and have loved every minute of it.”
When asked about the aspects of working in the industry he finds most rewarding, De Atley said, “The most rewarding part of my job, especially being a self-described ‘gear head’ and mechanically inclined individual, is all the cool plants I get to walk through daily. Many of my trips to customers’ sites remind me of the hit TV show ‘How It’s Made.’ It’s very cool to see how many things we interact with daily get manufactured.” On the flip side, he also mentions wishing he would’ve known how much time would be spent on the road before getting into the industry. “Covering such a large territory keeps me traveling and away from home more than I’d care to admit.”
As for an accomplishment he’s proud of, De Atley said, “I am proud of the fact I have been able to cultivate a wonderful working relationship with my sales channel built on trust and respect. The human interaction at the heart of a sales position is very important, and taking care to treat the folks you work with with respect is something I will always be proud of.”
When he’s not at work, De Atley spends his time travelling to new places and adventuring with his wife or riding his bike. He mentions a thing people would be surprised to learn about him is “I am an avid cyclist and spend a lot of my time riding my bike with my wife and friends. I have done a 153-mile bike ride in one day.”
What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of your role?
Tempering expectations between my company, my sales channel partners and the end user when it comes to lead time and pricing. I find as the outside sales manager you spend a lot of time making sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to large projects and what is realistically possible versus what may be asked of your team.
What advice would you give to students considering a career in this industry or newcomers to the workforce?
Be genuine and honest. Honesty gets you a long way toward building long-lasting professional relationships. Meaningful professional relationships are gold in this industry.
Have you had a mentor(s) who influenced your career development?
Yes! I've always been grateful for the first manager I had in an outside sales role. He hired me as a very young outside sales manager and guided me into the role with patience. He is still in the pump industry and we keep in touch when we can.
What has you most excited about the future of this industry?
All the technological advancements that will comes with the developments in Artificial Intelligence. Specifically, I see major improvements to the preventative maintenance and pump monitoring sides of the business.
What do you do to make sure you’re continuing your education/training?
It can be a challenge when you spend so much time on the road traveling, but Ingersoll Rand has some classes they offer to sharpen my career skills. I also try and attend sessions at trade shows/symposiums when I'm able to be there.
Read about more 10 to Watch finalists here.
