Celebrating the Career of Gary Smith
By . Posted on in Company News, People Behind the Pumps
The legend retires from the pump industry
After more than five remarkable decades with the Ruthman Companies, Gary Smith closed the final chapter of an extraordinary career in 2025.
What began as a “real job” he expected to keep for only a few years turned into 53 years of dedicated service, countless customer partnerships, and a legacy that spans shop floors, product innovations, and sales territories across the country.
Gary joined Ruthman’s Gusher Pumps division full-time in the early 1970s, machining parts for a variety of Ruthman products. He spent his early years running lathes, drills, milling machines, and welding equipment before transferring to the Gusher Dry Ridge facility in 1978. There, he worked his way through nearly every corner of the operation from manual and CNC lathe operator (including the still-running Cincinnati Cinturn!) to shop foreman.
In 1987, Tom R. Ruthman Sr. urged him, “kicking and screaming,” as Gary puts it, into inside sales. He described it as a “baptism by fire”. He was given a catalog, a price sheet, a phone, and set loose to learn the ropes in sales.
A quick study, Gary was soon traveling with former Gusher Vice President of Sales Les Smith and Executive Vice President Tim Vallandingham to visit the company’s English division for early Jeep project work. Soon after, he took on both inside and outside sales responsibilities, eventually transitioning fully to field sales in 1992. His territory has fluctuated through the years, covering nearly all of North America: Wisconsin to Louisiana, the East Coast, and into Canada.
In sales, Gary used his deep pump construction knowledge to help create a number of notable product developments that addressed real customer challenges. In the 7550 Series, this included fitting the power frame with a BSM gear pump to create a quieter, space saving design; developing two-stage horizontal and vertical configurations to increase throughput; and improving pump design to reduce foaming issues in automotive Ecoat paint systems. Within the 7800 Series, he was involved in prototyping the 11019/11031/11032 AVD-A models. Finally, to address a customer’s need for a compact laundry pump, he’s credited with creating the first Vortex solids handling pump by combining the 11031 impeller with the 11019 casing.
In addition to those many jobs, Gary was the company’s tradeshow warrior, handling everything from planning and setup to working the booth and teardown. In his spare time, he also built and painted many of our cutaway display pumps.
When Gary reflects on his career, what stands out isn’t just the machines or the miles traveled, it’s the people.
He recalls building long-term friendships with customers he spoke to daily and colleagues who shaped his journey. “I have enjoyed this job by making relationships along the way,” he shared. “And I’ve enjoyed coming up with solutions to help our customers. That’s what made this special.”
For the next chapter, Gary is enjoying sleeping past 6 a.m., traveling for fun rather than work, and spending more time tinkering in his garage. That garage time includes finally giving proper attention to a long-loved classic: his 1965 GTO.
Please join us in thanking Gary for 53 years of exceptional service. His ingenuity, persistence, and commitment to service have impacted Gusher and Ruthman Companies in ways that will last far beyond his retirement. We wish him many miles of enjoyment in that GTO.