After 45 years in the fastener industry, Randy Ladutko has retired.

His fastener career started in 1986 and includes work as General Sales Manager for Avdel Corporation (1986-95), Director of Sales at Avdel Cherry Textron (1995-98), VP of Würth Service Supply (1999 - 2001), Sales & Marketing VP at Purchased Parts Group (2001-05), and General Sales Manager - Strategic Accounts at Supply Technologies (2006-26).

“I seriously doubt that many of us who are in this industry planned on it when we were young unless you were born into it,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “Most got into it by happenstance, me - because I grew up caddying for the president of a fastener division and needed a job out of college.”

Armed with a company car, samples, and a list of customers (with few contacts), Ladutko relocated to North Carolina and was told to “go sell” for $10,000 per year.

“There is something about this industry however, that once you're in it, you don’t leave.”