The People Behind Flowserve’s Critical Infrastructure Solutions

Empowering the world’s most critical industries takes more than producing the right solutions – it requires skilled, dedicated people. This National Manufacturing Day, we’re recognizing the Flowserve associates whose expertise and ingenuity help keep essential operations moving.  

Behind every pump, valve, seal and flow control solution are Flowserve associates working hard to support critical operations around the world. From supporting the energy systems that power communities to helping enable the production of critical medicines, their work reaches far beyond our facilities.  

That’s what National Manufacturing Day is all about: recognizing the people and skills behind the products the world relies on.

Across Flowserve, that includes associates working hands-on on the production floor, engineers solving complex challenges, and teams finding new and better ways to support our customers.  This year, we are spotlighting just a few of the many people who work hard behind the scenes to help us deliver Flowserve’s reliable solutions. They share how they found their way into manufacturing, what they’ve learned along the way and what makes their work meaningful to them.  

Q: Why were you interested in a career in manufacturing?  

Forrest Chambers (Director, Plant Manager): I’m not sure I initially chose manufacturing as much as manufacturing chose me. When I joined Flowserve in 2001, I was just out of high school, enjoyed working on cars and had always been interested in understanding how things worked. My father-in-law worked at the facility and encouraged me to take that mechanical curiosity and give industrial manufacturing a try. Once I experienced the complexity and uniqueness of the products we manufacture, I was hooked. I wanted to understand not only how we built the product, but how the entire business worked. That curiosity has been one of the biggest drivers throughout my career and eventually led me to discover another passion – developing and leading people.

Jordan Ayton (Production Planner): Out of high school, I just needed a job, and I applied for a position that required grinding and deburring parts. Watching the machining process fascinated me, but then seeing those finished parts be put to use was incredibly satisfying. I quickly realized I liked creating things and working with my hands. Over time, that interest turned into a career that I've really enjoyed.  

Joe Belschner (Precision Assembler): Within the first month of working [at Flowserve], I knew this was where I wanted to be. The more I learned about manufacturing and pumps, the more interested I became. I had found a job that I was actually excited about. There is never a dull moment on the shop floor. Every day brings a new challenge, and every challenge is a chance to showcase the abilities and exceptional qualities of my team.

Colleen Tanguay (Director, Plant Manager): I was studying engineering in college and found the factory shop floor fascinating. It’s where ideas come to life.  

Q: What is a moment in your career that made you proud of the role your team plays in delivering reliable flow control solutions?

Forrest: Becoming Plant Director of the same facility where I started as an assembler 25 years ago is certainly something I’m extremely proud of, but probably not for the obvious reason. What makes me proudest is what that journey represents. I didn’t begin my career with a plan to someday lead the facility. I simply tried to learn from every opportunity, take on challenges that made me uncomfortable and leave each role and team better than I found it. Today, some of my proudest moments come from seeing people I’ve had an opportunity to coach or mentor grow into positions they once weren’t sure they were capable of achieving.

Jordan: Successfully completing the apprenticeship program to become a Journeyman Machinist and then having the opportunity to train others. Seeing how much I've learned and progressed throughout my career is something I'm very proud of. Being able to pass that knowledge on to others has made it more rewarding.  

Colleen: Some of the most challenging times were followed by breakthrough. Notably, I led an operations team through a sitewide Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) transition that set a new company record of minimal downtime. It was a team effort and a difficult task but very rewarding when we could celebrate our progress!  

Q: Flowserve encourages finding creative solutions to solve complex challenges for their customers. What makes that exciting?

Jordan: There is always something different to work on and a new problem to solve. You can learn a trade, work with new technology and help develop new and innovative solutions.

Colleen: It is never boring! We get to use technology to solve problems and see the results quickly. We also get to work together as teams in person, which is great for hands-on team members or those that like to work with others.

Joe: Opportunity makes it exciting, especially as the U.S. domestic manufacturing is re-strengthening and the technological advances are creating career paths that didn't even exist 20 years ago, or even five years ago.

Q: How is manufacturing changing, and what skills will be important to help us continue delivering reliable solutions for critical industries?

Forrest: Technology, automation, data and AI will continue to transform manufacturing and change how we solve problems and make decisions. Technical and digital skills will certainly become increasingly important, but I believe the most valuable skill will be the ability to adapt and continuously learn. The technology we use and the problems we solve will change. What won’t change is the need for people who are curious, willing to challenge conventional thinking, collaborate across different functions and continue developing themselves. The future of manufacturing will require people who can combine technology with critical thinking, creativity and strong human leadership.

Faith Crouse (Master Scheduler): I began my career in manufacturing 16 years ago. I'm happy to say that manufacturing is changing. We are seeing more women in manufacturing, and we're focused on becoming more efficient as Operational Excellence (OPEX) is being implemented. One key skill for the future is the willingness to change and develop your skillset whether learning a new program or continuing your OPEX journey. Always remember, success comes through teamwork.

Colleen: AI is helping us to improve our analytics so we can make better decisions quickly and present business cases in a more professional way. Being flexible to learn technology is important but being able to work well with people is – and will always remain – important.

The people who design, build and advance the world

For our associates, manufacturing is more than a job – it’s a way to contribute to something larger than themselves. For our final question, we asked our participants for their thoughts on why our work matters to the communities and industries that depend on reliable flow control solutions.

Jordan: We get to create products that people rely on every day. There is a sense of pride in knowing that the work you do serves a purpose and contributes to something bigger.

Joe: We provide products and solutions to fulfill the needs of society. It strengthens the economy and provides jobs and opportunities for millions of people.

Faith: I’m proud to work at Flowserve where women are treated equally and we deliver a custom quality product to customers.

Hearing the perspectives of our associates reminds us that behind everything Flowserve does are people bringing their skill, ingenuity and commitment to work every day. We’re grateful to all our associates around the world for the role they play in making that work possible.