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Jessica Burton PRESIDENT POLY VINYL CREATIONS
After working in various roles within the family-owned company, Jessica Burton became president of Poly Vinyl Creations in 2018. Her parents were one of the pioneers in the industry, offering vinyl fence with their original company, Burton Fence in the early 1980s. In 1996, Poly Vinyl Creations was formed to offer the ability of custom fabrication to end users through working with licensed trade contractors. Today, Jessica continues her family’s legacy with a vision of growth through customization, customer service and offering exceptional products and services. She has completed the process and is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. Read on to learn a valuable lesson Jessica discovered at one of her earliest meetings. WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS IS POLY VINYL CREATIONS? It’s a pioneer in the specialty outdoor products market, serving its distribution network of trade contractors and supply houses with vinyl, aluminum and other specialty outdoor products which includes fence, deck, railing, and garden products. Based mainly in the southeast with four stocking and manufacturing locations, we ship nationwide as well as export products. Our values are: People first. Offer the solution. Leave no stone unturned. Yearn for growth. WHEN DID YOU BECOME PRESIDENT? I’ve been president since my father retired in August 2018. I became the majority shareholder when my mother passed away in April 2017. Prior to that, I had worked in various positions since June 2001 when I graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing with a minor in journalism. I am a second-generation owner and owe my knowledge and diligence to my parents who raised me that to be successful, you need to commit to doing the right thing, making things happen, honoring your word and learning about the industries you serve and the products. WHAT DO YOU HANDLE IN YOUR POSITION? A little bit of everything! My favorite thing is training staff, especially when I get the opportunity to see the light bulbs go on. Due to my background with marketing, accounting, and technology, I enjoy being involved in those aspects of the business specifically. However, I was raised to be extremely hands on, as my parents were, and I can work in the warehouse, assist with machine maintenance, inventory, special projects, assist customer service and sales as well as accounting. I even make sure my forklift skills do not get rusty! I enjoy developing leadership staff within my organization and am excited when I see people start to spread their wings and develop their leadership skills.
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JULY 2022 | FENCE NEWS USA
Jessica with her father, Robert (Bob) Burton, founder of Burton Fence and Poly Vinyl Creations. He is a former AFA president and a certified fence professional.
