Real field stories from the people who keep plants running. Hosted by Gilbert Welsford Jr., third-generation leader at ValveMan. We talk with plant managers, maintenance leaders, valve makers, and reliability pros. No hype. Just lessons that protect uptime, reduce failure risk, and help you spec better. What you will hear Valve selection and sizing that actually fits the application. Failure prevention, actuation, materials, and maintenance that hold up in the field. Hard-won stories you can ...
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Gilbert Welsford Jr. • ValveMan Podcasts

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Built It. Bought It. Grew It: Bruce Broxterman on Building a Valve Powerhouse
38:37
38:37
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38:37Bruce Broxterman doesn’t just build companies — he builds billion-dollar exits. In this second episode of Fully Open (by ValveMan), host Gil Welsford Jr. sits down with Bruce to unpack how he built, bought, and grew one of the biggest names in the valve industry — and how his playbook still drives results today. 💡 What you’ll hear: How Bruce scaled…
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How a Vietnam Vet Built a Valve Empire — Rick Wentzel on Legacy, Innovation & Grit
40:35
40:35
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40:35Rick Wentzel doesn’t just sell valves — he helped shape the entire North American valve landscape. In this first episode of Fully Open (by ValveMan), host Gil Welsford Jr. sits down with Rick to talk about his journey from Vietnam platoon sergeant to co-founding Bonomi North America and launching game-changing valve and actuator lines across the co…
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Trailer: A Life-Changing Call from Aldo Bonomi
1:10
1:10
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1:10“I got robbed on Christmas Eve. That was my first day as a valve salesman.” Rick Wenzel’s story starts in chaos — and turns into a career that helped shape the U.S. valve industry. This is the official trailer for Fully Open (by ValveMan) — a show about the people who keep plants running. We talk to field engineers, plant managers, valve pros, and …
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