Three Questions with Our New CEO, David Campos

David is a growth-oriented leader with extensive consumer and industrial experience. He served most recently as President of GCP Applied Technologies, a $1B global building materials company, where he built an exceptional team and launched a customer-centric growth agenda to turnaround the business in record time. This resulted in market share gain and double-digit revenue and profit growth, breaking a trend of multiple years of decline. Prior to that, David held senior leadership roles at Serta-Simmons Bedding and Kimberly-Clark Corporation. David has a track record of transforming businesses, accelerating growth and profitability, and building strong enterprise customer relationships. As a leader, he is passionate about building high- performing teams and developing talent and culture. As president of AQH, David will partner with teams in the US, Canada, Mexico, and China to deliver fanatical focus on the customer, drive growth, and ensure a front-line obsession.
We had the privilege of asking him some questions about his background, aspirations, and his vison for the company’s future.

1. What motivated you to pursue a career in this industry?
Leaving a legacy is important. So, I am very fortunate to work in an industry that is all about making the world healthier.
 
While some companies tie themselves in knots coming up with a worthy mission, our industry is doing it! At Broan-NuTone, we want to improve people’s lives through better air. It is not a tagline, but it is our mission! Let me illustrate this with a few examples:

• As dwellings are becoming more energy efficient, they are also becoming more airtight, which reduces air exchanges. You and your family could end up breathing last year’s air—literally—! Our Fresh Air Systems address this issue with a range of solutions: from a smart damper or supply fan to advanced Energy or Heat Recovery Ventilators (ERV/HRV).
• The kitchen, regardless of whether it is gas or not, is the most polluted place in our homes. Our kitchen ventilation systems tackle this!
• And last but not least, the humble Exhaust Vent in your bathroom not only takes care of steam and odors, but in many homes it is the only device ensuring air exchanges.

2. In your opinion, how do you foresee the industry evolving in the coming years, and what direction do you envision for our business?
As the recent fires in Canada have proven, we should never take air quality for granted or treat it as a commodity. I foresee more people caring about the air they and their loved ones breathe.
 
I foresee an evolution from just selling air-handling devices to increasing awareness about the importance of air quality and how it can be achieved. For example, schools are already making air quality a priority, as studies have revealed that air quality affects learning!
 
I believe families will become more willing to invest in improving the air they and their loved ones breathe. Similarly, I expect businesses to start thinking about the concept of “return on air.”

3. Could you share some of the values and principles that are import to you and how you ensure they are reflected in our company’s culture and practices?
I have a few core beliefs and principles that are central to me. First, I believe that everything starts and ends with people. Exceptional teams achieve exceptional things. Therefore, safety is paramount and investing in people and culture is critical. In that context, I believe my role is to remove obstacles for our people to do what they do best—delight customers and innovate. I, thus, like to spend time with our frontline (manufacturing, sales, customer service, etc.) and see first-hand what is going on.
 
I am passionate about putting the customer at the center. We don’t exist without our customers, so I am fanatical about building indispensable partnerships with them. That includes intimately knowing their needs and solving them through innovation.
 
Finally, I’m all about growth. Growth is achieved through all the above: a great team, an obsession with the customer, meaningful innovation, and exceptional execution! I love the adage: “if strategy is king, execution is King Kong!”
 
I am humbled to have been selected to serve as the leader of this 92-year-old company. And I believe we are well on our way to write the next magnificent chapter of Broan-NuTone’s history!