Thompson Pump Names New Top Management, Kansas City Branch Manager

Feb. 20, 2006
Port Orange, Fla.-based Thompson Pump & Manufacturing Co. last week announced three management promotions for 2006. Doug French took over as vice president, business development and asset management. Chris Thompson, son of company president Bill ...

Port Orange, Fla.-based Thompson Pump & Manufacturing Co. last week announced three management promotions for 2006.

Doug French took over as vice president, business development and asset management. Chris Thompson, son of company president Bill Thompson, took the reigns as vice president, branch operations. Long time Thompson Pump crew member Del Ritz now heads the Florida region as Florida region manager.

"Our company is making the necessary changes to adapt to today's highly competitive market," said Bill Thompson. "We recognized an opportunity to increase the value of Thompson Pump's products and services and put the necessary people in place to make that happen."

French, formerly vice president branch operations and a 19-year Thompson veteran, takes on a new role for the company overseeing all facilities and major assets while managing company growth and expansion. French will continually evaluate each of the 19 company-owned branch locations for needed improvements; manage the company's vehicle fleet program; evaluate inventory and rental fleet assets; and analyze potential new products.

Chris Thompson, company stockholder and former Florida region manager for four years, now focuses on three regions including the Gulf Coast, Southeast and Florida, covering factory-owned branch locations and distributor territories to manage strategic market development, company growth and profitability, and the strengthening of distributor relationships. He will also concentrate efforts to improve personnel and value-added support to maximize customer satisfaction.

Ritz, a 17-year Thompson veteran, formerly worked alongside the nine salesmen in this territory as the Florida regional bypass specialist. In his new position, he will be responsible for the profitability of seven branches and will oversee all salesmen and assist them with dewatering and bypass projects as well as making available and mobilizing necessary equipment.

The company also announced that Darrell Sissel, who brings more than 25 years experience in the heavy and light equipment industry, is the new branch manager for the company’s Kansas City, Kan., branch.

Sissel spent 21 years with Victor L Phillips Co., a regional heavy construction equipment dealer. While there he was a parts person, credit and accounting manager, purchasing agent and branch manager. He then worked for United Rentals for four years as a branch manager, and G W Van Keppel for two years as a field salesman. He worked in the underground division selling and renting pumps, shoring, trench boxes and other safety items to utility contractors in Kansas and Missouri. He also hosted safety training for contractors. His current territory covers Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska and he oversees a staff of seven.

No. 41 on the RER 100, Thompson Pump is an industry leader in the development of high-quality engine-powered portable pumps, ranging in size from 2 to 18 inches, for use in varied applications in the areas of public works, municipalities, construction, agriculture, dewatering, mining, sewer/lift stations and water/waste water. The company sells and rents its entire line of dewatering pumps including wet and dry prime trash pumps, sound attenuated models, diaphragm pumps, hydraulic submersible pumps, high pressure pumps and wellpoint pumps as well as bypass systems, wellpoint systems and a complete line of pumping accessories.