Rachel Shurtleff
Customer Service Manager
Rachel joined Leonard Valve in May 2021. She moved to the role of Customer Service Team Manager at the end of March 2023. With over 25 years of experience in both the banking and manufacturing sectors, Rachel is highly experienced in Customer Service and Customer Relations. Her customer focused attitude and professionalism have made her a valued member of our Leonard Valve team.
Joseph Welsh
Regional Sales Manager
Joe joined the Leonard team in 2009 as the Western Regional Sales Manager and brought with him his 30+ years of Wholesale Distribution and Plumbing Manufacturing experience, and lifetime involvement in the Plumbing industry. Joe also has extensive experience working for Manufacturing Reps and Mechanical Contractors. He brings with him a high level of expertise on Mixing Valves, frequently working hand in hand with Engineers and Mechanical Contractors all over Western North America. Whether the tools are in his hands or those of the Engineer he is assisting to design safe hot water systems, Joe is dedicated to quality products and getting the job done right. Joe is based in Southern California where he has lived for the last 30 Years.
Lance Casey
Regional Sales Manager
Lance Casey came on board in Fall of 2021 as one of our newest Regional Sales Managers. He comes to Leonard with over 28 years of industry experience. Lance began his career with his recruitment by Ferguson out of the University of Georgia in 1993. Lance’s twenty-eight years in the plumbing industry has provided him with endless opportunities to gain knowledge and relationships throughout the country.
Nick Jett
Regional Sales Manager
Nick Jett joined Leonard Valve as our Midwest Regional Sales Manager after developing his reputation in the field of commercial plumbing throughout the Central United States and Canada. With over a dozen years of experience in Project and Regional Sales Management, Nick’s capabilities in Market Development and Distributor Relations are bringing new energy and forward-thinking ideas to Leonard Valve’s Midwest customer base.
Kimberly Manchester
Marketing Manager
Kimberly Manchester is a Marketing and Business Communications professional specializing in Industrial (B2B) Marketing. She brings to Leonard Valve her 20 years of experience working in all aspects of the field, from market research to new product commercialization. In her free time Kimberly enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with her family…especially their pets. She invites you to connect with her and Leonard Valve on LinkedIn!
Rick Cota
VP - Director of Technical Services
In his position, Rick is directly responsible for Engineering, Quality Control, and Technical Services. Rick has a Mechanical Engineering Degree from the University of Rochester and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Rhode Island.
Eric Fontaine
R&D Manager
Eric Fontaine has been with Leonard over 20 years. He started at Leonard in the engineering department and is now the R&D Engineering Manager. He has helped engineer the New-Generation design as well as helped with the new electronic mixing valve line. Eric has a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Hartford. Before Leonard he worked with paint systems and designing paint lines and powder coating equipment.
Fred Cote
Quotations Specialist
Prior to Leonard, Fred was involved with many different mechanical applications for over 31 years. In addition, previous experience included 20+ years of Customer Service, diagnostic, and technical support/service. Fred fields technical calls and makes recommendations for corrective solutions or recommends components necessary for maintenance or service. Additionally, he also provides quoting and special pricing, as well as occasional field startups and troubleshooting. He has currently been with Leonard for five years.
Eric Costa
Mechanical Engineer
Eric has been part of the Leonard engineering team since 2008. Some of his responsibilities include assistance with product development, standard certification and compliance testing for all products, troubleshooting customer issues both on the phone and in the field, and assisting manufacturing in the factory. Prior to Leonard, Eric worked for many years as a mason until graduating from University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.