My main interests are flying and sailing I'm a private pilot with instrument and commercial ratings and 2,000 hours in the air
I also like to sail I've made about a dozen trips from Seattle to Los Angeles in the Pacific - not all the way each time
William (Bill) Warner
Medford,OR
Summary
Small businesses have been my career. There are few situations that I have not seen from trying to find cash to get started to scrambling to meet payroll. One other big growing pain is "letting go". Finding good people to staff a growing company is as critical as convincing a founder to delegate. That has happened to me.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder-Owner
Road Safety Supplies Company
Medford, OR
01.2021 - 05.2025
- Founded Road Safety Supplies to be the U.S. Distributor of BriteAngle LED Safety Triangles manufactured in the UK.
- My career has been in smaller businesses. I turned around a chemical manufacturing business (underwater epoxies) for a VC firm in the Bay Area and helped them sell it. We sold the product all over the world.
- 1988 was a sabbatical year.
- I founded a laser printer service company in the early 1990s when HP introduced it's laser printers. We had offices in SF, LA, Dallas, Chicago, Seattle, and Denver. I sold the company in the early 2000's.
- My Road Safety Supplies Company got caught in the Brexit tariff war with the EU and went out of business. Our supply line of BriteAngles disappeared, so we had to shut down. Long story. Bottom line - there is very little I have not seen in the challenges of starting and growing a small business. I feel very comfortable fulfilling all the responsibilities of this job.
Education
MBA - Accounting And Finance
Stanford University
Palo Alto, CA06-1968
Commissioned Officer - US Navy Ship Operations
U.S Navy Officer Candidate School
Newport RI11-1963
Bachelor of Science - Engineering
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI06-1963
Skills
- The overall rule I try to follow is to treat whoever I am talking with regardless of whether they are customers, employees, shareholders, community membersthe way I would like to be treated A "Golden Rule" philosophy
- The second rule for me is to try and stay "in the now" In other words, be present with anyone I am taking with Or, stay focused on my current task This helps to keep me from falling into the trap of "life is what happens to you while you are planning for tomorrow!"
Interests
Timeline
Founder-Owner
Road Safety Supplies Company
01.2021 - 05.2025
MBA - Accounting And Finance
Stanford University
Commissioned Officer - US Navy Ship Operations
U.S Navy Officer Candidate School
Bachelor of Science - Engineering
Michigan State University