There are leaders in this industry who build companies, and then there are those who build people. The difference matters. Buildings can be expanded, acquired or rebranded — taking care of the shell that holds the product. However, it’s individuals whose generous spirit instills a culture that is felt — who build confidence in others and pass forward their beliefs in business and in life — who are the true people builders.

They are also the changemakers. The ones who daily make an impact on people, encouraging them to grow and be 1% better than the day before.  And over time, the change they help bring about and the way they help shape individuals into the best versions of themselves, is priceless. 

This year’s PVF Hall of Fame inductee is Jeffrey Beall, who represents the absolute best of what this industry stands for. His story begins like so many others:  he did not find the industry, it found him. Beall’s story also parallels who he is: grounded in humility and defined by a relentless commitment to making things better. And doing so with his signature cadence, warm character and signature Cheshire grin — because it means he knows how he can help guide you to be better. 

Beall has not only enjoyed a stellar PVF career, but one that has guided, mentored and formed the full channel. 

Brian Tuohey, founder and executive chair of The Collins Companies, says it best: “Jeffrey, you’ve always been in the PVF Hall of Fame in my book — both professionally and personally. Congratulations on receiving this very well-deserved honor — proud of you, my friend!” 

The early years

Beall grew up in Luverne, Alabama, a town of roughly 2,500 people where values were not taught in a classroom but lived daily through example. “My dad was a dentist, my mom was a schoolteacher, and my grandfather was my best friend” he says. “I was cutting grass at age 10. I always had jobs.” Those early years, shaped by his parents and grandfather, instilled in him a sense of responsibility that would later define his leadership style.

When he was 15, Beall’s father took him for a job interview at a large international wholesale distributor of sporting goods. His interview was at 6 a.m., and he was dressed in a coat and tie — his father’s recommendation— and was soon hired to work in the warehouse.

It was during this time that his introduction to distribution began. “What I learned there helped shape me in the business world,” Beall notes. “Products on the shelves had to be neat and clean, they had to be easily accessible, and I learned how to pull orders for the shipping department. I realized it was a process.” 

What resonated with him was a statement made by a longtime team member, one that would drive Beall then and forever thereafter. One day, the company received a tractor-trailer load of Zebco 33 reels, a top-of-the-line reel prized by fishing enthusiasts. Beall recalls: “I literally unloaded them and took them from the front door to the back dock directly to the shipping area — I didn’t even put them on the shelf.  An older gentleman who had been there for 35 years said to me, ‘That is how you make money — you never touch the product. It comes in, and goes right back out.’”

That moment left an impression — and would come full circle later.

Beall entered the University of Alabama to become a dentist, inspired by his father. By the end of his sophomore year, he realized it wasn’t his calling and asked his father for advice. His father, always a source of experience and wisdom, offered guidance that would again shape the trajectory of his life. Beall recalls him saying: “When I was in dental school, all they ever taught me was more physics and biology. What I didn’t realize (when owning his own dental practice) was how to keep and manage money. You should get your MBA no matter what you do.”

Beall graduated with a degree in accounting and went on to earn his CPA. He spent several years with Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young), conducting among other things bank audits which entailed performing loan reviews — and while the work centered on compliance and numbers, he quickly recognized the people behind them. Reviewing loan files, he read the background information on companies and individuals, gaining insight into how they built businesses and contributed to their industries and communities.

“I realized that’s who I want to be,” Beall says. “I want to own a business that contributes to the community, that will be a legacy for my family, that gives back to the people who work in my company and provides an opportunity to open doors for their families and to contribute to their communities.”  

Beall left accounting/auditing and moved into the investment business world as a personal broker, where he learned and embraced how the stock and bond markets worked. “I loved it!” he says. It was during this time that he began exploring the possibility of owning a business himself. “It’s what I had always wanted to do,” he says. 

After working for a high-net-worth family office, at the age of 35, Beall began to look at businesses he could buy.

