WorldWide Drilling Resource

16 SEPTEMBER 2015 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Celebrating Dedication Submitted by Mo Rainey, Vice President, Simmons Manufacturing On June 12, 1965, a young lady by the name of Melba Bradley (Davis) started her first job after graduation from high school, at Jefferson Sales in Kingsport, Tennessee. At the time, the only thing she knew about the water world was water appeared when the faucet was opened. Many things in the pump world, and at Jefferson Sales, have changed over the years, but there’s one constant and that’s Melba. Her early duties were predominantly clerical, but over the years, she has worked for two different owners and several different managers to become the current manager of Jefferson Sales South. In 1965, Jefferson’s sales territory was limited to east Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and a small portion of western North Carolina. In those days, residential water sources were cisterns, springs, and drilled wells, with the pumps being shallow and deep well jets, piston succor rod, hydraulic rams, and a few submersibles. Goulds furnished Jefferson Sales all the ram pumps and had done so since the late 1930s. Melba immersed herself in her new job trying to learn as much as she could about the many different styles of pumps. Jefferson sold new pumps, but they were known throughout the region as the place to go for parts. It didn’t take long for Melba to become a guru of piston pump repair parts. When Goulds decided to discontinue the piston pump, Jefferson saw an opportunity and purchased the majority of Goulds’ remaining repair parts. With this, Melba’s exposure grew; now she wasn’t just helping people locally, she was servicing accounts all the way in California. This was to become her mantra, to know as much a about every product she sold as she could. There was a time when Claudis Clemmer, then president of Jefferson looked to supplement pump sales during the slow winter months by selling chain saws. This was a short-lived venture, but during that time, who else but Melba became responsible for over- seeing the sale of repair parts. This is how it would continue, whether it be cattle waterers, water sprinklers, pool pumps and supplies, chemical feed pumps, chlorinators, municipal utility supplies, irrigation pipe and fittings, Melba made a point to become knowledgeable with every product she sold. New lines were added and existing lines evolved, and Melba handled all of the changes masterfully. Jefferson grew from furnishing those earlier mentioned pumps to being a full line distributor of large submersible turbines, cen- trifugal, sump/sewage, and constant pressure pumps with Melba knowledgeable in all. Early on, management realized they had found a true gem in Melba and began to add to her responsibilities. In her tenure, her responsibilities have included receptionist, accounts payable/receiveable, purchasing, inventory control, sales, technical assistance, and Mother. She’s been the Mother to well over 100 employees who have passed through, or continue to work at Jefferson Sales over the past 50 years. The respect for Melba’s knowledge of the water well industry grew and in 1996, she was asked to become executive secretary for the Tennessee Water Well Association (TWWA). She handled the demands of the as- sociation while continuing to fulfill her management responsibilities at Jefferson Sales. During her tenure at TWWA, the association grew and began to hold an annual convention which she orchestrated and oversaw. It would seem with all this going on in her professional life, she would have had no time for any outside interests, but that wouldn’t be true. Melba and her husband Norman find time to be actively involved in the lives of her nieces and nephews, as well as Norman’s children and grandchildren. Currently, Melba’s free time is spent caring for her father. Prior to this, she and Norman were actively involved in the National Street Rod Association taking their baby, a beautifully restored 1937 Pontiac Chief, to rallies across the country. At these events, Melba has been known to exhibit her skills around a car; she even won a competition changing spark plugs. In the past, her involvement in- cluded being an officer in both the Moose Lodge and Order of the Eastern Star. Her service at Jefferson Sales is only ex- ceeded by her membership at Vermont United Methodist. Join us in Congratulating Melba on her achievement of 50 years at Jefferson Sales. She is truly a great lady who is an icon in the water well industry and if you were to cut her, she’d bleed Goulds Blue! 2010 TWWA Board of Directors. WWDR photo.