September 2025 - Kelly Parks

What do you find most fascinating / challenging about the water industry?
Dealing with all the different personalities, both employee and customer is probably the most challenging. Having an open mind to see others point of view is sometimes difficult when you are a type A personality.  As far as fascinating, the growth of our industry in the last 20 years has both amazed me and scared me a little. Acquisitions of manufacturing and dealer networks over the last 10 years is unprecedented. There is really no telling where this will go in the next 10 years. This is why the regional associations are so important not only to educate but also help the dealer navigate the uncertainty. 

What is your hobby and why?
I always enjoy being outdoors. Salt water fishing has become one of my favorite past times (hobby if you will) and something I can do with my whole family. 

Have you had a mentor in the industry and what valuable lesson / catch phrase has that person passed to you.
I have several individuals that have guided me and always been there when I had a question or needed some guidance. I did not always get the answer I was looking for or wanted to hear! If I could pick one lesson from all of those individuals it would be to have patience and an open mind. I became acquainted with all of these individuals during my 30 years at TWQA and still communicate with them on a regular basis.

Who would you like to have a drink with and chat? This person can be from history or current day.
Too many to choose from! Henry Ford would be an interesting conversation. He was a visionary and fundamentally changed the way business and manufacturing is run not only in the US but around the world.