Getting Personal With Bob Korowiki
- Published: April 30, 2006, By PFFC staff
Experience Speaks
How did you get into the converting business?
The John Dusenbery Company hired me in 1973 to manage a business that was acquired the previous year: Vacumet Corp. At the time, it was a 10,000-square-foot facility in Hackensack, New Jersey, with only 15 employees.
Has your management style evolved over the years?
When Vacumet was small, it was easy to be involved in every aspect of the business. The challenge over the years has been to step away from daily activities, to lead the organization and not just manage it. Providing leadership, mentoring staff, establishing strategic goals and direction, and providing the appropriate tools for the management team are what I do today.
What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started out in business?
Experience is invaluable. My education and early business experiences provided a great foundation, but I had no idea how truly valuable the ‘experience factor’ was.
What is your key to retaining good employees?
Our mantra is to continually challenge employees to do something new and different to differentiate us from the competition, and they are rewarded for their efforts. The true business definition of insanity is ‘doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results.’
How do you handle a difficult customer?
It is important to fully understand what the issues are and then to provide a sound solution that benefits both companies—one-sided propositions only lead to failure.
| At a Glance |
|---|
| Vacumet Corp. 22 Riverview Dr., Ste. 101 Wayne, NJ 07470 |
| vacumet.com |
| Founded in 1969 |
| 6 plants/356 employees |
| Specialties: Vacuum metallization of plastics, papers, and HoloPRISM metallized papers for the labeling and packaging markets. |
Do you have a personal hero?
My dad, John Dusenbery, and W.R. Scholle. Each has had great influence on my personal and business lives.
What are you most proud of in your business?
I am most proud of the relationships I have made over the past 33 years at Vacumet, ones that span time and personal values. I have learned a lot from so many of them and, hopefully, left a small mark on their lives.
Any hobbies?
I love to play golf. The relationships that can develop in a few hours on the course go a long way in understanding the people I’m dealing with in my business and personal worlds.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in this business?
Don’t be afraid of work and long hours—but maintain balance in your life.
