As Red-D-Arc celebrates 70 years of service, reliability and expertise, we’re proud to recognize the people who continue to shape our success. This month, we’re featuring Stephen Telofski, Director of Sales, whose leadership within the National Accounts team has been instrumental in strengthening relationships with customers across North America. Stephen’s focus on collaboration, problem-solving, and customer support reflects the dedication that has defined Red-D-Arc for seven decades, and continues to guide our path forward.
Red-D-Arc (RDA): What first drew you to working at Red-D-Arc and what has kept you inspired to grow your career here over the years?
Stephen Telofski (ST): After 14 years in investment brokerage (and the constant monotony of numbers!), I found myself seeking fresh experiences and exploring opportunities to reorient my career in the industrials, where I ultimately came to learn about Red-D-Arc. Since then, I’ve drawn my inspiration from the opportunity to learn from great mentors and expand my skillset, involvement with initiatives driving transformative change, and the flexibility to apply creative thinking to form solutions for our clients. The experience has been profound and I’m now doing things in my career that I never imagined—visiting state of the art production facilities and learning about customer applications, touring capital projects, and helping to connect commercial customers across our catalog of resources.
RDA: From your perspective, how does the National Accounts team make life easier for customers managing projects across multiple locations?
ST: Our National Accounts program is designed to streamline the customer experience and simplify decision-making, from procurement down through the project and field levels. Single points of contact, centralized ordering management, and standardized pricing help provide guidance to our national customers who value predictability when balancing growing or concurrent project workloads.
RDA: As Red-D-Arc celebrates 70 years, what do you think customers value most about the company’s long-standing presence in the industry?
ST: Red-D-Arc’s long-standing presence in the industry has fostered a tremendous following and commercial strength stemming from dependability, deep industry expertise, and customer-centric culture. As a result, clients identify with us as a trusted partner who helps them more effectively manage costs, assets, and workload. Our integration with Airgas further enhances that value, delivering a seamless solution around every aspect of our clients’ gas and welding needs.
RDA: What type of clients fit the National Account profile?
ST: Our criteria goes beyond customers that simply work across a national geography. We’re seeking clients in “growth mode” who complement our long-term vision and understand the value of outsourcing their equipment needs to accommodate expansion, plan out future workload, and scale their business.
RDA: As the National Accounts program continues to evolve, what is Red-D-Arc doing to continuously improve the support customers receive?
ST: Through strategic alignments with our Airgas counterparts, we are transforming the program, delivering greater balance to our portfolio and diversifying our client base which now extends to fabrication, energy & power, and heavy industries. This evolution is further supported internally by a customer-focused strategy within our sales organization, concentrated on building stronger relationships and high touch engagement to foster growth and partnership opportunities.
RDA: What’s one thing you wish more people knew about the National Accounts program and how it benefits customers?
ST: Our affiliation with Airgas creates a competitive advantage, enabling us to package the complete scope of our clients’ needs and simplify the supply chain. Encompassed under a single contract, we can consolidate procurement for gases, wire, consumables, safety, hardgoods, and welding equipment rentals. The ability to offer this total solution is our key differentiator that’s unmatched in the industry!
RDA: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of Red-D-Arc, and why?
ST: Global energy demand, the evolution of artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing, industrial reshoring, and associated expansion to the domestic power grid are fostering a rich environment filled with growth opportunities to serve customers and showcase our immense capabilities. The next three to four years will prove to be both exciting and pivotal for the organization as we further scale to satisfy unprecedented demand from our valued clients.
As Red-D-Arc marks 70 years in business, leaders like Stephen exemplify the passion and forward-thinking approach that continue to define our company and drive our success. His insights remind us that while technology and industries evolve, our greatest strength remains the same: the dedicated people who are committed to supporting our customers every step of the way. Here’s to 70 years of outstanding service and expertise, and to the bright future ahead for Red-D-Arc and its valued customers.
Leave a Reply