According to Bret Long, culture is key, and in his role as president and general manager of Winsupply Phoenix RDC, he has been instrumental in creating an environment that fosters both personal and professional growth while supporting current and future entrepreneurs.
Winsupply Phoenix RDC is a wholesale distributor with a mission to provide contractors with the “Winsupply Customer Experience” through offering dependable expertise, inventory when and where it’s needed, and the comfort of dealing with a decision maker. The firm supports contractors and other buyers by offering the best possible prices, preferred buyer perks and local support.
Long began his career with the company as an intern and held various roles at Winsupply Phoenix RDC, leading to larger roles supporting entrepreneurs in business development. In 2021, he was promoted to operations manager and helped manage the construction of a 50-million-dollar building while hiring and training 65 employees. Within a few months, he was promoted to president of the firm.
“Bret always displays the desire Winsupply Phoenix RDC strives to achieve in delivering excellent customer service to our local companies,” said Bobby Kellar, president of the Oklahoma branch. “Bret is a humble, yet tenacious leader and our team has benefited greatly from having his work ethic, passion and drive coming into the building every day.”
Under Long’s leadership, he has led a pilot program with contractors through local companies to help build sales while enhancing the company’s ability to buy, sell and store millions of dollars in waterworks pipe that will help support the Phoenix market and construction for years to come. Long has also been instrumental in creating an innovative tractor-trailer drive-through experience that will be brought to other facilities in the future.
As a leader, Long said he relies on emotional intelligence. “In order to effectively communicate, inspire and build trust, and create a positive culture, one needs emotional intelligence,” he said. “Good leaders should have compassion and relatability to the multiple team members and perspectives they lead.”
If he could give his younger self advice, Long said it would be that if you are going to fail, fail fast. “One of my greatest mentors and coaches once said that his greatest successes as a leader have come from the lessons of his failures,” Long said. “Never fear failure, for it teaches you who you truly are. Being able to recognize and overcome creates opportunity.”
