Trudy Draeger

With nearly two decades of experience at Kusel Equipment, Trudy Draeger has become the go-to expert for engineers seeking practical stainless steel solutions. A lifelong Watertown resident, Trudy joined Kusel in 2007 and quickly established herself as someone who understands not just what customers want, but what will actually work in the real world.

Starting in inside sales, she mastered Kusel’s entire product line—from the smallest fitting to the most complex custom assembly. Today, as Inside Sales Manager, she oversees the inside sales team while spending much of her time partnering directly with engineers and designers on specifications. Her deep product knowledge, combined with an intuitive understanding of manufacturing capabilities, helps customers avoid costly over-engineering while ensuring their designs meet performance requirements.

“If somebody’s designing something that’s way out of whack, I can tell them, ‘Hey, if you do it this way, you’re gonna save money, save time, and it’s probably gonna be a better solution anyway,'” she explains. This practical approach has made her an invaluable resource for complex projects, including custom specifications that require extensive collaboration across Kusel’s team.

When she’s not optimizing drainage solutions, Trudy channels her problem-solving skills into renovating her 1960s ranch home, taking pottery classes, and capturing moments through photography. She shares her home with two English Springer Spaniels—Louie and Radar—and two rescue cats, Comet and Oz. Her goal? To eventually replace all her store-bought dishes with pieces she’s thrown herself on the pottery wheel.

Need help turning your design into reality?

Connect with Trudy for expert guidance on specifications, custom solutions, and practical alternatives that save time and money.