David Smith Partner/Sales Manager Plouse Precision Manufacturing Smith’s  role at Plouse is to seek out and establish new clients.  He hopes to create and maintain a working relationship with each client that is profitable and beneficial for both the client and Plouse and facilitates growth for both parties. He has been employed by Plouse for 41 years, doing a multitude ...

Mike Shirk CEO High Companies As CEO, Shirk’s says his duties are strengthening the family of 11 diverse companies, serving a great team of coworkers, and making a positive impact in the community. He has been in the position for six years. “I am extremely proud of the agility and grit shown by the High team in tackling the 2020 ...

Nate Scott President & CEO Cargas As president and CEO, Scott’s job is to align the company’s team and resources to pursue the company’s purpose and vision and execute its strategy in a way that prioritizes a culture of teamwork, customer care, and employee ownership. He has held the title of president since 2015 and was named president and CEO ...

Brenda Ritter President & CEO Info-Matrix Corp. As president and Chief Executive Coach for the corporation’s 100+ employees, Ritter is a hands-on leader providing whatever support is necessary to the company’s most valuable assets—it’s people. She has held the position for over “11 wonderful years”. She is proud of growing the company from 35 people to more than 100 and ...

Matt Ranauro Founder & CEO Benefix Ranauro fills the dual role of founder and CEO. As a founder, he understands “why” the Benefix team is solving the problems they are, giving Benefix its purpose. The CEO role, at the company’s current stage, is hyper-focused on bringing the best team together, focusing them to deliver impact to the business, and growing ...

Robert “Bob” Pyle President & CEO Graham Packaging As chief executive officer and president of Graham Packaging, Robert “Bob” Pyle presides over Graham Packaging’s global business and its respective divisions, guiding the company in its ongoing mission of profitable growth and creating sustainable packaging solutions. He has held the job of president and CEO of Graham Packaging since August 2, ...

Deb Pierson President  & CEO Pierson Computing Connection Pierson said as a small business owner, the job of president is varied.  She is primarily responsible for strategic direction, financial oversight and major customer relationships. She is also very focused on the company’s culture and ensuring that methods of hiring, rewarding, retaining and even removing folks from its team are done ...

Kathy Phillips Owner and CEO Primitives by Kathy Phillips, whose duties include product development director started the home decor and gift business in 1997 out of her basement. She handmade the first “primitive candle box,” ,taking care over every detail, from the sanded edges to the type of ribbon tied on the wire handles, each was a work of passion. ...

Bruce Newell President & CEO MANTEC MANTEC’s mission statement is Accelerating Manufacturing Excellence. Newell’s main roles are to set strategy for MANTEC to best serve the 3,000+ manufacturers in nine counties in southcentral Pennsylvania and to work with the company’s team and various partners to provide solutions in sales and marketing, process improvement, manufacturing technology, and workforce engagement. He has ...

Jack Nehlig President Phoenix Contact USA Nehlig leads the U.S. operations of Phoenix Contact, an automation and control manufacturer serving the manufacturing and industrial infrastructure industries. He has held the position for 20 years. He is most proud of a meeting that occurred in 2016. He and Phoenix Contact’s CEO Frank Stuhrenberg had the opportunity to meet and speak to ...

John Morefield Chairman, Client Advocate Morefield Communications As chairman, Morefield is responsible for making sure that the management team delivers solid results for the shareholders. As the client advocate, he asks, “How are we doing?”  “I check-in with clients to understand how our partnership is helping their business succeed while identifying areas we could improve upon,” he said. Morefield served ...

Dylan Lysette CEO Utz Brands Lysette oversees Utz Brands Inc.  as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. He’s been in the role since 2013. He is proud of building a world class team of associates. The most important life lesson he’s learned is “don’t be afraid to work hard and take risks.” He enjoys spending time with family.

Kevin Keller Founder and Managing Director K2 Kinetics As the founder and managing director of K2 Kinetics, an engineering and design consultancy for packaging automation solutions, Keller has a demonstrated history of working in the industrial automation industry. He is experienced in consumer products, manufacturing, lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and project management. Prior to founding K2 Kinetics in 2011, Keller ...

Jim Heinrich President & COO Advanced Industrial Services As president and COO, Heinrich’s duties are to guide, inspire, and work side-by-side with a dedicated team of managers to facilitate production equipment installations and relocation services to a wide range of OEM equipment manufacturers and their Industrial manufacturing clients within many industry types. He said safety, attention to detail, and scheduling ...

Austin Haller Founder and CEO Schedule Engine Austin Haller founded Schedule Engine, a suite of online booking and live services for contractors, in 2017. He grew up in his father’s contracting business, Haller Enterprises, and learned firsthand the day-to-day challenges faced by contractors in the home service industry. Before founding Schedule Engine, he owned and led a $30 million energy ...