The Real Harris: Meet Cody Sinke

Tell us about your background. How did you get your start in the construction/service/BAS business?

My father has always been part of the HVAC industry. He was a small business owner, and I always helped him with service work when the opportunities were there. After my military service, I went to engineering school for HVAC and that is where I learned about BAS and had the opportunity to perform my internship for a controls company. That is when I knew I wanted to work with BAS as a career.

What drew you to Harris? What makes you stay?

I was referred by a friend that I went to college with. Harris is not currently in Michigan, so I was not familiar with the organization at the time. Now I have been with Harris for almost 3 years, and I couldn’t be more impressed by the people in this organization. The opportunities for growth and learning keep me motivated to support Harris for the long run.

What do you enjoy about working at Harris (what about the company itself made you want to work here)?

I really enjoy the camaraderie that I have with my other colleagues, even the ones that are in other states. We always keep strong communication, and it is like a family reunion when we all get together. Additionally, the wide range of markets that we work in is exciting. From data centers, health care, and entertainment facilities, you never know what kind of building you may work in next.

What is the best part about your position (the day-to-day, people, a special project you were involved with)?

The best part of my position is the relationships that you build along the way. Not only do you know the building concerns, but you also learn about the individuals as well. I love hearing our customer’s stories and how they got to where they are today. It is so diverse and sometimes helps you understand how to focus your attention on the issues at hand.

The other enjoyable part is the buildings you get to see and the challenges that come with it. Every project is different, and I enjoy bringing an issue to our team and creating a solution to fix it for the customer.

What traits do you think are important for someone in your role to be successful?

Being in a sales role it is important to have a good personality and be able to communicate effectively with others. Most importantly though, I believe honesty is best trait you can have for this position. We all know a sale that went bad because the salesperson didn’t know or lied about what a product could offer. That is usually the last time you ever work with that organization.

What are your main responsibilities and initiatives that you lead?

My main responsibilities include developing business with new and existing clients, creating a detailed scope of work to budget a project and support our team during the project cycle.

What are you passionate about at work?

Being able to help a customer through a complex issue.

How do you like to re-charge?

I really enjoy playing golf. I try to bring my golf clubs everywhere I go so that I can play at different courses around the nation and locally.

What keeps you up at night?

The thought of letting one of my customers down or not keeping our promise to them.

What are you most proud of at Harris?

The people that work with me every day and the culture they strive to develop here.

What is one thing Harris employees wouldn’t know about you?

I have a cat and I was the one that wanted her. If it was up to my wife, we would have had a dog.

What drew you to this industry?

My father working in this industry my entire childhood.

What do you wish the public knew about Harris?

Depends on the market, but I want the public to know our building automation capabilities across all our branches and the services we can provide!

What inspires you? What motivates you?

Setting personal goals for myself are usually the drivers that keep me motivated. Once I have my mind set on something I will do anything to accomplish that task. This could be a personal goal such as a running event, or a professional goal such as providing the customer with a promised solution.