Artman finds 'peek behind the curtain' in plastics industry 'very exciting'

While Jarod Artman might not have followed his lifelong dream of joining the National Basketball Association, he did, however, learn "a lot about teamwork and effort," the North America product manager, trading polyethylene molding, for resin distributor Osterman & Co. Inc. said in his Rising Stars survey.

With a bachelor's degree in communications from John Carroll University in Ohio, he joined Osterman as a sales trainee — his first plastics job.

As a sales representative, he was a responsible for developing and managing accounts in the Midwest region, including western Pennsylvania, Ohio, southern Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.

"I was interested in the industry because of the unique opportunity it presented. As consumers, we all use plastic on a daily basis," Artman, 28, said. "I found the opportunity to get a 'peek behind the curtain' was very exciting and haven't looked back since."

Artman, who was born in Ocala, Fla., and raised in northeast Ohio, became North America product manager, trading polyethylene molding, in April 2019 in Cheshire, Conn.

"My greatest challenge at work is learning the ins and outs of my new role," he said. "I learned a great deal in my sales role over the last five years, but working with the producers is a different ball game."

He received the Osterman Outland Award in 2016 and 2017. Artman was also awarded the Sales Circle of Excellence in 2017 and 2018.

Artman said recyclables "is and will continue to be a hot topic."

"As industry professionals, I think it is important that we continue to shed light on the benefits of plastics use while also understanding the long-term effects improper disposal could have," he said.

Artman said that if he were CEO of a company, the first thing he would do is communicate with his team "to understand what we do well and what needs improvement," which would allow him to establish where the initial focus would need to be.

"Osterman & Co. has done a great job of putting the young professionals they hire in positions that are conducive for success," he said.

Artman said what surprises him the most about the plastics industry is the marketplace volatility: "Every day is a new day!"

"My desire has always been to find the areas of the business that I can add the most value to. When I first started, that was in sales," he said about his career and future in the industry. "Today, my focus is on PE trading molding. My hope is that I am able to continue to do that."

Artman said his greatest achievement in life has been "mustering up the courage" to introduce himself to his fiancé, Katie, who pushes him "to better myself on a daily basis." In his spare time, he also enjoys exploring the East Coast, riding his bike and playing basketball.