JOURNEY TO JOINING THE FAMILY BUSINESS
Stepping into a family business doesn’t guarantee an easy start, especially in a complex industry such as natural gas. When Grace and Kevin joined Kerr Engineered Sales, the name was familiar, but the work wasn’t.
Stepping into a family business doesn’t guarantee an easy start, especially in a complex industry such as natural gas. When Grace and Kevin joined Kerr Engineered Sales, the name was familiar, but the work wasn’t. They entered an environment built on decades of hands-on experience, with products and services that require technical and practical knowledge. Credibility isn’t inherited; it has to be earned.
For Grace, it was overwhelming at first. “I was meeting customers, going to job sites and attending trade shows with Thomas (Dad) and Uncle David. Discussions were about stopple jobs, pigs, closures, catalytic heaters, compressor stations and separators. I didn’t know what they were talking about.”
Until then, their only exposure to the natural gas industry was as a consumer.
Grace graduated began her career in software sales in Austin, TX. David’s son, Kevin Kerr also joined in the summer of 2025. He is a recent grad from Penn State.
built on expertise
KERR Engineered Sales sells technical equipment and services for pipeline repair and maintenance. The team is highly valued for their expertise, knowledge and longevity. KERR represents multiple principals who manufacture lines of equipment that enable gas to flow safely and reliably to consumers and industry. Across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, the team works closely with major utilities and gas companies on critical projects.
Although the learning curve is steep, their teachers are skilled. Grace was impressed by David’s technical knowledge and patience. She noted, “Whether Uncle David is at the office or in the field, his phone is constantly beeping with texts and calls from customers needing advice and solutions. He is a problem solver.”
The company was founded in 1952 by Art Kerr Sr. and his son, Jack, who turned the company over to Thomas and David in 1997. Traveling with her father reinforced the importance of relationships. “Thomas is constantly on the road, doing presentations, lunch and learns, visiting sites and responding to opportunities.”
When David planned the trip to Kansas and Oklahoma to meet key principals and see the manufacturing facilities, Grace admits she wasn’t thrilled at the idea of driving from Pittsburgh to Kansas, Tulsa and back. But the trip ended up playing a key role in their understanding of the company and legacy.
Visiting the factories, seeing equipment built, and meeting the people behind it accelerated their understanding in a way no manual or meeting could.
Shih-Shin Chou, Bruest VP demonstrating heater operations
Learning the Industry Firsthand
Bruest Catalytic Heaters. The first stop was Independence, Kansas. The Bruest line of flameless, catalytic heaters are custom manufactured to detailed specifications and requirements.
Grace and Kevin saw catalytic heaters on the production line and got to know the key people in sales and manufacturing.
The next stop was Tulsa, Oklahoma, the global headquarters of
T.D. Williamson (TDW) pipeline repair and maintenance products and services. KERR Engineered Sales was started in 1952 by Art Kerr, Sr. to provide sales representation for T.D. Williamson. Since then, Kerr has sold TDW equipment and services along the eastern seaboard and mid-Atlantic.
“Touring the facilities and meeting face-to-face with key principals gave us insight into the quality of the products and strength of the relationships.”
-Grace Kerr
Highlights included touring the massive manufacturing plant where ShortStopp fittings, Lock-O-Rings, Hot Tapping equipment and valves are produced. It was an ocean of red paint, parts and automated workstations.
They watched Senior technicians service and repair equipment for customers and visited TDW’s line of Pigging products that clean and maintain pipelines.
After meeting with T.D. Williamson President & CEO Bob McGrew, TDW hosted a happy hour for the KERR group.
While in Tulsa, they met with TEK-FINS and ZEVAC.
TEK-FINS Air Cooled Heat Exchangers (ACHEs) are an essential component of natural gas production, gathering, and processing by removing heat from the gas stream without relying on water.
At the plant, they stood next to ACHE units as large as airplanes. TEK-FINS CEO, engineers and office employees explained how they are built for demanding field conditions.
TEK-FINS Air Cooled Heat Exchanger
ZEVAC ZD3 Methane mitigation technology
ZEVAC has an innovative cross compression technology that captures and recovers gas and liquids during operations and maintenance. ZEVAC supports emission reductions during pipeline repair projects.
