Employee of the Year - 2024
Sales Manager, Process Heating
Tukwila, WA
Jon Irvine was recognized as the 2024 Employee of the Year because he consistently demonstrates exceptional leadership and dedication, making significant contributions to Valin’s success. Below is just one example of Jon’s contributions to Valin. Read more about Jon’s efforts here.
Leadership and Team Management
Jon assumed leadership of the Process Heat team in June 2020. Under his guidance, the team has flourished, achieving remarkable milestones and upholding a commitment to excellence. He ensured consistent supplier engagement with sales and customer service teams, chaired weekly joint team calls, and coordinated all factory training with vendors. Through Jon's leadership, the team’s ability to value and cross-sell heat and panel solutions has accelerated, generating substantial new revenue in process heat and panel solutions since 2020. Additionally, Jon has developed the team to scale their value-added commercial heat trace and industrial leak detection prospecting activities.
Revenue Generation
Jon has been instrumental in engaging and cultivating supplier relationships, driving significant revenue growth exceeding millions for our Leak Detection initiatives. His strategic approach and commitment have been pivotal in securing and expanding this critical partnership. Through his efforts, Jon has identified new market growth opportunities in data centers, power generation, and refining oil & gas leak detection initiatives, creating additional growth avenues for Valin’s industrial product portfolio.
Strategic Account Management
Recently, Jon took on the responsibility of strategic account management for a multinational computer component manufacturer, following a peer’s retirement in October. He seamlessly transitioned into this role, ensuring continuity and fostering strong client relationships. Jon spent much of this summer and fall securing badge access, coordinating background/clearance requirements, and conducting customer introductions and hand-offs in Oregon, Arizona, and New Mexico, as well as during a trip to Ireland in October. Jon developed a site/project log to coordinate customer engagement and prospect new builds and expansions into 2025 and beyond. He now maintains contact information and relationship profiles for over seventy customers, contractors, and engineers - critical to a successful transition and frictionless customer experience.
Jon’s unwavering dedication, strategic vision, and outstanding performance make him a deserving recipient of the Employee of the Month award. His greatest assets are his initiative and personal accountability. Jon is well known for “jumping on a plane when duty calls” to support Valin employees on process heat opportunities as the resident in-house subject matter expert. Jon's dedication over 23 years and his continued optimism and enthusiasm for Valin's future success exemplify what it means to be a part of Team Valin. His contributions have had a profound impact on the organization, and he is poised to continue excelling in his role.
2024 Employee of the Year