About Me
Below is a bit about me and how I became the person I am proud to be today.
I’m from the northeast where the industrial revolution started. Manufacturing companies were smaller, slower, and less competitive than many places throughout the country and world. They faced three choices: become more efficient, specialize, or stagnate and go under. I made friends and delivered value at these places, but not enough was done at some to prevent them closing their doors. These good people, hard workers and their families were let down by this lack of innovation and continuous improvement. This was heartbreaking to see.
My father was an operator of one of the innovative specialty mills that is still around today. I saw him work 12 hour shifts, doubles, rotating shifts, weeks without a day off to provide as good of a life for his family as he could. I learned the value of a dollar from not having much. Some nights we went to bed hungry. My mother raised me to always do the right thing for the right reasons, even if I wouldn’t benefit. She had a strong sense for integrity, compassion, and helping people. I have carried those values with me through my life and into my career.
My goal is to maximize the bottom line to make that business sustainable and profitable to secure a long and healthy future for all employees in a safe environment. A strong culture of inclusion, respect and trust fosters the kind of collaboration and success that make great companies and places that people are excited to go to work. Given the right framing, everyone is tremendously valuable to the success of a company and to maintaining a positive culture.
When you win, I win. I am inspired day after day by the ambition and ideas of the people I work with at all levels. Everyone has something to teach me, and I find opportunity in those moments to share their insight to drive ideas into action that delivers value. I love being able to quantify the positive effects I can have on a company.
There are endless opportunities to improve safety, quality, culture, output, and cost. Many times an idea will do more than one and sometimes, will accomplish all of these. I can’t wait to integrate that perspective into your company!
Josh Rockwell