“I never knew pipe, valves and fittings would be in the cards,” he says with a smile. “I always liked light manufacturing, distribution — being influenced from age 15 at a wholesale company. I thought, ‘If I could find a little business…’”

He did.

He and a business partner found American Pipe, a single-branch operation in Birmingham, Alabama. “I didn’t know PVF — all I knew was that the pipe had two holes in it, preferably on each end, not anywhere else,” he chuckles. “I rolled up my sleeves and went to work.”

A defining leap: American Pipe & Supply

Beall stepped into the role of president, responsible for leading the organization from day one. “After closing, I went in as president — the operational president and several years later elevated to CEO,” he says. From the outset, he understood the weight of that responsibility, not only operationally, but personally. “I had 28 employees who looked at me like, ‘Who the hell are you?’” Beall recalls. It was a wakeup call and quite sobering.

At the time, Beall’s sons were 4 and 6 years old, heading into kindergarten and first grade — and he followed their lead. He went back to school, earning his MBA at night. “There’s so much more to business than numbers. It’s marketing, finance, technology, strategy, and human resources. It’s about people. What you can and can’t do, and always remember that how you treat people is important.” His MBA helped guide him, but his approach — grounded in humility and collaboration — would ultimately define both his leadership and the company’s culture.

One of the first things Beall did was take care of his team: “They didn’t have any type of retirement plan. Their healthcare plan was basic. And so, we had to change the mindset, and change the culture of the company, because it wasn’t a culture where employees could feed information up,” he says. Beall implemented a 401(k), changed the compensation structure, and invested heavily in a healthcare plan for team members. He leaned into his mantra of always making things better for everyone on his team. 

He developed a leadership philosophy that would carry forward into every chapter of his career — one centered not on individual recognition but on collective success. “If I have a role to play, I want to make what we’re doing better,” he says. “If our team wins, then I’m winning.”

Beall also made it clear early on that he did not have all the answers and would rely on those around him to help guide the business forward. “I’m a collaborative guy,” he states.

That mindset marked a shift in culture. Employees were encouraged to speak up, share ideas and take ownership of their roles in a way that had not existed before. Beall encouraged collaboration and told the team, “I need to know what you see and hear. If you see something that you feel is not right, let’s talk about it.”

He also removed barriers to decision-making, empowering his team to act in real time instead of waiting for approval. “I gave them the authority to make it right immediately,” Beall says. “Not, ‘I’ve got to go check with the boss.’”

Beyond operational improvements, it was the mindset he brought to the role that defined his leadership. “I literally went to bed every night thinking, ‘I have 28 people that I’m responsible for,’” he recalls. “Their livelihood, and making sure the company stays afloat.” By driving employee engagement and empowerment, and investing in his team — all while learning the ins and outs of the PVF business — the impact became clear. The company was thriving and growing, reflecting Beall’s core belief: What can we be doing to get better?

That sense of responsibility drove every decision and helped build a culture rooted in trust and mutual respect. Over time, that culture translated into growth. American Pipe expanded from a single-location distributor into a multibranch, multistate operation with approximately 100 employees.

“It was a fun ride,” Beall says.

We all learn together

It was during his time at American Pipe that Beall also came to understand something deeper about the industry — that success is built not only on transactions, but on relationships. “People realize if you care about them, they’ll care about you,” he says.

During this time of building American Pipe, Beall leaned into the relationships and mentorships guiding him. He recalls Marty Davidson, president of Southern Pipe, encouraging him to understand how the industry works and to get involved. Beall recalls his advice: “If you’re going to be part of something, be part of something! Don’t just go to the meeting — be on a committee, be in the boardroom — whatever you can do, do it, and volunteer.” Beall took that to heart.

With Davidson’s encouragement, he joined Southern Wholesalers Association (SWA), and would volunteer on the membership and technology committees. Beall recalls telling Davidson that technology was not his strong suit. The response stayed with him: “We all learn together.”

