Rick 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 country.

💡 What you’ll hear:

• How Rick pioneered the ball valve movement in the U.S.
• The Bonomi startup story and engineering principles that built trust
• Why specs alone don’t sell — and what it really takes
• Lessons on leadership, legacy, and long-term business growth

🔧 This isn’t just a podcast about valves — it’s about the people who keep plants running.

🔗 More from ValveMan: https://valveman.com

📧 Contact: info@valveman.com

“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 maintenance leaders.
Not about theory. About what it really takes to protect uptime, prevent failures, and spec smarter.

🎧 Subscribe to the show:
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/fully-open-podcast

📩 Get the newsletter (The Line Doesn’t Lie):
https://valveman.com/linkedin-newsletter