1.
What is your name and where are you from?
Paul Brown from Bow, Washington
Aaron Brown from Sedro-Woolley, Washington
2.
When did you start working for All West, what is your current title, and where do you work?
Paul: Distribution & Warehouse Manager working for All West since October 8, 2005 in Burlington, Washington.
Aaron: Assistant Warehouse Manager working for All West since May 1, 2017 in Burlington, Washington.
3.
How did you get involved in the A.I. industry?
Paul: “I’ve been working on dairies since I was about twelve years old. I started at Western Glow. They were a real good Guernsey breeder. From there, I ran a dairy for about 25 years. We sold the cows. I went to work for Monsanto selling Posilac, a hormone used to increase milk production in cows. When the product was banned here in Western Washington, past All West General Manager Herald Catlin called me looking for a relief breeder. So, I started as a relief technician and then when Pat Brown needed more help in the warehouse, I became a full-time assistant to Pat here.”
Aaron: “I grew up on a dairy farm in Bow, Washington, Marvin Omdal Dairy. My dad, Paul, was the herdsman so I got to start as a kid and worked there throughout high school. When they sold the cows, I had various different jobs, until I worked on a small Guernsey farm in Silvana, Washington for four years. I got a call from Pat and Paul asking if I was interested in getting in to the A.I. industry. They hired me in the warehouse and I’ve been here ever since.”
4.
Describe a typical day in your life on the job.
Paul: “We work with about 22 technicians, about 11 salesmen, and the Independent Beef Sales Representatives. We order all of the semen. We take phone calls. We distribute all of the semen. I am more involved in the semen ordering and Aaron is more in to the warehouse supply and product ordering.”
Aaron: “I order products for the warehouse, such as paint and feed products. When the salesmen call and want something drop shipped, I order those products, too. On Tuesdays, I drive over to Eastern Washington and meet with Pat Wolf to drop off semen and supplies for the sales representatives and technicians over there. When we get special order tanks delivered, I unpack tanks and fill orders for our team.”
5.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not at work?
Paul: “My wife and I have five acres of property. When we bought it, it was very wooded, but we have got it looking really nice. It’s a lot of work keeping it maintained, so that’s where I spend most of my extra time. We have a few rabbits and chickens that my granddaughter enjoys.
Aaron: “I enjoy going fishing. Once a year, me and my buddy go on a big hike, from five to ten miles, in the backwoods of the lakes we have never explored before.”
6.
If it was your choice, what unique name would you give our next best-selling bull?
Paul: “KRIEG (after ex-Seahawks quarterback, Dave Krieg, my favorite player of all time).”
Aaron: “KANE (after my favorite wrestler, Glenn Thomas Jacobs “Kane”).”
7.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Paul: “One of the neatest things here is during the spring and fall when our beef customers call for Paste Plus and some of these customers have been calling here for 40 years. It’s interesting to talk to them each year and see what’s going on in their area and on their operation, and they want to know what’s going on here. One of my favorite parts is just talking to the customers on the phone and we’re pretty lucky to get to visit with them.
Starting my career on the other side, working on the farms, you never heard of anybody quitting or leaving All West until they retired. So, when I was looking for a job, that is what pushed me towards All West. It seemed like an awesome company to work for, and it is! It’s basically a family and I don’t think you get that with many companies anymore and that’s why I chose to work here.”
Aaron: “I like doing inventories. I like traveling around and meeting with our sales representatives and technicians from different places and visiting with them. I also like working with our team locally. I also like when we get nitrogen fills. Some of the people who come in here are really nice and they’re really good to talk to.
I’m still one of the newer people here in the office, but when I started, everyone made me feel like I had been here for years. They really took time to get to know me and I felt like it was a real family atmosphere. I really like working with the technicians and the salesmen.”
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