That will change January 22, when Sherman Currin will be inducted in the the industry's most exclusive club. That'll be at MHISC's State Winter Meeting in Columbia.
I sat in on the discussions when the Hall of Fame nominating committee voted to make Sherman our unique, first-time-ever inductee from outside of South Carolina.
Committee members cited several factors:
* Sherman has been in the business since 1970, devoting practically his entire career to the manufactured home industry.
* He's served several times on MHISC's Board of Directors, including two successful stints on the association's Executive Committee.
*Sherman has represented Champion Homes in South Carolina since 1983, building a base of loyal customers around the state. With the people skills that would make him welcome at any company and in any business, he's chosen to stick with our industry through times good and bad.
* He's devoted years of service to MHISC's key Membership Committee. Under his leadership, the association really hit its stride in growing the association's membership, building a healthy PAC (political war chest) and creating a tradition of super turn-out and support for our meetings.
The Hall of Fame Selection committee is composed of our Executive Committee and the members of the Hall of Fame. In other words, members who have been around and know who's for real in our industry.
They cited all the accomplishment above, but I sensed that the thing underlying what Sherman has achieved, the quality that makes him Hall of Fame material, is that Sherman Currin does business the right way. More than that, Sherman is one of the best, most consistent examples of how to treat your customers, how to be a friend, how to earn and keep the loyalty of the people you do business with, for decades.
Sherman is modest about all this. He told me that he was surprised and humbled by this honor and you can tell he means it.
But talk with him a while and you start to get a feel for why Mr. Currin inspires such loyalty from the dealers of South Carolina and why the association has turned to him repeatedly for sound leadership.
"I think what dealers are looking for is total support from me, whether it's formulating a future sale, working on service or dealing with an issue. I try keep things between them and our company on a smooth, even keel. I pay just as much attention when we're talking about a service issue as when the dealer is about to order a house."
Sherman believes that many customers choose to do business with a company based on the people involved as much as what it has to offer in terms of products or service.
"People are going to do business with companies and representatives they feel they can depend on," he says. "There are times when I can't give people the answer they want, but I want them to know that whatever I do say or promise, they can depend on it."
