Chapter 14: Making it Happen

Devon had drawn up the papers of incorporation for our little company, registering us as Smithton PWTS, Inc. I was the nominal CEO, while Thomas was CFO and Georgette was Director of Market Research with Kevin being Director of Manufacturing. All the other investors were listed as Directors at large.

Georgette's primary responsibility was to make sure we were filling the right need(s) with our designs and she took her job very seriously. I expected nothing less, of course. That was her personality, as I discovered when she interviewed me.

I was upset that she was going to be gone for some time as she did her survey. I had become so used to having her with me every day that I hadn't figured on her being away for any length of time. The only thing that tempered my concern was my need to study for my final examinations and make sure that I earned my degree. That would keep me occupied.

When she planned her trip, she decided to fly to her main destinations and rent a four-wheel-drive SUV. She expected she would be driving some rough roads and trails to get to the sites she had to visit. I was not surprised, but quite pleased at how much her involvement with our project had drawn her in. As far as I could tell, she was completely immersed in it and totally committed to helping wherever she could.

We had long since passed the one-hundred-thousand dollar mark in expenses when she left for her assignment. I drove her to the airport and said our loving good-bye as she proceeded through the security gate. She would be gone for a month, give or take. We would talk on the phone or by Skype daily, but it was no substitute for having her with me in our bed. There were going to be some lonely nights.

Kevin continued to soldier on with our prototypes that were now taking shape in the shop we had rented. He had worked with the supplier of the reverse osmosis system and had convinced them to strengthen what we thought were weak points in their system. It had never been designed to be portable or operate in hostile environments and they saw no need to "over-build" their units. An amount of cash was required to convince them that it was important to us.

What our supplier didn't know was that we were replacing some of their components with our more rugged pieces. Their nylon tubing and brass fittings would all be replaced by Charlie Prendergast's products. We were also swapping out their filter materials with Dow's new specification material designed specifically for us. It would void their warranty, but that wasn't an issue in our prototypes. We were getting closer to beginning our testing.

Georgette had been away almost two weeks when I got a call from her late one morning.

"John, I think we might have a problem," she began after our usual greetings.

"What kind of problem?"

"I think someone might be working on the same idea as we are. I've been talking to a number of people in the Amarillo area and they're telling me I'm not the first person to ask about water costs and volumes. They were around here about two months ago asking questions of some of the ranchers and other landowners."

I sat quietly for a moment, thinking about what this might mean.

"John? John? Are you still there?"

"Yeah ... still here. Just thinking for a moment. It might not mean what we think. It might mean someone with the larger units trying to figure out if there's a market for them. What about the water board. Did they show up there?"

"Not that anyone mentioned."

"Good. So maybe it's like I said, someone with a large unit surveying the possibilities."

"Maybe," she said, not sounding too convinced. "Some of the questions they asked made it sound like a more portable unit at lower cost. That's really what we're talking about isn't it?"

"Yeah. Definitely. Did they leave any business cards or mention a name to anyone?"

"Yes. The guy said he was representing Clearwater Resources out of Detroit. His name was Milos Czerny. I'll spell that for you."

I searched my memory and couldn't recall any company called Clearwater or the distinctive name of the man.

"Detroit, huh. That's unusual. Did he talk about their development at all?"

"Yes, but just in vague terms," she said. "You know, portable, cheap, does all the things we are trying to do. One of the guys I talked to said he got the impression they were bringing this in from Europe somewhere. I'm not near an Internet connection right now, so I haven't looked him or the company up."

"Hold on, let me do that now." I quickly googled Clearwater Resources and found a web page. They were located in Hamtramck, a suburb of Detroit I presumed.

"They feature a whole bunch of equipment, but I don't see anything related to water purification. They've got pumps and pneumatic equipment, apparently supply some stuff to the auto industry. No names on the website that I can see."

"Do you think your contacts in Midland might know something about them?"

"Good question. I'll call Dow this morning and see what I can find out."

"Okay. It was just dumb luck that I interviewed two ranchers who they called on as well. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known anything about them."

"This may not amount to anything, Georgette. But let's not take anything for granted. When are you leaving for Boise?"

"This afternoon. I'm meeting with the local rancher's association tomorrow morning and with the state water board that afternoon."

"Good work, girl. You're really diving into this, aren't you?"

"No half-measures for my guy, John. We'll do this together and do it right," she stated emphatically.

"Good luck, love. I'll call if I learn anything new about Clearwater or this Milos guy. Otherwise, we'll talk tonight as usual. Love you, Babe."

"Take care, John. Love you," she said, hanging up.

Even though we talked to each other every day, it was no substitute for being together. I was counting the days until her survey and research project was complete and she was home in my arms once more. It was the first time we had been apart since New Years of the previous year and I missed her terribly.

I didn't waste any time calling Bob Mears at Midland.

"Mr. Mears, it's John Smith. Can you spare me a minute? Something's come up that you might be able to help with."

"Go ahead, John. How can I help?"

"Have you ever heard of a company called Clearwater Resources?"

"Nope. Never heard of them. I can ask around if you like."

"What about a man named Milos Czerny?"

"Hmmm. That does have a familiar ring to it. Again, I'll ask around. Rex is probably the best guy to ask. He has more contacts than I'll ever have. What's this about?"

I explained what Georgette had learned and the reason for my trying find out about both the company and the man.

"Tell you what, John. You call Rex and talk to him. I'll call our legal department and have them check out the company and the name. I'll let you know what they learn as soon as I hear. In the meantime, keep me informed about what Rex knows."

"Great. Thanks, Mr. Mears. I really appreciate your help."

"No problem ... and it's Bob, remember?" I could hear the friendliness in his voice.

"Right. Thanks, Bob."

I was punching in Rex's cell number as soon as I signed off with Bob. It went immediately to voice mail and I left a quick message outlining what I wanted to know and why. Two hours later I got a call from him.

"Hey, John, good to hear from you. What's this about a competitor showing up?"

"Not sure, Rex, but Georgette was doing some surveying of potential customers in and around Texas and New Mexico and heard about someone asking similar questions. Some guy named Milos Czerny representing Clearwater Resources. Ever heard of either of them?"

"Sure, I know Milos. He's a broker for eastern European equipment. Lives in Brno in the Czech Republic some of the time, near Detroit other times. Fairly reliable guy I hear. Never heard of Clearwater, though."

"Okay. Bob is checking out both names with your legal department to see what he can learn. What do you know about Milos?"

"He's been trying for years to get a foothold in the North American market for equipment and machinery. Most of it is from the Czech Republic, but some from Slovakia, some from Poland and Romania. That's where all his contacts are. Some of the stuff is pretty good and some of it is junk. You think he's got something like what you are building?"

"Could be. Georgette said that's what he was implying to some of the ranchers."

"Well, as far as filters go, there is one good supplier in Germany who could come close to our specifications, but they don't really work in our area of interest. They are more involved in filters for high-end automobiles, aircraft and ships. They have a medical division for hospitals and clinics, but that's a different technology too. Your specification is very precise and I can't see this company doing development work in a whole new field."

"Okay, that's helpful I guess. I wonder what he's up to? I'd sure like to know for some peace of mind. We're close to testing our prototypes and I don't want to rush the process if I don't have to."

"I wouldn't worry too much, John. Even if he's on the same track, you and I both know just how complex the equipment is. A cheap knock-off isn't going to cut it. And as far as water quality goes, you just can't mess with that. Way too dangerous for health reasons."

"Okay, Rex. Thanks a lot for getting back to me so quickly. I'm sure Bob will have something in a day or two, so I'll hang on for him. In the meantime, we'll continue at our current pace."