Sales representative firm HEBCO, Inc. of Independence, Missouri has been awarded the Milwaukee Valve’s 2021 Ron Stockstell Memorial Award for quarter-turn sales growth in 2020.

Milwaukee Valve created the Ron Stockstell Memorial Award to celebrate the agency who has shown the greatest sales growth in quarter-turn products over the past year. In 2020, HEBCO was able to increase quarter-turn sales by more than 40%. This growth occurred while the company was dealing with the transition of leadership from one generation to the next, and the trials presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because of years of dedication to specification work, and building relationships and trust, as well as seeking and accepting guidance and help, HEBCO enjoyed substantial success. The foundations that the business was built on remained strong, including acceptance by the engineering community, preference from the contractor and end-user markets, and continued support from distribution partners.

The Stockstell Award is named for Milwaukee Valve’s first quarter-turn valve product manager, who was hired in 1986 to supervise the development of the company’s bronze and brass ball valves and iron butterfly valves. Prior to his arrival, Milwaukee Valve imported a few brass ball valves and a very limited offering of iron butterfly valves. Under Stockstell’s guidance, Milwaukee Valve designed and manufactured its own valves, and he spearheaded the projects adding the industrial offering of carbon and stainless-steel ball valves.