Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1346654
ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT Portable Sanitation Association International News BIWEEKLY EDITION MARCH 3, 2021 Page 8 Pioneer of Our Industry: Al Hilde…continued from page 7 Continued on page 12 His "manufacturing process" was to build these small wooden bathrooms "out of plywood, three-eighths thick, with a medium density overlay on the exterior side." Beginning with 36 hand-built units, he launched his company. He tells the Historical Society that, "at that time space travel was on everyone's mind and that was when I came up with the name of our company: Satellite Industries." Al's business philosophy, along with that of many of the other pioneers, has evolved through the decades and has made its way into the basic principles we all value in fellow members of the PSAI. Al states that, "from the beginning I was driven to put dignity into the business. We always used the term 'portable restrooms' and looked at our business in terms of meeting specific business needs of society." These words still ring true today. Being the first portable sanitation company in Minneapolis, customers began to call "TA 3-4373" and Al and his team would "put another Satellite in orbit." Since construction was a major marketplace for portable restrooms, Al also traveled outside of the Twin Cities area to secure large building projects in locations that included, among others, Omaha, Des Moines, and the Quad Cities in Iowa and Illinois. As Al Hilde became more established in his own company, he also wanted to help the entire portable restroom industry. On May 1, 1971, Al was elected to the first Portable Sanitation Association Board of Directors. He served with eight other distinguished, hard-working individuals in organizing this new association. In the picture commemorating this historic event, the Board consisted of: • President—Irvin Juster, Schenectady, NY • Vice President—Stanford Freedman, Miami, FL • Treasurer—Frank Phillips, Atlanta, GA • Paul Levine, Philadelphia, PA • Robert C Churchill, Roanoke, VA • James Consolo, Brooklyn Heights, OH • Clarence Henk, Chicago, IL • Earl Braxton, Detroit, MI • Al Hilde, Minneapolis, MN (circled at right) We owe each of these dedicated and determined business owners a debt of gratitude for their willingness to share experiences, knowledge, and insight and forming an association would assist future members! Soon, Satellite was both producing units for sale to other restroom companies as well continuing to provide service throughout the country. In 1972, Al made the decision to begin producing polyethylene toilets which were lighter and easier to maintain than the original wooden units.