We recently had the opportunity to talk to Rob Dotson, chief product strategist for Inpro/Seal, and discussed his career and goals for the future.
What is your favorite part of your job?
What I love most about this role is getting to see the entire ecosystem of our industry—how customers, engineering, manufacturing, sales, marketing and leadership all connect. It gives me a unique perspective to influence both vision and execution on a global scale. Coming back to Inpro/Seal and being part of Dover is an incredible opportunity. The best part? Taking the DNA of Inpro/Seal—the purpose and culture founder Dave Orlowski started nearly 50 years ago—and combining it with the resources of Dover and Dover Precision Components. That combination “supercharges” our ability to solve customer challenges across a wide range of industries and applications.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The challenge is creating product strategies that resonate across all functional areas. We have world-class manufacturing, decades of product design expertise with technical innovation and an experienced sales team. The key is ensuring each of these groups sees their role in the bigger picture—how they contribute to delivering value to customers and driving business outcomes.
Strategy isn’t just about having a vision and a plan; it’s about communicating it effectively so every team understands their part in making it a reality.
What are your long-term career goals?
After 30 years in this industry, I’ve learned that long-term goals evolve. Early in my career, my focus was on providing for my family and raising my kids. Now that they’re grown and we have a great relationship, my perspective has shifted. My time at my former employer, Barnhart Crane and Rigging, deeply influenced how I see work and purpose. Barnhart is unique—blending business excellence with a greater purpose, emphasizing servant leadership and operating as a for-profit company in a charitable trust. That experience shaped how I approach my career and my faith.
Moving forward, my goal is simple: to work hard, serve others and bring value to the responsibilities I own here at Dover.
What is some advice you’d give to a young professional in the field?
Understand where and how your product serves customers and markets. No matter where your career takes you—engineering, sales, operations or leadership—having a customer-focused perspective will set you apart.
For product management specifically, you need to see the entire landscape—from sales strategy and product development to manufacturing and logistics. A strong product strategy isn’t just about features; it’s about aligning all of a company’s strengths to solve real business challenges.
How has the industry changed since you first started?
The pace of change is incredible. When I first entered the industrial market, we talked about return on investment (ROI) in terms of three to five years. Now, customers expect to see ROI in a year or less. Productivity has skyrocketed and companies are doing far more with fewer resources. But that also means decision-makers are busier than ever. It’s harder to get their time to truly understand their challenges and present solutions that might require change.
Another shift is external disruptions, such as supply chain issues and their impact on operations. As part of our customers’ ecosystem, we must continually strive to be more agile in how we evaluate, communicate and respond to these challenges.
At the end of the day, success in this industry still comes down to the fundamentals: listening to customers, solving real problems and delivering value. The companies that do that well will continue to thrive.
