We Are ALPOLIC: Meet Tom Ratway
Tom Ratway is a true professional who draws on four decades of experience to service his customers. When he began his career, he often called on junior architects. Flash forward 30 years, and those same architects are now principals in firms across the United States. “These relationships are special, and I truly value those friendships,” explains Tom. His sincerity and positive attitude have made him a favorite within the ALPOLIC sales team, as well as the design-build community.
Today, Tom’s title is architectural sales manager for South Central United States. However, over his tenure at ALPOLIC he has been a resource for customers across the West Coast and Southwest, and even Alaska and Hawaii. “Travel has been more difficult over the last two years, but I still love interacting with my customers. It’s rewarding to see how their businesses have grown over the years – from one-or-two-man operations to larger companies with more than 100 employees. That really is something special.”
Tom grew up in Oklahoma and received his bachelor’s degree from Central Oklahoma University. He is a passionate Sooner’s football fan, often spending Saturdays catching a game with family and friends. Full of insight, Tom can carry on a lively conversation about a wide variety of topics, although he admits that in-person AIA presentations are a favorite part of his job. These continuing education classes are where Tom is at his best, and you can be sure that attendees will leave not only entertained but also better educated on the versatility of ALPOLIC MCM.
“When I meet with architects or fabricators, I want to be viewed as an exterior envelope consultant. I want them to know that I’m going to ask questions and find out how we can meet their needs. It takes time to develop relationships in our industry, they don’t happen overnight, but I’ve always focused on fostering them. When working with me, customers get a dedicated resource to collaborate with on their projects. ALPOLIC offers so much more than a price sheet.”
