Corporate Vision May 2017

24 CORPORATE VISION / May 2017 , David Edward Seitz was recently crowned CEO of the Year – Texas, after whichwe took time to profile his career background and interviewhimabout the challenges he enjoyed in his leadership role. A Strong Focus on Energy Savings Born in 1939 in McAllen TX, David Edward Seitz attended the University of Texas, Edinburg and Austin. Seitz was guided and assisted by his wonderful mentor, Lloyd Bentsen Jr. David E. Seitz Loan Brokerage company was founded in 1964 and in 1968 was converted to Ashford Mortgage company in Houston, TX. In 1974, Seitz was responsible for financing the Houston Northwest Medical Center to successfully prevent a serious default under the hospital’s financing agreements. He also assisted in the development of a master plan that included affordable housing for hospital employees, and medical office building development. In 1975, the total debt of the hospital was less than $18 mm and was therefore enjoying an incredible success. In 1995, the owner physicians sold the hospital for over $250 mm. In 1974, Seitz provided the underwriting and revenue bond financing for the Northeast Medical Center, the first hospital in Humble, TX (18 miles for downtown Houston) and the birth place of Standard Oil Company. Ashford Mortgage enjoyed a wonderful reputation for being the lender’s lender, and provided the underwriting procedures and guidelines for major government programmes, such as HUD’s 223F. Ashford provided financing for Johnny Carson and Neil Simons purchase of land at the very well-known Willowbrook Shopping Mall, in Houston, TX, and the development financing for the North Castle Hills Estates in San Antonio, Inverness Resorts hi-rise at South Padre and many more notable developments. In 1986, Seitz introduced electric tankless in the Inverness Resorts Condominiums at South Padre Island, TX that he was developing. These initial tankless products were developed by an unrelated Houston company and unfortunately, although very impressive in initial service, they were not reliable for more than about a year. Seitz was so impressed with the concept that he formed a new company, Microtherm, Inc. later to be named Seisco International INC., for the development of a new design utilising an engineering polymer from GE Plastics complimented by his unique patented power/ temperature control. After four hard years, it was determined that the selected GE polymer was not a good choice. Seitz turned to DuPont and its Nylon products, which in the ensuing 20 years of use and new product development proved to be a great choice for his Seisco electric tankless heaters. In 2000, the Seisco electric tankless was the choice of water heaters for the Clinton initiative, the ‘Partnership for Advancing Technologies in Housing’ (PATH) In 2006 the Seisco’s used in the PATH programme were voted as one of the ‘Top 10 Technologies in Housing’. In the following years, the control was improved in four new U.S. patented technologies. By 2012, Seitz and his shareholders decided to reinvent the Seisco line of electric tankless and offer a very broad line of electric heaters, including space heating, safety equipment, boilers etc. Just after four years and a very important final U.S. patent, Seisco was in the final stages of completing all the goals he established when he was approached by the A.O.S. company to but the Seisco company. After almost a year of negotiation, Seitz now 76 years old and looking for vacation time decided and sold Seisco International LLC to A.O.S. On winning this CEO of the Year – Texas award David says he is definitely flattered to receive it. Looking at his firm retrospectively, the work he did as a CEO and the types of clients he worked with David explains that these consisted of major publicly held corporations including DuPont Engineering Polymers, Watts, GE Polymers, A.O.S. company, government agencies such as HUD, NREL, DOE, major distributors of plumbing products and leading engineering companies. The challenges that any successful CEO needs to overcome in their position of leadership are “doubt, fear and loss of direction and focus” David underlines. To keep himself motivated and positive in order to be a successful CEO, he simply did this by “focusing on the enormous opportunities available every day to utilise the firm’s products in “never ending challenging and rewarding applications”. The key attributes that make for an award-winning CEO are integrity, commitment and foresight and the ability to stay on track in David’s view. David’s business was “the development, manufacturing and marketing of the global standard for the most reliable, safe, and best performing patented technology for electric residential, commercial, industrial, line of tankless water heaters and boilers” he explains. When undertaking a new client or project, David comments that it is important “to thoroughly analyse the client’s and project needs and identify our capability to best meet those requirements. In the case of a new distributor for example, the ability of the 1703CV35