[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 40 (Thursday, March 2, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S633-S634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING PSC DISTRIBUTION

 Ms. ERNST. Madam President, as ranking member of the Senate 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize 
an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American 
entrepreneurial spirit. This week it is my privilege to recognize PSC 
Distribution of Iowa City, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week 
for the week of February 27, 2023.
  The story behind the origin of PSC Distribution is one of hard work 
and knowing an opportunity when you see one. Jim Nesmith was born and 
raised in Jasper County in the early 1900s. Wanting to give back to his 
community, he became the State senator for Jasper County in the 1940s. 
During this time, he also became a salesman for A.Y. McDonald, a 
wholesale distributor of plumbing pumps and waterworks based in Des 
Moines. Both of these jobs exposed him to greater Iowa, outside of his 
native Jasper County. Jim recognized that there was a great opportunity 
for growth in Iowa City with the expansion of the University of Iowa, 
so he decided to take a chance and open his own wholesale plumbing 
distributorship on May 1, 1951.
  For the past 70 years, PSC Distribution has been supplying eastern 
Iowa residents and businesses with the materials they need to excel in 
the plumbing industry. Currently under the fourth generation of family 
ownership, cousins Tom Balmer and Jennie Wunderlich, along with her 
husband Ben Wunderlich, continue to grow and guide the company with 
innovation and excellence. In 2010, the PSC plumbing showroom expanded 
and rebranded into a luxury showroom named Studio

[[Page S634]]

H2O which emphasizes quality customer service and building a 
relationship of trust with each customer. Today, PSC Distribution 
prides itself as a family owned and operated wholesale plumbing 
business services offering everything from heating controls and 
systems, air conditioning, geothermal systems, to water heaters, 
plumbing fittings, pipes, valves, and kitchen sinks.
  PSC Distribution has always prioritized giving back to their 
community and employees. They actively support the Ronald McDonald 
House, the Iowa City Community School District Foundation, Table to 
Table, the Optimist Service Club, the Rotary Club, and are recognized 
as one of the original investors in Iowa City Area Development. 
Additionally, many of its employees have worked there for more than 20 
years, with some working there for more than 40 years. Regardless of an 
employee's tenure at the company, whether it brief or long, PSC 
Distribution celebrates different work anniversaries by posting a 
tribute on social media to an employee they appreciate. They also take 
the time to honor veteran customers and employees with tribute posts 
thanking them for their service. Furthermore, PSC Distribution hosts 
community events in their showroom such as pampering nights for women 
in the industry and builders' and electricians' events to forge a 
strong community and inspire others to join the industry.
  Through never compromising their commitment to being trustworthy, 
customer-focused, and growth-oriented, PSC Distribution has been able 
to thrive for decades. It has won a number of awards throughout the 
years, including the Roots Award in 2011, which was awarded by the Iowa 
City Chamber of Commerce to highlight their role as an anchor business 
of the Iowa City area for over 60 years and for exemplifying the 
importance of successful relationships between small businesses and the 
communities they serve. They also won the National Single-branch ICP 
Distributor of the Year in 2012, awarded by International Comfort 
Products, a leading manufacturer of HVAC equipment. In 2022, Studio H2O 
was honored to be named the 2022 Showroom of the Year by Wholesaler 
Magazine, an industry magazine which reaches 100,000 professional 
engineers, distributors, and contractors. It gives me great joy to see 
this family business receive their rightful recognition from industry 
experts and from their community at large. I want to congratulate the 
entire team at PSC Distribution for their continued commitment to 
loyally serving the needs of Iowans. I look forward to seeing their 
continued growth and success in Iowa.

                          ____________________