Garry Goudy Exits with Sense of Satisfaction, Looks Forward to Some Time Off

Garry Goudy, senior vice president, automotive aftermarket, recently announced his retirement effective July 1, after 36 years with PPG Industries (see glassBYTEs™ March 14 for the announcement).

He spoke with glassBYTEs.com today about his years in the industry, the industry's future, and his own future after July 1.
You've had an extensive career in the industry, what are the most important changes you've seen?

There have been so many changes over the last 15 or 20 years. If I look back at my tenure, business is not getting any easier in terms of shops accessing work and capturing the operating efficiencies which they need with margin pressures on the industry. It's becoming more difficult to go it alone so I think it is important that shops and companies, such as PPG, mutually pick the right partner with whom to move forward. It [the business] is more than just supplying product as it may have been 25 years ago. Today, it's how you provide the most compelling value offering to the end user, whether that's the cash customer, an insurance company or a fleet.

What do you think will happen in the industry?

As I said, it's going to continue to be a challenging environment and a question of who a shop wants to align with in terms of growing its business.

What are you going to miss most about the industry?

That's an interesting question. I've never focused on the next job. I've been very grateful to receive a wide range of assignments. Every day I learn something new and I realize there is something I didn't know, and I'll miss that. I've been able to manage several businesses within PPG and have assembled strong management teams which have been able to drive them forward. I'm going to miss that challenge. I've been fortunate to have gained many friends in the industry as well as within PPG. I'll miss those friends, but many of them I'll be able to continue to associate with, although I will have left the company and moved into another phase of my life. On the other hand, I have a wonderful wife, I have my health and I'm still young enough to try to do things, so in that respect I will treasure the friends and the learning and use those experiences to supplement any initiative I may embark upon in the future. But I'm looking at this as a new chapter in our lives and looking forward to enjoying our new-found free time immensely.

You indicate that you may continue to have some contact with the industry. What are your future plans?

My wife and I plan to spend half our time in the Ontario lake district in Canada and the other half in Sarasota, Fla. I really don't have any specific plans at this point in time other than I'm going to take the next six months onward to spend some time with my wife. We have some personal objectives we want to accomplish. I want to spend some time with friends. Basically I'm just going to play it by ear, see whether or not I want to get back in the industry soon or at all, or if I want to get into another industry or whether I want to get into a private equity endeavor. In all honesty, I'm just going to take some time to enjoy the time with my wife and see what evolves. This is very different for me, because for the last 36 years it has been planning and executing. It has been much more disciplined than what I am about to embark on now. I find that interesting and intriguing.

Any final thoughts?

As I look back on the many calls I've received and good wishes, it has struck home how important business relationships and friendships have been that have facilitated an atmosphere of trust as we conducted business. For that I feel very grateful and appreciative for the support I've had both within and outside PPG. I extend my best wishes to my friends in the industry for continued success. I hope they continue to build their businesses and if, and I emphasize if, in some small way I've had some positive impact on how they manage their business or how they move forward then for me that's really one of the greatest rewards of a career.