On Episode 13 of the Hearts Not Heads Podcast, Garry Ridge and Davin Salvagno sit down with Sam Thevanayagam, President and CEO at Parts Life, Inc., DeVal Lifecycle Support, and LC Engineers, Inc.
About Sam Thevanayagam
Samuel Prakash Thevanayagam, or SamT, is a Sri Lankan-born Naturalized American, CEO, entrepreneur, author, thought leader, innovator and aftermarket expert. He is also a husband, father of five and an active leader in his community and church.
SamT came to the U.S. in 1985 at the age of 22 to study at community college and pursue his belief in the American dream. From the time he was a youth, he displayed an entrepreneurial spirit. After obtaining his Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from Oral Roberts University in 1988 and working many years in the automotive aftermarket for other companies, Sam saw the opportunity to start his own business. Eager at the chance to follow his lifelong pursuit of becoming a business owner, Sam started Parts Life, Inc. amidst a global recession in 2007.
Parts Life provides obsolescence and supply chain solutions that extend the life of expensive, mission-critical assets. In 2018 SamT acquired DeVal Lifecycle Support, a manufacturing facility located in Philadelphia with over 60 years in the industry. Most recently, SamT has acquired LC Engineers in Rahway, New Jersey. With these companies, SamT’s vision is to continue to build a culture that emphasizes continuous learning, mentorship and servant leadership.
About Heartcount™
Heartcount™ is a cutting edge employee experience platform that helps leaders recognize the hearts and wellbeing of their people on a weekly basis, so that they can build cultures where people feel see, heard, and valued, know that they matter, and know that they belong. Learn more at Heartcount.com
Garry Ridge is the former 25 year CEO, and Chairman Emeritus of the WD-40 Company where he build one of the most highly engaged workforces in the world. He is known as The Culture Coach, the founder of The Learning Moment, and serves as an executive coach to many CEOS throughout the World. His new book Any Dumb-Ass Can Do It: Learning Moments from an Everyday CEO of a Multi-Billion-Dollar Company releases in March 2025.
Davin Salvagno is a bestselling author, inspirational speaker, and the cofounder of PurposePoint and The Purpose Summit, which brings hundreds of purpose-driven, people-focused leaders from around the world together each year. His new book Thieves of Purpose: Overcoming the 12 Mindsets Robbing You of Your Potentialreleases in February 2025.
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