Personalities
Curtis Richards, Marketing Manager
Palm Harbor Homes
On a bright and sunny early summer afternoon, we had a chance to talk with Curtis Richards of Palm Harbor Homes. Curtis is one of the most active personalities in the manufactured housing industry in the Pacific Northwest. A long time supporter of energy efficiency issues, Curtis was an early supporter of the Super Good Cents program, and continues to find innovative ways to market the benefits of energy and environmental efficiency to consumers.
We asked Curtis a few questions, and got a few answers!
Years in industry: Going on 34 years now. My first job was as a sales coordinator for Fleetwood Homes in Woodland, California. The only reason I took that job is because it was $100 more a month than a GS9 air traffic controller job at LA Central. (Curtis was an air traffic controller for the Air Force in Vietnam).
Why manufactured housing? Because it has the ability to really deliver high value products to the consumer.
Couple of favorite Curtis-isms! The "P" Factor: "Empowered people producing powerful products that perform profitably for all participants." (Say that three times fast!) And a quote about energy and environment options & "It's good for you, it's good for your wallet, and it's good for the world you live in."
Favorite Book: Curtis is a voracious reader. His latest favorite book is William Manchester's "The Last Lion." It's the second of a series of books about Winston Churchill, during Churchill's middle years when he was a lone voice against Nazism and Hitler. Why a favorite? It's about a leader who is so strong in his beliefs and vision that he stays the course, regardless of what it might mean to his career.
Favorite Movie: A voracious movie fan, the movie question proved almost as difficult as the favorite book question! "I like anything with Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant, or today with Tom Hanks or Jack Nicholsen." His current favorite movie is "Breaker Morant," the true story of an Australian Army Company leader whose unit faced a firing squad in the Boar War
Favorite Manufactured Housing Movie: (He actually had one!) The Long Trailer, starring Lucille Ball. Really, that's what it was called, and it's a good movie too!
Ideal Vacation: A week on the Oregon coast, no appointments or schedules, and about a dozen books and a pound of French roast coffee! And a good DVD for the evening!