Art Kerr, Sr. founded KERR in 1952
Between meetings, David built in time to explore Tulsa. Prior to forming KERR, Art was an executive with Rockwell in Tulsa. They visited the family home where Grace and Kevin’s grandfather, Jack Kerr grew up.
The hours in the car back to Pittsburgh went by quickly. They asked questions, got to know each other and built bonds.
“After the trip, things started to connect,” Kevin said. “You understand the equipment differently when you’ve seen where it comes from and how it’s used.”
-Kevin Kerr
looking ahead
There’s no shortcut in this business. Knowledge is built over time—in the field, seeing equipment in action, and learning from mentors.
Eight months in, Grace and Kevin’s learning curve continues. Grace is generating quotes, supporting customers and organizing trade shows. Kevin is attending to key principals and building his technical expertise.
They understand that respect is earned, not inherited.
About Kerr Engineered Sales Company. Since 1952, KERR has represented leading pipeline and performance equipment manufacturers across the Eastern U.S. Now in its fourth generation of family leadership, the team continues to serve the industry with the same commitment to quality, reliability, and personal service that has defined our company for more than 74 years.
1952-2022: KERR Celebrates 70 YEARS
Kerr Engineered Sales Company employees and family members gathered in West Virginia for a weekend of adventure and remembrance to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the company.
July 14 - 17, 2022: Kerr Engineered Sales Company employees and their family members gathered in West Virginia for a weekend of adventure and remembrance to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the company.
The twenty nine employees and family members enjoyed activities that included hiking, biking, rock climbing, white water rafting, golf, shopping, steam train riding, zip lining, fly fishing and visiting the wild, wonderful sights of West Virginia. In between the adventures, BBQ and beverages, an overarching theme of the weekend was the significance of relationships.
In 1952, Art Kerr, Sr. was fifty six when he resigned from Rockwell Manufacturing, as Vice President of Sales. Instead of retiring on the laurels of a successful career, he founded Kerr Engineered Sales Company. Art’s relationships with T. D. Williamson, Sr. and Don Sillers of Peerless, were significant to the founding of the company to bring key products and services to the oil and gas customers in the region.
Seventy years later, while the names have changed, the strength and significance of relationships remain. In 2022, Kerr’s Principals and distribution partners include T.D. Williamson, Peerless, Bruest, Burgess, Ecotec, ZEVAC, GPT and Blackline Safety.
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Highlights of the weekend included honoring the many valued employees, family members and partners who built the company then and who are keeping it strong today. Art’s son Jack joined KERR in 1955. Today, at 91, Jack is Chairman of the Board. His sons David, CEO and Thomas, Vice President, joined in 1987 and 1994. A newspaper, “Through the Years,” with highlights of the history and timeline was shared. It is available to download by clicking on the image.
The weekend was jam packed with adventures and story making. At the evening gatherings, the team recounted the details of flying through the trees on a zip line, gripping granite cliffs with fingers and toes, and being propelled from a raft into turbulent white water rapids.
“The relationships and trust that we hold with our team, our customers and the leadership at our principals remains the foundation of the business through seven decades. We look forward to strengthening the relationships way into the future.”
- David Kerr, CEO Kerr Engineered Sales Company
Kerr Engineered Sales Company has represented leading pipeline repair and performance companies in Eastern US since it was founded by Art Kerr, Sr in 1952. David Kerr is the President and CEO and Thomas Kerr is Vice President,Sales.
TDW's Role in American Pipelines Spans 100 years of Innovation
Chuck Harris, of TD Williamson, describes how two American pipelines, the Big Inch and Little Inch, helped meet wartime oil demand and aided victory in WWII. TD Williamson played a critical role in shaping the company as specialists in pipeline repair maintenance when asked to design a solution clean pipelines.
This article is from the December 2020 issue of World Pipelines
Chuck Harris, of TD Williamson, describes how two American pipelines, the Big Inch and Little Inch, helped meet wartime oil demand and aided victory in WWII. TD Williamson played a critical role in shaping the company as specialists in pipeline repair maintenance when asked to design a solution clean pipelines.
Art Kerr, Founder of KERR Engineered Sales & First US sales representative for TDW.