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03.05.2024
Joe Kempo and the power of humor
If you want to do your job well, you should not disregard positive feelings and a good mood — these are the words that Joe Kempo lives by. The U.S.-based sales specialist believes in the power of humor and uses it skillfully in his personal life as well as in his day-to-day work at Balluff.
As East Region Sales Manager, Joe Kempo is not only the head of the second largest sales region in the United States, but he is also ‘Wally, the Wacky Waiter’. He was ‘Big Shot’, a rodeo clown, a DJ, put on magic shows — and still regularly makes his audience and often customers laugh heartily. The approachable family man has been married to his wife Donna for 45 years, is the father of three sons and grandfather of five grandchildren, and a believer in the power of humor.
A part of his costume from 1982 to 1996: during this time, Joe Kempo was ‘Big Shot’, the mascot of the NBA basketball team Philadelphia 76ers.
Humor makes people feel better
Humor plays a central role in almost everything Kempo has tackled in his life. When he started as an account manager at Balluff in 2005, he was not only an experienced manager in the sale of electronic components, but he had also already had a career as a mascot in the NBA, despite not being a huge basketball fan himself. He won a selection contest for the Philadelphia 76ers, or Sixers for short, who were looking for someone to breathe life into their mascot “Big Shot”. With his versatile experience as an entertainer, Kempo got the job.
And so Kempo, the sales specialist for electronic components, began to transform into ‘Big Shot’, the chubby mascot with blue fur and sunglasses, at every one of the Sixers’ home games and promotion events.
It was hard work, as Kempo remembers. The costume alone weighed between 30 and 40 pounds, making the slam dunks particularly challenging as they required him to shoot the ball while jumping off a trampoline. Regardless, he impressed and delighted fans of all ages with his moves, dances and show acts. “Putting on a costume is like flipping a switch,” says Kempo. “I believe in fun. Humor makes people feel better.” For him, it is and always has been about entertaining people, putting them into a good mood, and having fun together. His time as ‘Big Shot’ ended in 1996, when the Sixers changed ownership and consequently their public image, including their mascot.
Fun fosters creativity — also at work
But the act of flipping the switch has remained, as Kempo still likes to dress up outside of work hours today. On a regular basis, he turns into ‘Wally, the Wacky Waiter’ and entertains guests at events, parties and restaurants in neighborhoods surrounding his hometown of Bracey, in the south of Virginia. “Being able to make people laugh makes me happy,” says Kempo, putting his motivation into words. “My motto is: give first, and it will come back to you.”
It is precisely this motto that also benefits his job at Balluff. As sales manager, Kempo and his team of six support a total of 13 states along the east coast. It is the second largest Balluff sales region in the United States, so the team has to be able to cater to a wide range of industries.
Joe Kempo still regularly slips into the role of Wally, the Wacky Waiter and shows off his comedy know-how. People love it.
Kempo: “Automotive industry and semiconductor manufacturers, steel companies, and the pharmaceutical industry — our region is home to many different sectors that are important to Balluff. And each of these industries has its own requirements, specific ideas, and processes that we need to be familiar with.” This is why Kempo and his team don’t consider themselves sales associates, but automation specialists and solution providers who overcome challenges together with their customers.
Knowing the needs of his customers requires not only experience, says Kempo, but above all creativity. To him, one way to leverage this creativity is humor. This is why Kempo always makes room for fun in training sessions and meetings. “This allows our team to explore new horizons and be successful.” The “Balluff Exceptionalism Award”, which Kempo received in 2020 for his new approaches in virtual sales and communicating with customers during the pandemic, is proof that this strategy is paying off.
Give first, and it will come back to you.
Joe Kempo, Director of Sales, East Region US
Relying on the power of humor - Joe Kempo (2nd from right) and his sales team at a meeting at the Balluff campus in Florence, Kentucky.
Inspiring new ideas in his team
With this attitude, Kempo and his team believe they are ideally positioned for future challenges. There is no sign of fear of a crisis: "Ten to 15 years ago, industrial automation still had a reputation for allegedly destroying jobs," Kempo recalls. "Today we know that the opposite has happened. Automation technology has triggered an indescribable boom that has, in fact, created jobs. I think the topics of digitalization and AI present us with challenges that are first and foremost opportunities."
What he needs to overcome these challenges, he says, are motivated and highly trained colleagues. And this is precisely what keeps him going. “I want to pass on my knowledge and share what I know with my colleagues.” To Kempo, it's about always looking for ways to make things even better. Joe Kempo a.k.a. ‘Big Shot’ and ‘Wally, the Wacky Waiter’ is convinced that the best way to achieve this is with humor and fun at work and a love for what you do.