Soon after, the company joined the American Supply Association, where Beall met Morrie Beschloss, a PVF Industry icon. According to Beall, “he was a great mentor to me and helped me understand the PVF Industry.” Again, he volunteered, serving on committees and boards and helping launch the organization’s Industrial Piping Division.

During this time, his network of industry veterans, along with fellow distributors and manufacturers, helped guide him on best practices. One moment, in particular, stood out. A supplier called regarding a job Beall and his American Pipe team had quoted and won. Beall recalls him saying, “I heard you got the job, but I wanted you to know you left money on the table. There are no secrets in this industry, but I want you to know I’m going to help you. You’ve got to know you had a special product that nobody else has, and you gave away a big part of the profit.”

Beall adds, “The big takeaway was we had to know the products. Our guys can’t be afraid to stand up for themselves and say, ‘This is our price, and we can service you better.’”

That guidance had a lasting impact. “It changed the way I thought about how we market the company, and my service mentality, too,” he says. “We can’t sell from a position of fear; we must sell from a position of strength. We’ve got good people, we have good suppliers and great product support.”

During this time, Beall also built relationships with industry leaders such as Brian Tuohey, Collins Pipe; Kip Miller, Eastern Industrial Supply; David Potgetter, Etna Supply; Sam Miller, Trumbull Industries; Jeff and John Pope, F.W. Webb; and many others. They helped shape his approach to business and introduced him to the value of buying groups. Beall joined a group, The Piping Connection (TPC).

“There were 14 distributors and 14 suppliers,” Beall recalls. “It was the best group because we were all in it together and shared ideas and concepts.” Their influence sparked Beall’s deep involvement in volunteerism and governance — and marked an “aha” moment. “My mentors — the folks I gravitated toward — brought me into conversations to help me get better, while also letting me share what I learned through the experience,” he says.

The spirit of collaboration was evident. Beall recalls building a distribution center in 2007 and reaching out to Potgetter for advice. “I said, ‘I’m building this distribution center that was small in comparison to what you had done,’ and he simply asked if I wanted his thoughts and plans.”

That willingness to share, even among competitors, reinforced what Beall was learning firsthand: helping others ultimately strengthens the entire industry. “They made me a better businessperson. And it was fun,” he says.

And it was only the beginning.

That small buying group, TPC, would eventually merge with others and, around 2001, became part of Affiliated Distributors (AD), a buying group that was rapidly growing and expanding. 

Brian Tuohey reflects on the camaraderie between the two men. “I met Jeffrey 30 years ago when we were both relatively new owners of our respective companies, and we were both in search of information on this new industry phenomenon called ‘vendor rebate’ associations. We immediately became fast friends and decided to pursue this initiative together (TPC), with the result that both of our companies were then very fortunate to be invited to join AD.”

As a member, Beall went on to serve on AD’s PVF divisional board and corporate board from 2008 to 2011, when he exited American Pipe. Beall left American Pipe stronger than when he acquired it, with approximately 100 employees and five branches across multiple states. 

Looking for a bridge to his next opportunity, Beall established a consulting firm, fittingly named IronBridge. Through it, he helped companies grow and transform, focusing on sales programs, purchasing improvements, management transitions, M&A opportunities and operational performance.

As he was wrapping up a consulting engagement, he received a call from Bill Weisberg of AD, who at the time was leading the organization through a period of significant growth. AD was seeking someone to oversee its plumbing, PVF and HVAC divisions.

“I thought that sounds great — but I didn’t know anything about HVAC,”  Beall says.

“Don’t worry, you will learn,” he recalls Weisberg telling him.

It all came back to a simple principle: always learning, always growing.

