HomeWork features AHAM members’ insights into careers, success, life outside of work, and AHAM membership. This month, we spoke with Larry Byrd, Director of Quality and Consumer Affairs, Cleva North America.
How did you come to work in the appliance industry?
While in college I worked for a small company that produced coils and condensers for HVAC systems. After finishing college, I started as a production supervisor at Sharp Manufacturing at their microwave oven factory. I moved into purchasing then quality at Panasonic home appliances in their microwave oven manufacturing, then soon moved to their floor care division. When Panasonic decided to cease floor care production in North America, I moved along with the floor care products to my current position at Cleva North America. The appliance industry is really all I have ever known.
What personal and professional goals are you currently pursuing?
My professional goals right now are aimed mostly at getting better educated and more involved with the use of AI in our business. The technology is advancing so quickly, and we really don’t want to miss the boat on this great new tool. My focus right now is using AI technology to help us provide quicker and better service to our consumers.
My personal goals right now are to eat healthier, work out more, and get my golf handicap index to 5.
What is the best career advice you have ever received?
Since I was placed in a leadership role right out of college with only textbook leadership skills, I was very quick to watch and learn from the other leaders in the company. I had one mentor tell me “Lead by example.” He said people are more likely to follow a leader who "walks the talk" rather than one who merely speaks without practicing what they preach. I took this to heart and have tried to instill this in every role I have had.
What advice do you have for somebody who wants to succeed in the home appliance industry?
It has always been my opinion that product knowledge is of the utmost importance for all positions in a company. Knowledge of your goods and services is critical, obviously more important in some roles than others but a good general knowledge is vital. I would remind anybody who wants to succeed in the home appliance industry that we have a big advantage. That advantage is we all have these products and use them in our daily lives. There is no better way to come up with innovative ideas, performance improvements, quality and reliability improvements than using the product in “real-life” situations. We do everything we can to make the laboratory test condition as much like real life as possible, and we have the opportunity with our products to add that element to the experience simply by going about our daily lives.
What does your company gain from its involvement in AHAM, and how do you encourage your colleagues to stay involved?
We are a small company. We don’t have a lot of the roles that larger corporations have in place. Our involvement with AHAM is a lifesaver. Our involvement with AHAM gives us the ability to stay informed about regulatory changes, testing requirement changes and general industry goings on. I encourage our team to stay involved by reminding them that AHAM provides a much larger voice for us than we could ever on our own.
Outside of the appliance industry, what would be your dream job?
I love the outdoors and training upland game hunting dogs. My dream job would be to own and operate an upland game shooting preserve. Owning and operating an upland game shooting preserve would combine my deep love for nature and wildlife with my desire to provide a safe and sustainable environment for both hunters and the game they pursue. The opportunity to manage land in a way that balances conservation, wildlife habitat, and recreation would truly be a dream come true. I would love to be able to introduce this wonderful sport to as many people as possible.
