WCP Employee Spotlight: Jeff Bailey
38 Years in the Paper Industry and the WCP Family
This month we’re shining a spotlight on WCP Solutions’ Jeff Bailey, an Account Manager in our Eugene Division. Jeff has been known throughout his many years with the company to always go above and beyond for our customers. His passion for the job and the relationships he’s built with his customers and fellow WCP colleagues have shined over the course of his career. Jeff is highly knowledgeable about paper and uses that knowledge to be a resource for colleagues and customers alike.
Jeff was hired in 1982 for what was then Crater Paper in Medford, Oregon. His role included purchasing, billing, writing orders, inventory, pulling orders, cutting, delivering, and many other tasks. He moved into sales in 1987 and after Crater Paper was purchased by WCP Solutions, he transferred to Eugene in 1990 to start the WCP Eugene branch. Jeff was the branch manager in Eugene until 2001 and from then on, concentrated on print sales which he still does today. Ultimately, Jeff has a long history at WCP Solutions, especially in the print/paper segment of the business.
Jeff’s Personal Story
Born and raised in Medford, Oregon, Jeff’s great grandfather was a gold miner in the Rogue Valley in the late 1800s. Jeff married his wife Nancy in 1980 and has 2 daughters and 5 grandkids who all live in Eugene.
His hobbies are family first, then hunting, fishing, camping, and spending time out in the middle of nowhere. Jeff loves to be on a lake, river, desert, or on the porch of his cabin with his wife, family, and friends.
Q+A with Jeff
What’s your typical day at WCP look like?
My typical day would be getting to the office early. Going through daily reports, orders entered, backorders, delivery issues, price changes, emails, sales meetings if scheduled, and possibly putting out fires. Customer visits from 9:30 or so through the Noon hour. Back to the office in the afternoon to take care of my morning customer calls, quotes, merchandising, product searches, customer questions that are waiting. Back out to visit customers mid to late afternoon. And then I always try to end the day back at the office to close it out.
What’s your favorite part of working at WCP?
The fact that the company and the Abrams family trusts us, the employees, to handle the day to day business as if it were our own.
What’s one lesson that your current position has taught you?
To be a resource to your customers. Not just a salesperson or even an Account Manager, but to be the person that bails them out of a problem, answers the questions that they can’t get answered elsewhere. To be the person that they call first for whatever it might be. Be the person to take the worry out of their supply needs.
What’s one of your favorite products that WCP carries?
Mohawk Options Navajo – I know, it’s only something that a paper guy would say but I love the smooth finish and variety of sizes! Download the Navajo Details Guide.
Do you have any tips to offer customers when they order from WCP?
Trust us to care. WCP does care and that is step #1 in taking care of you.
Can you share 1 or 2 favorite memories or stories while working at WCP?
A couple of weeks ago, a customer called who had forgotten to order the envelopes they usually use to mail out their W-2 forms. This was a problem as the law states that W-2s have to be mailed by January 31. When we enquired to try to help them solve this issue, we found out that WCP Envelope in Portland was completely booked and couldn’t produce the envelopes until the first week of February which would have been too late. Rather than just telling the customer “No,” we took the extra step to get Steve Kaufman involved who is the WCP Envelope manager in Portland. Steve got the Envelope group engaged together along with Penny at WCPE Seattle and figured out a way that they could squeeze the order in, between two other jobs, and deliver the envelopes in time for our customers. They got them done in record speed, down to Eugene on our truck, and we became our customer’s “heroes”! WCPE and the Eugene Division went the extra mile and saved the day!
Notes from Jeff’s Coworkers
We asked some coworkers to share their experience working with Jeff:
Jeff is one of the most appreciative, hospitable, and professional Account Managers working for WCP Solutions. Rod R. WCP Envelope (Kent, WA)
Jeff is one of the good ones – hard-working, passionate, knowledgeable and honest. If I was a customer I would want him on my side and be the person I buy from! Cathy T. WCP (Portland, OR)
Jeff has always been willing to teach and help improve WCP Solutions’ knowledge of the paper industry. I remember my first meeting with Jeff, first as a supplier and then as a fellow employee. I could tell he really knew what he was talking about and was a great resource to learn from. Adam B. (WCP Eugene)
Learn more about WCP and our history of customer service by visiting our About page. Want to work alongside awesome people like Jeff Bailey and the rest of our team? Visit the WCP Career Center to see all of our open career opportunities!
