When we were invited to attend a Caleffi Academy educational event last September, we knew we’d also meet with Mark Olson, CEO, Caleffi North America. However, we didn’t know we would also meet Tina Gullickson, on the job for just two weeks in the newly created role of chief operating officer.

Gullickson brings two decades experience in the plumbing and hydronics industries, including leadership positions at Weil-McLain (along with the Marley and Williamson-Thermoflo brands) and Broan-NuTone.

If you plan on attending the AHR Expo in Chicago later this month, expect to find out more about Gullickson (and Caleffi, for that matter). In the meantime, here’s what we found out talking to Gullickson and Olson during our visit.

PHC News: Tina, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself.

Gullickson: I’m proud to have been born and raised right here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I’ve been working in the plumbing and heating industry for more than 20 years. My first opportunity was at Weil-McLain, including with Marley and Williamson-Thermoflo, where I spent sixteen years in business development and national accounts.

Most recently, I spent the past seven years at Broan-NuTone and ultimately became the general manager for OEM.

I’ve spent many years developing strategic plans and tactically moving those plans through the sales and engineering teams, as well as leading e-commerce, B2B and B2C sales channels and full responsibilities for P&L.

PHC News: How did you learn about this opportunity at Caleffi?

Gullickson: Caleffi’s recruiter originally reached out to me with a different opportunity at the company right before I took my last position with Broan-NuTone. [EDITOR’S NOTE: The recruiter mentioned has helped hire dozens of Caleffi staffers, including Olson.] We stayed in contact over the years, and eventually I received another call. This time it was in consideration of Caleffi’s newly created position of chief operating officer.

PHC News: Mark, what can you tell us about not only hiring Tina, but also creating this new role at Caleffi?

Olson: First, I think Caleffi is well positioned for growth. The customers who have experienced Caleffi think extremely highly about our products, company and people.

But it’s not like everyone in the U.S. knows about Caleffi, especially as we ramp up marketing to the southern parts of the county. Developing our offerings to the plumbing market provides ample growth opportunities and is very exciting.

To prepare for future growth, we’re in the middle of expanding our warehouse, which will triple our capacity to provide innovative products when and where they are needed.

In turn, Tina brings new skillsets in other channels that we aren’t heavily involved in right now but should be, such as MRO and e-commerce – not e-commerce in terms of us selling directly to contractors, but rather seamlessly helping our wholesalers effectively sell online orders to contractors.

We’re excited to seize opportunities in entirely new markets too, such as stable water pressure control in applications such as irrigation. Right now, we don’t have a big product line to take to this market, but we are building out that plumbing line. 

Tina comes with a rich background in integrating systems and has demonstrated considerable success. She is ideally suited to steer Caleffi North America through the substantial growth opportunities ahead.  

PHC News: Tina, while Caleffi wasn’t an entirely new name to you, once the recruiter called you about this new position, what were your initial impressions of Caleffi once you started the interview process?

Gullickson: In my initial interactions with the company during the interview process, one thing was unmistakably clear: Caleffi had created a real family here. This wasn’t just about our innovative, quality products or renowned brand. What truly struck me was the consistent message from all stakeholders, whether they were a part of our global team or external partners. Everyone felt like they were part of something larger where each voice matters. 

This isn’t just a company; it’s a network of people moving forward together. This is what excites me most about leading the company. When everyone is moving forward together, success takes care of itself.  

PHC News: Can you give us a glimpse of your management style?

Gullickson: Talent wins games, but teamwork wins championships. The essence of success boils down to teamwork, a concept that’s taken on even more importance in recent years. With the rise of hybrid and virtual work environments, keeping a strong sense of team unity is crucial, no matter where our team members are located. It’s about steering everyone towards a common goal, setting the stage for champion-level performance to drive our collective success.  

PHC News: I know you’re new to the job, but what can tell us about what you want to do?

Gullickson: Right now, my immediate goal is to ensure that everyone fully embraces the sense of teamwork and family spirit that initially attracted me to Caleffi. It’s about building on the momentum that Mark established. He did an outstanding job in elevating Caleffi’s profile and visibility in the industry. I will continue this legacy, and I must say, the task is made simpler by the dedicated people we have here. The story of our company is already compelling; my focus is on sharing this story with the industry, bringing them into the fold of what makes our company unique and successful.