Brandon Carlson, president of Great Western Supply, notes: “In an industry built on connections, Jeffrey’s greatest strength is the way he connects with people — one person at a time, with purpose and heart. Whether in moments of counsel or concern, amusement or analysis, Jeffrey always made you feel like you were the most important focus of his time. Through his loyalty, encouragement, vision, faith, honesty and unwavering example, Jeffrey has left countless people better: more confident, more inspired and more fulfilled. For Jeffrey, it has never been about personal recognition, but about collective success, team victories and lifting others into the spotlight. In the love language of Jeffrey, I say congratulations and ‘Roll Tide!’”

Together We Win

Beall stepped into his role as PHCP President of AD in 2011, and as the group continued its strong growth and expansion into other verticals, he was elevated to PHCP Business Unit president in2020.   “That experience on the member’s side gave me a deep appreciation for the value of the organization and the opportunities for growth within it,” Beall notes. 

During his tenure with AD, Beall helped guide the organization through a period of meaningful evolution — including efforts to diversify risk across the group. “We started looking at supplier and category stratification, and grew the membership,” he recalls. He also helped spearhead a stronger focus on suppliers, giving them a voice within the group by restructuring and enhancing the Supplier Advisory Council.

In conversations with members, he identified gaps in support for growing segments of their businesses, including showrooms and waterworks, where AD did not yet have dedicated divisions. In response, the organization expanded its offerings to better serve its membership. As the organization grew, so did the tools and resources available to its members. From supporting development of its e-commerce capabilities to expanding strategic support, the momentum was clear. “We had a targeted financial growth goal — meaning beating the market every year and making sure supplier programs improved, but also suppliers’ growth was key,” Beall explains. 

In addition, membership growth remained a critical focus. “We got our boards engaged in understanding that we had to add new members for growth — we couldn’t just sit around,” says Beall.

The old adage that there is strength in numbers proved true. AD had become more than a buying group, extending well beyond rebates to help members become stronger, adding strategic partners to both their customers and suppliers.

For Beall, one of the most fulfilling aspects of that growth was the team he helped build. “The most rewarding experience for me at AD was truly building a PHCP team that could win,” Beall says, smiling as he reflects. It also speaks to who Beall is — not driven by individual recognition, but by building a team that shares in collective success.

Those teams complemented one another, forming cohesive units that embodied a culture of “Together We Win,” the group’s mantra. “That’s the culture we built, and they were fun to be with,” Beall says. “You’re traveling a lot, you’re involved in meetings with them, and so you want to be around good-quality people. And that was the beauty of building the team, having extraordinary people to be around and be with. Nobody cared about who got the glory and who got the accolades because if PHCP won, then we all won.”

Gary Stratiner, CEO of Puget Sound Pipe and Supply, recalls: “I met Jeffrey in our AD Network when he came in as an affiliate member. From the beginning, we all knew he was a special individual — smart, caring and always listening and learning about the PVF market. He then took that knowledge to the next level, working at AD; it wouldn’t be where it is today without his guidance. Jeff, congratulations on a well-deserved award as an entrant into the PVF Hall of Fame!”

Beall has spent his career building relationships — intentionally moving beyond transactional interactions that do not create lasting value. And it shows. Before transitioning out of AD to begin the next chapter of his life and career, Beall was honored with the AD MVP Lifetime Achievement Recognition, presented during AD’s North American meeting.

He was recognized for his years of leadership and service to AD, its members and supplier partners, for raising the bar across the organization, and for leaving AD stronger than he found it.

The recognition brought attendees to their feet in a standing ovation — a powerful reflection of his impact in lifting others and helping teams, members and suppliers reach their full potential.

Brian Tuohey echoes the sentiment, “Jeffrey’s talent and leadership capabilities were immediately recognized by the management of AD and before you knew it, he was the vice president of its PHCP  Division. He subsequently built it to be the largest and most successful operation of its kind, certainly in this country, and very possibly in the entire world!”

Building iron bridges

Beall has always had an affinity for iron bridges — their silent strength and deep footings that keep things moving. Iron bridges carry a certain majesty, like a gentle giant. They create intentional connections between places, opportunities, businesses, communities and relationships. 

