Q&A with ‘Across the Table’ Columnist Dave Withee
Lab Design News spoke to ‘Across the Table’ columnist Dave Withee about his career, the new monthly column, and his favorite foods.
Q: How did you get started in your career? Did you major in your field in college, get an internship, switch careers mid-stream, etc.?
A: I switched careers. Funny story, the VP of marketing at my previous employer was interviewing for the same position at Fisher Hamilton, which was completely rebuilding its marketing staff. He realized they needed product managers, so he recommended me. Coincidentally, the husband of a woman who had formerly reported to my wife was the VP of sales for a different company in the lab business and strongly recommended Hamilton to me. I interviewed, they offered and I accepted. They did not offer my former VP!
Q: What is the biggest work-related challenge you've faced? How did you overcome it?
A: Helping to overcome the effort by ThermoFisher to purchase Durcon, which, with their already-owned Epoxyn, would have created a virtual monopoly for epoxy resin work surfaces. Several industry leaders I contacted thought it was a useless effort trying to compete with ThermoFisher, but we pulled it off! I spoke for our company and educated the FTC as to how our industry works, how the ThermoFisher arguments were disingenuous at best, and made certain I shared all of my communications with everyone in the industry I could think of to help them develop their own thoughts on the matter. Thank heaven for the internet! I searched for advice of different types; the responses guided my own efforts.
Q: What are some of your career highlights so far?
A:
Profitably created new jobs with each company at which I worked.
Article of the Year, Pharmaceutical Engineering magazine, Nov./Dec. 2003 issue, New Laboratory Design Helps Speed Up Research.
A 20-year member of the R&D Magazine Laboratory of the Year Judging panel.
Board Chair of SEFA (Scientific Equipment & Furniture Association), and lead the board’s development of 30-year goals.
Member, Quality Standards Board of Review, Architectural Woodwork Institute
Created several unique, customer-valued support programs.
Q: What is one important skill that all lab design experts should have?
A: I’m talking out of school here, as I am not a lab design expert, [but] I would suggest they need to be able to keep up with evolving changes in the sciences they serve and be able to evolve their lab designs accordingly.
Q: If you weren't in this profession, what job would you like to have instead?
A: Operate a skunkworks firm. I am constantly thinking of new products to support evolving customer needs.
Q: What is the best piece of professional advice you have received?
A: Just because an idea didn’t work years ago doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t work today. Times change and maybe this is the time it will work.
This one wasn’t advice so much as a warning: when I first joined Fisher Hamilton, I was told I was now stuck forever in the laboratory furniture industry. They described it as akin to a black hole in space and it would be nearly impossible to escape the gravitational pull. I scoffed, having changed industries before, but here I am!
Q: If you could tell your younger self something, what would it be?
A: Hold on tight, it’s going to be a fun ride!
Q: What kinds of hobbies or interests do you have outside of work?
A: Applied economics and business models! The Challey Institute at North Dakota State University has a wonderful speakers program. It’s also available virtually. I used to run marathons and shorter events; physical problems don’t allow that anymore and I miss it. I love to read (economics, military and other histories, and science fiction). Volunteering – currently I shelve books at the library! Previously I spent 14 years on our church finance council. I love to share my industry knowledge to advise those who are still active. I currently am active with a couple of projects.
Q: If you could teleport to any destination in the world, where would you go?
A: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland (bagpipe festival)!
Q: What is your go-to takeout order?
A: Culver’s pork tenderloin basket [and] China Buffet orange chicken with fried rice.
Q: What are you most looking forward to with the new column?
A: Hopefully initiating discussion about [the] development of innovative products and methods to help lab planners help their customers. I’m especially hopeful the small group of early adopters will find the topics intriguing. Now that I am not “selling” anything, I hope more lab planners will want to chat about the topics I address and others of interest to them.
Q: What sort of topics will be covered in the column?
A: Many will question why current methods are still used while some other established ideas are not. Others will offer suggestions on how to avoid traditional industry challenges. It is difficult for anyone to keep up with trends; I hope to help people change.
Q: I have an idea for the column, who do I get in touch with?
A: Me! dwithee@alum.mit.edu , 920-737-8477