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How a Vietnam Vet Built a Valve Empire
From Vietnam to Valves: Rick Wentzel’s 54-Year Journey in the Industry
An inside look at the evolution of the valve industry with Bonomi North America’s founder, Rick Wentzel.
Episode Summary
Rick Wentzel was the first call I made when launching Fully Open. From Vietnam to helping take Watts from $16M to $1B, to building Bonomi North America from scratch — Rick has lived every chapter of the modern valve industry. This episode dives deep into field-tested stories, technical evolution, and lessons that still apply today.
GuestRick Wentzel, Founder, Bonomi North America
HostGilbert Welsford Jr., Founder of ValveMan
PublishedAugust 2025
Runtime40:35 minutes
TopicsBall valve evolution, automation, ISO 5211, startup lessons, industrial training
Show Notes
Timestamps
- 00:00 – From Vietnam to Valves
- 02:00 – Rick’s early days at Watts
- 06:00 – Birth of ball valves in the U.S.
- 10:00 – Starting Bonomi North America
- 17:00 – The evolution of valve automation
- 28:00 – How to sell through education
- 34:00 – Rick’s best advice for young professionals
Key Themes
- Early ball valve marketing strategies
- Why torque matters in automation
- The history behind James Berry and Apollo
- How Rick trained plumbers to stay awake
- Bonomi’s vertically integrated valve-actuator system
Links Mentioned
Featured Quotes
“Marketing is the lightbulb. Sales is turning it off. Execution.”
— Rick Wentzel
“Let the job come to you. Ask people about their lives before your product.”
— Rick Wentzel
“Bonomi built the valve and the actuator as one. That’s how we beat the torque.”
— Rick Wentzel