Clay Mueller has been involved in the finishing industry since 1968 and is a sales representative for Plating Specialists, Inc.
Mueller and his wife, Betty Lou, have been active in the National Association for Surface Finishing for several decades and help organize and run the Florida Finishers Corporation’s annual conference every January.
Clay Mueller has two been honored with the NASF Award of Merit in 2008 and 2012. Betty Lou received the NASF Award of Merit in 2017 for all the work she does with the FFC.
Clay Mueller received the NASF Award of Merit from Rick Delaware for SWF.How did you get your start in the finishing industry?
Mr. Young offered a job with Bill Young & Company and started on January 20, 1968. It changed our lives.
What do you enjoy best about the industry?
Helping people solve problems and the evolving technology over the years.
Is your glass half-full or half-empty?
Half-full; there is always something going on to keep you involved.
What three items would you take with you on a deserted island?
My wife for company, a large knife, and a tarp for shelter. Hopefully, there will be a water supply there.
What was your favorite subject in school?
Drafting, art, and physics.
What is the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten?
Octopus
Do you collect anything?
Old family antiques and tools, books, pictures, and stuff my kids will probably not keep.
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Extrovert; I like to keep things moving.
Are you related or distantly related to anyone famous?
No one else that I know of except Adam and Eve.
What do you do to keep fit?
When I can, I like to work in the yard, walk, and play golf. That isn’t happening often enough.
Does your family have a “motto” – spoken or unspoken?
“Let’s Go to Plan B.”
If you were ruler of your own country, what would be the first law, you would introduce?
Everyone will follow the Ten Commandments.
What three things do you think of the most each day?
Will all my family be safe and stay healthy today? What can I do to help others? How can I get everything done?
If you had a warning label, what would yours say?
Handle with Care.
What song would you say best sums you up?
My Way.
What celebrity would you like to meet at Starbucks for a cup of coffee?
Kevin Costner
What’s the most interesting thing you can see out of your office or kitchen window?
My patio and a blooming weeping Hibiscus Tree. We live in a small circle-shaped condo association.
On a scale of 1-10, how funny would you say you are?
3, but it depends on your sense of humor, not mine.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In a conversation, Mr. Bill Young asked me where did I see myself in five years before I started to work for him. God willing, hopefully, I will still be enjoying life with my wife and family.
What was your first job?
I was working for my dad, learning the cabinet business like my grandfather and great grandfather.
How many languages do you speak?
One, English. That’s all I can handle.
Who is the most intelligent person you know?
Joe Moore was a Special Forces Green Bret in Vietnam, worked in plating, assembly, and developed automation assembly process for and retired from General Electric Appliance Park after 30 years.
If you had to describe yourself as an animal, which one would it be?
Elephant, slow and methodical.
What is one thing you will never do again?
Buy a cell phone.
Who knows you the best?
My best friend, my wife.
