Success story: Building Relationships, Sharing Knowledge: Martin Gabaya’s Hutchinson Journey

When he joined Hutchinson as a direct sales engineer in 2025, Martin Gabaya brought more than a decade of experience, a deep knowledge of Hutchinson’s shock and vibration solutions and a passion for people.

His familiarity with Hutchinson’s products stems from prior experience working for a distributor. Back then, he learned the ropes, calling on customers alongside Hutchinson representatives. More than a decade later, that experience proved invaluable when he stepped into a new role, this time carrying the direct responsibility for a territory of his own.

“I always remembered Hutchinson as a company that sold more than products,” Martin says. “We’re really selling solutions, helping customers solve problems in some of the toughest environments.”

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A Smooth Transition

Martin was hired to succeed longtime sales engineer Roxanne Gustitis, who retired in September after 30 years with Hutchinson. To ensure a seamless handoff, the two worked side by side for several months, visiting customers together, traveling to Hopkinton for technical training and even sharing a running virtual Teams call to review strategy, questions and responses in real time.

“It wasn’t just, ‘Here you go, figure it out,’” Martin recalls. “I got to learn Roxanne’s style, meet key contacts and understand her approach. That overlap was a huge blessing.”

As it turned out, the two discovered they had much more in common than just their sales philosophy. From driving the same brand of automobile to showing up to meetings in matching outfits—light blue shirts and khakis—the similarities amused customers and reassured them that Hutchinson’s legacy of service would continue seamlessly.

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Selling Solutions, Not Just Products

Martin’s approach is simple: start with standard products whenever possible, because speed and value matter. But when off-the-shelf won’t work, Hutchinson’s engineering team is ready to customize.

“Our engineers are some of the smartest, most clever people I’ve worked with,” Martin says. “They mix technical expertise with real-world application knowledge. That balance means we can help customers faster and smarter.”

For Martin, it’s never about chasing one big sale. It’s about building trust, solving problems and ensuring customers come back again and again.

“You can win a customer once,” he explains. “But if you want them to come back, you need strong products and strong service. That combination is what makes Hutchinson different.”

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Experience and Perspective

Before returning to Hutchinson, Martin spent 10 years in the medical device industry, where he moved from customer service management into leadership roles. That experience gave him what he calls “professional maturity,” an understanding that lasting success depends on the entire team working together, from sales to engineering to customer service.

“Managing and leadership are two very different things,” Martin reflects. “I’ve learned how critical it is to arm your people with the right tools and support. That’s just as true in medical devices as it is here at Hutchinson.”

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Mentorship and Growth

Beyond his technical and sales expertise, Martin is passionate about mentoring. Over the last decade, he’s guided several emerging leaders, focusing on asking the right questions and encouraging them to adapt lessons to their own environments.

“Knowledge is powerful, but it’s even more powerful when you share it,” he says. “That’s how we build the next generation, inside Hutchinson and beyond.”

Looking ahead, Martin is excited to deepen relationships with customers and continue the culture of collaboration and problem-solving that drew him back to Hutchinson.

“At the end of the day, our job is about making sure critical systems survive and perform,” Martin says. “Every solution we deliver helps someone else do their job better, and that’s what drives me.”

 

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