Wolfpack Sports Marketing Visits Caterpillar

During the Caterpillar plan tour (l to r) Michael Bastin, Gary Hahn, Mike Haas and Bruce Weber stop for a photo.

Voice of the Wolfpack, Gary Hahn, practices his skills on heavy machinery.

If you build it they will come. No, not the line from the movie. But, it's what happened when a proud corporate partner of NC State Athletics invited two members of the Wolfpack Sports Marketing (WSM) team to their home turf to see what they do and how they do it.

Caterpillar is the world leader in the manufacture of heavy equipment, some made here in North Carolina. So, on September 30, 2004, the CAT team invited Gary Hahn, the "Voice of the Wolfpack" and Bruce Weber, Business Development Associate who services the Caterpillar account, to their Clayton plant to see how these impressive machines are assembled.

"It takes quite a team to do what our friends at CAT do on a daily basis," remarked Weber. "After visiting the Clayton plant it's easy to see why Caterpillar is number one."

Up to five thousand people tour the Clayton plant each year. This particular facility runs twenty-four hours a day and produces backhoe loaders and small wheel loaders. The brave staff at Caterpillar even allowed Hahn and Weber to try their hand at operating these machines.

"It was a real kick to get to operate some of the machinery," said Hahn. "I always wanted to drive a bulldozer and I got my chance. Fortunately, I didn't destroy anything or hurt anyone."

The CAT team made sure of that. But for them it was all in a days work. "It was a pleasure hosting Bruce and Gary here at the Clayton facility." said Rick Francis of Caterpillar. "They were like two kids in a sandbox when they got behind the controls of a skid steer loader and backhoe loader."

It is safe to say that Hahn and Weber won't be giving up their day jobs anytime soon. But should the need arise, these two would-be operators are standing by. And, after the trip to the Clayton plant it is easy to understand why WSM and Caterpillar are proud to say: Caterpillar and NC State . . . partnering to make progress possible.

Thanks to WSM's Bruce Weber for this Capcom story and photo.