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INDUSTRY NEWS (Continued from Southern Pipe, page 1.)
has sponsored the Ellis Island Medals of Honor, which pays tribute to the ancestry groups that comprise America’s unique cultural mosaic. The medals are presented to American citizens of di- verse origins for their outstanding contributions to their communities, their nation and the world. Marty Davidson is a well-deserving recipient
of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Marty’s grandfather, Louis Davidson, was born in 1876 in Russia. He came to the U.S. in the early 1900s and settled in Meridian, Miss. That journey was the genesis of Southern Pipe and Supply Com- pany, a privately held plumbing supply house, now in its 72nd year of operation and its fourth generation of family management. Louis Davidson started St. Louis Junk Com-
pany in Meridian. In addition to junk, the com- pany started selling secondhand bath tubs. In 1938, Louis, with his two sons, Sammie and Meyer, and a secretary, opened Southern Pipe and Supply to distribute plumbing supplies. Meyer’s son Marty started stocking shelves at
Southern Pipe when he was five years old and continued working in the summers until he went to college at Tulane University in 1958. He came to work full time in 1962, when he was 22 years old; at that time, Southern Pipe had four branches in three states. In 1968, Marty purchased the company from his father and uncle and became president at the age of 28. In addition to the huge risk associated with
buying Southern Pipe, Marty had a major per- sonal distraction. In June of 1968, two Ku Klux Klansmen attempted to bomb Meyer Davidson’s home, because of his public stance against the bombing of synagogues and churches in Missis- sippi. Marty, his wife and two children were sup- posed to be at his father’s house that night, but were warned by the FBI about the attempted bombing. (A book, Terror in the Night, was writ- ten by Pulitzer Prize winner Jack Nelson about this incident.) Marty concentrated on building Southern Pipe
and Supply into a larger company. He proceeded to open a number of new branches and to branch out to several new states. Today, 48 years after Marty started, Southern Pipe and Supply has grown from four branches in three states to 93 branches in seven states. In 2002, Marty’s son Jay was named president of the company, thus becoming the fourth generation of Davidsons to lead it. This was a milestone, because statistics have shown that only 3% of family businesses make it to the third generation.
Call center See contact information on page 86
•THE WHOLESALER® — JUNE 2011
Marty Davidson awarded Ellis Island Medal of Honor
Over the years, Southern Pipe has furnished
plumbing supplies to such diverse projects as the Superdome in New Orleans, Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, the U. S. Embassy in Bombay, India, and the Centers for Dis- ease Control in Atlanta, Ga. It has sold enough plumbing pipe to circle the earth 40 times. Through 60 showrooms, it has supplied plumbing fixtures for homes throughout the South. Southern Pipe was named one of the best large com- panies to work for in Mis- sissippi in 2007, 2008 and 2009. This story could
Marty Davidson
only happen in the U.S., where an immigrant’s journey from Russia evolved into a family com- pany the size of Southern Pipe and Supply. Marty Davidson joins a prestigious group of
honorees. Past Ellis Island Medal of Honor re- cipients include six United States presidents, Nobel Prize winners, athletes, leaders of industry, artists and others whose work has made a lasting impact on humanity. The Ellis Island Medal of Honor ranks among
the nation’s most prestigious awards. The medals are awarded annually to outstanding American citizens, from all walks of life, who have distin- guished themselves through their significant con- tributions to this country. The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have officially recog- nized the Ellis Island Medals of Honor, and each year the recipients are listed in the Congressional Record. To date, more than 1,800 American cit- izens have received Ellis Island Medals of Honor. According to NECO chairman Nasser J.
Kazeminy, “NECO is about investing in the power of caring; whereas people from all cul- tures and walks of life stand together arm in arm to make a real difference in our world through shared compassion and philanthropy, not only for now but also to inspire future generations, who will continue to preserve and build upon the legacy that each of our cultures has contributed. With our medalists, we see America at its best. We see every color, every race, from so many walks of life, together, celebrating the magic that is America. Our medalists’ influence and achievements truly inspire and touch the lives of people everywhere.” Visit
www.neco.org.
(Continued from Bradford White, page 1.)
The new center operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is fully staffed with both war- ranty specialists and technical service experts. The warranty specialists all have training and backgrounds in customer service. The technical staff has undergone extensive water heater field
training, and many were previously service tech- nicians prior to joining the support team. “This is an exciting move for Bradford White,
and we are proud to have very knowledgeable people ready with the solutions our customers need whenever they need them,” said Dustin Bowerman, Bradford White director of technical services. Visit
www.bradfordwhite.com.
• Be sure to visit
www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
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