Christine LaMar, HB Chemical Corp. | Women Breaking the Mold 2024

In Twinsburg, the Northeast Ohio city named for doubles, Christine LaMar has twice the team she had just two years ago.

The HB Chemical Corp. purchasing manager now leads seven people, up from three in 2022. And she uses her deep industry knowledge on a daily basis to help grow the 75-person sales and distribution firm.

"I'm not very outspoken, I tend to lead by example," LaMar said. "If I expect someone to do something, I will do it as well. They see that they are being asked to do something that I am willing to do myself."

LaMar has gleaned her front-of-the-line traits, in part, from Joe Moran, president of HB Chemical.

"He is a great leader here," she said. "He is always coming in, being there to listen. He comes by everyone's office to say good morning, whether he has the time or not. He makes sure he is there for us."

LaMar's daily duties vary, from purchasing and receiving material to troubleshooting and customer service.

What has not changed is the camaraderie she promotes. In turn, she attributes her own success to the proficiency of her team.

B2B is important—but relationships within the walls of HB Chemical are critical as well.

"It is very important," she said. "We work together, and we work with different departments in the company, from the warehouse and sales staffs to the customer service department.

"What we do (in purchasing) affects everyone else. If we mess up, it will mess up someone else."

LaMar has come by her industry knowledge honestly and on-the-job, graduating from Miami University (Ohio) in 2008 with a degree in economics.

"It is trial and error, to be honest, just learning as you go," she said. "There are so many products ... early on I thought, 'how will I understand what any of these are?'

"But you learn who to buy from, and who buys it. It is a long process and I am still learning."

Diversity of thought at HB Chemical remains critical, LaMar said.

"It's huge. Everyone has their own opinions and ideas ... and when you collaborate together, it makes it so much better. Someone might bring up an idea I never would have thought of. People are unique ... they bring strong points that others might lack."

In a male-dominated industry, struggles abound. But there are good people along the way.

"Some of best people I talk to, they want to make sure women are succeeding as men are," LaMar said. "They are always giving information and making sure women in the workplace have what they need. There are struggles. But you learn from them, you get past them and you push forward."

A strong work ethic always helps, LaMar said, regardless of gender.

"Continue to work hard, don't get frustrated with setbacks ... look to advance and do the best you can," she said.

Moran added that LaMar participates in company-wide community outreach efforts, such as volunteer work at the Haven of Rest in Akron and purchasing school supplies for annual back-to-school drives.

That LaMar works at HB Chemical is not a coincidence.

There is a selfless atmosphere at the Northeast Ohio offices of HB Chemical, a company that counts its humanity as important as its bottom line.

"Christine is an absolute gem," Moran said. "She is a wonderful leader who is ... a world of knowledge, especially regarding the rubber and chemical industries. She is always available for questions, training or just an ear to pick her big brain."

The company, led by people like LaMar, grounds itself in relationships between teammates, suppliers and customers alike—and this established network, among other values, lifted HB Chemical to the No. 1 spot in Rubber News' Best Places to Work for 2024.

This is the second straight year the company earned the top spot on Rubber News' list.

HB Chemical offers an additive portfolio ranging from carbon blacks (including some recovered carbon blacks) to accelerators; and plasticizers to oxides, has upped its net sales over the last year to about $400 million.

About the same revenue from net sales is expected this year.

"HB Chemical is growing right now," LaMar said. "There are always new products, new business that we might be taking.

"I assume we will continue to grow, and my department will grow as well. We work well as a team now ... and anyone who comes on will fit right in."

Years with company: 13

Years in rubber industry: 13

Honestly, the rubber industry was never a thought growing up. I graduated from Miami University in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in arts and science, majoring in economics. With the recession at that time, it was difficult to find a job without prior experience. I ended up working for a Property Preservation company with low pay and no benefits. Therefore, I was looking to find a more stable long-term position. My dad knew Kathy Clossman, and she was transferring from the customer service role here at HB Chemical into the quality role that she still currently holds, which created a job opening. She passed my resume on, and after my interview, I knew this was the company I wanted to work for. Thankfully, I was hired on, starting in customer service, and worked my way up into purchasing about a year later. I enjoy the challenge that every day has something new to experience and that I am always learning. There is always a new puzzle to solve. Plus, the people that I work with within HB Chemical and throughout the industry make the job the most rewarding.

In purchasing you are always experiencing new problems or issues every day. As those issues arise, I like to learn from each experience and try to grow and improve what I am doing to adapt or correct. I try not to let an issue pass by without giving it an extra look to see if there is something I could do to improve and make it better. Since we are a distribution company our inventory requirements are never an exact quantity. Therefore, there are always going to be challenges to keep a steady flow of material coming in and out of the warehouse, without being too heavy or the unfortunate problem of running out. My purchasing team and I work closely with the vendors, sales staff as well as customer service to make sure we have all the proper information to keep our customers' orders flowing out the door as expected, or well informed if that is not the case. Each person in purchasing has their own vendors and products that they monitor in order to control their own inventory levels. This way they are able to really focus in on the products and how much they should keep in stock and knowing when to place their next order. They have more of an understanding of who buys each item and what quantities they normally purchase. I always challenge them to not only look at the product that they need to buy, but also the items that are not moving before they become expired.

I'm not a very outspoken person, so I have always tried to lead by example. If I expect my employees to do something, I make sure that I am always following the same rules. I believe in transparency and collaboration. We have a great leader here at HB Chemical with our president, Joe Moran. Every morning, he walks around the office to say 'hello' to everyone and to see how everything is going. It makes you feel like a part of a family here and that you matter.

One of my favorite podcast's is "American History Tellers." Lindsay Graham really knows how to put you in the scene, as if you are experiencing it firsthand. The information seems be to accurate and entertaining to listen to.

I've failed a lot in my life. I look at them all as learning experiences and try to not make the same mistake too many times.

Probably my biggest failure was not making it into the Business School at Miami University. I was a college athlete playing softball, and I didn't put enough effort toward my studies as I should have. Therefore, I unable to achieve the grades to get in. I was working toward majoring in accounting and without getting in the Business School I had to figure out another path. I always had an interest in economics, so when I found out they offered a major in the School of Arts and Science, that is the direction I chose. It ended up working out better for me and I believed opened more opportunities for me in the work force. I think God has a plan that may not be what we originally want or expect, but if you just trust that when one door closes another one will open. It will all work out and lead you down the right path.

I have two active boys at home, one 8 and the other 5, plus a husband that is always trying to find new things for us to do. I don't get too much time to relax. However, if I do get a few hours to myself, I always enjoy a good movie relaxing on my couch.

Success is being able to find the right people to put the time and effort into their work every day and still (be) able to have their own personal life afterward. Keeping everyone happy and willing to come back the next day. I have a great purchasing team here. Everyone puts in their time, and I never have to question if they are doing enough. My success is largely due to how proficient they are at their jobs. I don't have to hover over them to make sure they are doing things correctly. Instead, we work as a team and hold each other accountable. If I make a mistake, they tell me and we work together to get it fixed, and vice versa. Teamwork is what makes us successful here at HB Chemical. We all work together—sales, purchasing, customer service, quality, accounting and the warehouse.