Name: TeJay Griffiths

Title: Ecommerce Manager

Hired: 2011, 2021

Degree: Double Major from University of Utah – Business Management & Information Systems

Marital Status: Wife and 3 Children

Hobbies: Raising children, dogs, and chickens. “My wife co-owns and runs a tumbling studio. Between all of that, we stay fairly busy. In our scant free time, we enjoy spending time together as a family; having campfires, hiking, going to the lake, and playing board games.”

Bio: At Hose and Rubber Supply, it’s not about just “doing a job.” It’s about embarking on a career path, something TeJay Griffiths knows all about.

Griffiths began working for the Salt Lake City branch of Hose and Rubber Supply after hearing about the position from a neighbor. Before that, as he finished college, he managed a shipping and copying store for his father-in-law.

“After I graduated, the business was sold and I decided it was time to get a ‘real’ career,” Griffiths stated. “I interviewed with Paul for the warehouse lead position in the Salt Lake branch after being told about the position from a neighbor. While we did discuss the warehouse position, most of the time was spent discussing future opportunities inside the company and what I might like to do long term. It struck me as different and I was genuinely excited to be offered the job.”

Griffiths said that he had no idea that hose and fittings were an entire industry, and that the industry itself is its own distinct niche of knowledge and nomenclature.

“I remember asking a lot of questions when I first started,” he said. “The warehouse desk was next to Todd’s spot on the counter; if he ever grew tired of my incessant questions, he never showed it.”

Griffiths began working as the Warehouse Lead. His job was to make sure the inventory was exactly as it should be; that everything had its place and all parts were accounted for.

As the new kid on the block, Griffiths said this was a great way to learn the ins and outs of the business. Eventually, he was given a promotion and, a year after that, he was tasked to create an entirely different department.

“I was asked to build a purchasing department for the company that would take care of purchasing for all our locations,” Griffiths said. “I created a system that helped make our branch’s jobs easier, while making sure we had enough product to meet the needs of the customer.”

Griffiths excelled at that job, and successfully built a department that Hose and Rubber Supply still utilizes to this day. But, things changed and priorities shifted. Griffiths had found success and fulfillment in his career; now it was time to help his wife do the same.

“Something something, plans change,” Griffiths laughed. “While I would miss working at Hose & Rubber, I was excited for the opportunity to work with my wife and her company. It was bittersweet leaving the purchasing department. I was proud of the staff I’d worked with and I knew they’d be able to continue taking care of the branches.”

And they did. But that didn’t mean they forgot about the one who created it.

“Something something, plans change again,” he said. “Hose & Rubber reached out to me about a position in the new-ish Government Military Sales branch. The timing was great as I felt I’d gotten the family business on a solid foundation. I’ve spent the last year feeling like the new guy again. Learning all about nuances of dealing with government contracts. At the end of the day our job is still the same. To identify what the customer needs and make sure they’re taken care of. There’s just a lot more paperwork and documentation involved now.”

They say to never burn bridges when leaving a job. Griffiths not only didn’t burn a bridge; he planted flowers on it, hosted picnics, and housed a scary looking, but good-hearted troll under it, who would lead travelers to far away worlds full of riches and happiness, if only they could answer these riddles three.

In essence, he stayed on good terms.

“When I left, I told Scott that if I was ever looking to change careers (again), my first call would be to him,” Griffiths said. “He graciously promised he’d take the call. During my gap year I kept in touch with Scott and dropped by the SLC location on several occasions. It meant a great deal to me that I was approached for the position in GMS. I have a great deal of respect for the management team here at Hose & Rubber. It was significant that they thought of me for this.”

That significance was two-fold.

Hose and Rubber Supply exists to provide their customers with top-notch service and excellent products. People like TeJay Griffiths are as important to the company as any of the product they sell.

“I’m thrilled to work with people that strive to take care of the customer and their coworkers,” Griffiths said. “Whether as a new warehouse employee working on my first cycle count, making company-wide changes in purchasing, or establishing a fledgling branch I’ve known I can always reach out to anyone for assistance and support. I love working for a company that’s different. A company that doesn’t just say they care; they show it and act it. At Hose & Rubber you will always get the best value. We focus on understanding the customer’s situation and finding the optimal solution to their problem.”