Oatey Co., a leading manufacturer in the plumbing industry since 1916, has announced that Skipper Joyce, founder of manufacturers' representative group The Joyce Agency, was selected as the second annual winner of the Bob Bender Legacy Award. The award celebrates the legacy of the late Bob Bender, a 42-year veteran sales leader at Oatey who forged indelible relationships with customers and industry partners throughout his tenure. 

“Bob paved the way for Oatey’s wholesale sales success. He was passionate, determined, inspiring, and if you ever met him, you would not forget him,” said Patrick Aquino, vice president of wholesale sales at Oatey. “The Bob Bender Legacy Award honors someone who shares Bob’s winning spirit, and there is no one who better fits that description than Skipper Joyce.”

Joyce is known throughout the plumbing and mechanical industry as a passionate, driven leader who is committed to delivering excellence and making everyone around him great. Since founding The Joyce Agency in 1982, he has shown consistent dedication to building a winning organization and team, all while putting his family, team, and customers first. 

According to Joyce, his personal relationship with Bender makes this recognition all the more meaningful: 

“When I think about Oatey, I immediately think about Bob Bender. Bob was a person who changed how I approached this business. He reinforced my commitment to relationships. He subscribed to the same motto as I do: ‘I never saw anyone get fired with an order in their hand.’ 

“But it’s much more than that,” Joyce continued. “It’s the depth of the relationships he forged with the Oatey reps and customers. It’s the excitement he brought to the business. It’s the sincerity of his commitment to Oatey and to their customers.”

Joyce’s name was added to the Bob Bender Legacy Cup, which commemorates the list of winners, alongside Chase Freeman of Spirit Group, who won the inaugural award last year.