Tall in stature and grounded in strength, durability and trust under pressure, it is fitting that the advisory and consulting business he started many years ago, IronBridge, once again serves as his anchor for himself and for others.

Today, as Beall transitions to the next chapter of his professional life, he again sits at the helm of IronBridge and continues his focus on helping others to be their best. “I’m serving on distributor boards and working with distributors and suppliers — advising and consulting with them on various projects, mainly focused on strategy and growth,” he says.

Beall is very optimistic about the PVF industry and plans to stay active and engaged. “The landscape continues to change with tariffs, supply chain, energy and raw material prices influx, but opportunities will continue to abound,” he says.

Beall adds, “There will be significant investment in the power grid, and over the next three to five years, rising power demand will translate into substantial PVF projects,” noting that public infrastructure, data centers, water treatment, and utilities will continue to show solid growth. 

Giving back

To know Beall is to know his generous spirit, helping others reach their personal best. He is the coach everyone wants — an inspirational leader who empowers others to strive for more. He remains deeply involved in his community and is involved with the Quarterbacking Children’s Health Foundation (QBCHF) in Birmingham, where he served as captain of the group and now serves on its board to help secure the foundation’s future.

In 2022, Beall was awarded the Hall Thompson Award for Distinguished Service by the Monday Morning Quarterback Club (the fundraising arm for QBCHF) — an honor named after the individual Beall worked for early in his career, who gave him the guidance and coaching necessary to help him enter the PVF industry. It is an award rooted in leadership and service. “It was a tearjerker for me,” says Beall, “because Mr. Thompson was an influential person in my life, and his son Mike, bestowed the award onto me. It has been one of the key milestones for me.”

For Beall, it has never been about accolades. It is about filling the soul — and that comes from helping others become the best version of themselves. In turn, their industries and companies grow stronger, supporting communities, families and futures. This is how he defines success — not by following the almighty dollar, but by becoming the best version of oneself: body, mind and soul.

As we wrapped up our conversation, Beall shared a story encapsulating who he is. While at American Pipe, an employee came to him in financial distress, unsure how to move forward. Beall, always the mentor, guide and accountant, helped him develop a financial plan not only to get out of debt, but to thrive. The results were life-changing: the individual put his children through college, invested in retirement and truly lived his best life. “He once told me, ‘I want to thank you — I don’t have this pressure hanging over me every day.’”

“He made it!” Beall beams. “And that was my reward. He’s in good financial shape. His kids and family are fine. He’s got grandkids now. He’s so much better off.”

This is only one of hundreds of stories that could be told of Beall’s impact.

“Jeffrey deserves any and every accolade that comes his way,” says Jeff Pope, president of F.W. Webb. “Few people care about the success and well-being of others more than Jeffrey. Since leaving the buying group, I’ve missed spending time with him the most.”

For Beall, his words of wisdom are ones he lives every day: “Get involved. You’re going to get out what you put in it. And if you’re only about the transactional, don’t do it. It’s not worth your time. Nobody wants to be around transactional people. If you really want to give back and help people, if you want to help yourself and your company, get involved and understand what you’re doing and how you’re doing it.”

For Beall, behind new and open doors, there are opportunities. “I hope to contribute to the industry any way I can, by serving on boards and advising and consulting, but there may be opportunities in different industries that come about that I’ll pursue,” he notes. “I’ve got a lot of energy and still have a lot of love left to give, and that’s what I want to do.”

Reflecting on his start in the PVF industry, Beall flashes that Cheshire grin that makes one believe they can accomplish anything. He says, “I thought I was buying a little business to enjoy, and it just blossomed into this whole livelihood.”

Cheers to you, Jeffrey Beall, for showing us that the best investment one can make is in oneself — to be one’s personal best every day — and for showing others that through kindness and lifting others up, we all become better.