Robert Ferrara is president of Atlantic Industrial Technologies, a hydraulic, pneumatic and power transmission distributor in Islandia, N.Y. Contact him at rferrara@aitzone.com.

HOW HAS BUSINESS BEEN LATELY? Atlantic relies on project work with billed engineering hours and value-add software and manufacturing of systems. Sales are up because of these projects.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR? Based on backlog and anticipated sales, I'm expecting a 10 percent increase over 2005 for the second half of '06.

WHAT IS THE BEST IDEA YOU'VE IMPLEMENTED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS? Atlantic 2.0! We recently had a business model change which encompasses so much more than distribution. Many projects are bid as a total design, supply and install. AIT now has the capability to take on the role of a general contractor in many projects.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE FACING DISTRIBUTION TODAY? With the advent of the Internet, and the Graingers of the world, easy business is a thing of the past. Without adding value to your product, margins will erode.

WHEN INTERVIEWING POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES, WHAT IS THE BEST QUESTION TO ASK THEM? Great question...not a clear answer. With salesmen, I look for some fire, customer service, compassion, the ability to climb walls, and a need to find a way to please the customer.

IF YOU HAD UNLIMITED RESOURCES, WHAT CHANGE WOULD YOU MAKE IN YOUR BUSINESS? I would love to hire the staff to penetrate the hydraulic project market on a worldwide level. We have successfully completed some of these large projects, but to maintain several at once requires a large staffing investment.

WHAT IS THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD ASPECT OF YOUR INDUSTRY? I still don't feel that some manufacturers really understand what kind of margins are required by distributors.

IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY OTHER JOB IN THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I would enjoy teaching. My experience of mentoring a high school robotic team for the last six years has exposed me to the satisfaction of "making a difference" in someone's life.

WHAT'S YOUR GOLF HANDICAP? YOUR FAVORITE COURSE? I would guess it to be at about 22. This is not the time in my life for golf. Having a business, three kids in sports and a boat—it just can't happen.

IF YOU COULD CHOOSE SOMEONE, LIVING OR DEAD, TO HAVE LUNCH WITH, WHO WOULD IT BE? I guess it would be Jesus. I would love to learn the story first hand.

WHERE DID YOU GO ON YOUR LAST VACATION? Vacations are my daughters' softball and soccer tournaments. We travel up and down the coast with canvas chairs and coolers all summer watching the kids compete.

NAME A TALENT YOU WISH YOU HAD. I'd love to be able to sing well. My kids have the talent for the performing arts; it must have come from my wife.