Faces of ECIA – Josiah Haas

What is your involvement with ECIA and what have you gained from your engagement with the association?

I served on ECIA’s Marketing Council for a number of years, including two years as Chair, and I currently serve on the Industry Association’s Manufacturing Council. Being involved with the councils has given me the opportunity to work with other industry leaders on promoting the Association and working through challenges facing our member companies. I have particularly enjoyed the council and committee meetings where people are willing to openly exchange ideas and talk through issues. The relationships that come from that involvement, along with attending the Executive Conference and EDS, have been a real benefit.

What does your company do and what is your role in your company?

I am President of Bud Industries and have spent the past 20 years working at Bud, including overseeing our sales organization and serving on the executive team. I am the 4^th generation of the Haas family to lead Bud Industries. Bud Industries is a nearly 98-year-old manufacturer of electronic enclosures and cabinet racks serving the electronics, automation, and data center markets. An interesting thing about our place in the industry is that nearly every product manufactured or sold by an ECIA member company could ultimately end up installed in or on a Bud enclosure.

What is your favorite thing about this industry?

My favorite part of this industry is the constant evolution of electronics. Some of the enclosures Bud sells today have been in our product line for more than 80 years. What has changed dramatically is what gets installed inside them. Early on they largely housed radio components, while today those same types of enclosures may be used with power electronics, semiconductors or entirely new technologies.

I also find it fascinating to work with customers on ways to simplify their supply chains while adding functionality to the product. Sometimes the value we provide goes beyond the enclosure itself and comes from making things easier for the customer. That is what keeps the industry interesting. There is always a new application or a new challenge, even when the box around it has not changed very much.

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

Over the past few years I have gotten into tennis and Peloton. I also enjoy traveling for fun and getting the chance to see new places and cultures. A lot of the rest of my free time is spent traveling around watching my two sons play lacrosse or soccer. I would not trade those afternoons and weekends on the sidelines for anything.

What is the best piece of career advice you've ever received?

Don’t just join, get involved. Take on responsibility and be willing to lead. 

I have found that you really do get out of an organization what you are willing to put into it. That has been true for me through ECIA, serving in leadership roles with Cleveland YPO, and staying involved with the school I attended through its alumni board and Board of Trustees. Some of my most meaningful experiences have come from working with other people who care about an organization and want to make it better for everyone involved. Hopefully, when your time is done, you have helped leave the organization a little stronger than you found it.