3. What resources can you recommend that you have found helpful as a company leader?
We’re an EOS company, and live and die by the book Traction, by Gino Wickman. Another book we’ve adopted as a company is The One Thing, by Gary Keller. That’s taught us to put that first domino first—what is the most important thing that needs to happen right now? Do not get caught up in the long term. It’s given us some good discipline.
I like to surround myself with smart people from which to learn. So, the first thing I did was join a PMA networking group called Press Club. I look at them kind of as my board of advisors. I can’t say enough good things about the group; it’s continuous learning about how other people are doing things. Then I joined a Vistage group and I consider them my mentors. Both of those groups have been great resources.
4. What are your guiding principles?
A quote I’ve always loved, by Richard Branson, is “Train people well enough so they can leave; treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” And I think, really, for us, at the end of the day, people are people, right? And they have their own stuff going on in their worlds. Yes, they have to come to work and must do a good job, but they’re still people. We need to manage the business by the numbers and the data, but it’s still people behind those numbers. You just need to treat people like they’re people and not a means to an end.
We’re very family oriented. We have a very aggressive PTO plan. And just because someone is salaried, why is their kid’s Christmas concert or soccer game more important than somebody else’s? It’s just the old adage—treat people as you would like to be treated.
5. What concerns you most as a company leader? What keeps you up at night?
As part of the leadership team, I’m worried about the Kodak phenomenon, right? We’ve built a specific volume niche in our industry. Again, our average run size is around 1500 pieces. I’m worried that technology is moving so fast that other processes are catching up to our competitive advantage—high-speed lasers and automated press brakes, for example. How do we stay in front of it and remain competitive?
6. What are you most proud of?
I would say changing the culture here with EOS. Previously, people worked hard out of fear. The culture was “Do what you’re told, don’t think for yourselves.” Now with EOS, everybody has a voice. People work hard because they want the company to succeed. They believe in what we’re doing.
7. What plans do you have for the direction of the company going forward?
I’m 53 yr. old and enjoy what I’m doing. I’d like to be around in the business for 10 or 15 more yr., but what happens then? I’ve got a son in public accounting who shows some interest in the company. I’m relying on my Press Club peers to have discussions about how to bring family into the company. The clock’s ticking. In the short term, for the last few years we’ve relied on our existing customers, and we hope they grow so we can grow with them. We’re getting aggressive with sales right now, and have hired a consultant to help us double our sales in the next 3 yr.
8. Since PMA is located in Cleveland…who is your favorite Rock & Roll Hall of Famer?
I’m in a ’70s and ’80s classic-rock cover band, so that’s like asking who your favorite child is. For me, it’s Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Kiss. But my absolute favorite is Prince, hands down—the guy was a genius. Within a week of his death, my wife and I hosted a party, rented purple lights and played Prince all night. Guests had to dress up as Prince to enter the party.
Technologies: Management
