Steve Smith is Vice President of Sales at American Plating Power and is also the chair of the NASF SUR/FIN Steering Committee.
Smith is a graduate of Wheaton College and began working at APP in 2012.
Steve SmithHow did you get your start in the finishing industry?
I answered a newspaper ad for an inside sales job for a southern California equipment distributor in the 1980s and never looked back.
What do you enjoy best about the industry?
Of course, the great people I’ve met over the years and now consider friends. Also, I’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to visit countless manufacturing plants and see how things are made. Metal finishing touches so many aspects of our daily lives.
Is your glass half-full or half-empty?
My version of the glass question is that you have two choices in life: you can laugh, or you can cry. I choose to laugh.
What three items would you take with you on a deserted island?
My wife. Being stuck at home during COVID has proved to me that she really can put up with me. Second, one of our cats, although I would be hard-pressed to decide which one. Lastly, a good bottle of Scotch. Maybe that would have to be a case of Scotch if we are stranded there for any length of time.
What was your favorite subject in school?
One of my most interesting classes in college was criminology. We visited Joliet State Prison in Illinois. As I went through the front door, they were taking a body out on a gurney. Someone had been knifed. It made a lifelong impression on me. As the saying goes, it was a great place to visit, but …
What's the most unusual thing you've ever eaten?
Fried bees in China. Actually, several things in China. After a while, I stopped asking what things were and just ate it if it tasted good and passed if it didn’t. It was better not to know.
Do you collect anything?
I used to have several collections: old radios, cameras, and cocktail shakers, among other things, but I have gotten away from collecting in recent years.
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
I’m definitely an introvert. I love people, but I need my alone time to recharge.
Which of the five senses would you say is your strongest?
I guess sight. I’m a great packer. I can look at a pile of stuff and know within an inch how it needs to be packed to all fit.
Are you related or distantly related to anyone famous?
Not that I know of. I think I was Cleopatra in a previous life, but I know three other people who make the same claim, so maybe not.
What do you do to keep fit?
Oh yeah, I need to keep fit. Thanks for reminding me. Seriously, I like biking and have recently started working out again regularly.
Does your family have a “motto” – spoken or unspoken?
Work hard. You are not entitled to anything in life. Be thankful for what you have, but remember that the people in your life are the most important thing in life. The rest is just stuff.
If you were ruler of your own country, what would be the first law you would introduce?
Free ice cream Saturdays.
What three things do you think of the most each day?
For years I’ve had the goal to learn at least one thing new every day. Learning three things in one day is a really good day.
If you had a warning label, what would yours say?
Best if used before December 31, 1998.
What song would you say best sums you up?
“All you need is love” by the Beatles.
What celebrity would you like to meet at Starbucks for a cup of coffee?
Either Neil Armstrong to discuss walking on the moon or Charlize Theron for … the same reason.
What's the most interesting thing you can see out of your office or kitchen window?
I’m blessed to be able to see sunsets every evening.
On a scale of 1-10, how funny would you say you are?
A solid 6.832 on a good day. Probably a 5 on an average day.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
On a beach with a good book.
What was your first job?
I answered an ad in the back of a comic book when I was 13 and sold Christmas cards to businesses. By the time I graduated high school, it had helped pay for college.
How many languages do you speak?
Only English, although not that well.
Who is the most intelligent person you know?
My mom. She is my inspiration. I want to be like her when I grow up.
If you had to describe yourself as an animal, which one would it be?
A dolphin; somewhat intelligent and fun-loving.
What is one thing you will never do again?
Stick my finger in a light socket.
Who knows you the best?
My wife (sorry, Honey).
