Leadership Job Rotation Program (LJRP)
Focus: Sales and/or Operations
Central States Manufacturing, Inc. (CSMI)
Lowell, Arkansas
www.CentralStatesMfg.com

THE ETHOS

“As employee-owners of the company, each team member at Central States Manufacturing, Inc. (CSMI) is passionate about helping their customer's business grow. That is why everyone from the roll-forming operators to the delivery drivers work together to get each order right, on time, every time. CSMI manufactures and delivers high quality metal building components to post frame, commercial and residential customers in the central portion of the United States. In appreciation of their customers, they are devoted to exceeding expectations. It is their promise to maintain total honesty and integrity with everyone their lives may touch.”

OVERVIEW

Two exceptional leaders with demonstrated high potential are being sought to participate in the Leadership Job Rotation Program.  This program has high visibility from the Executive Management Team and is designed to provide a pool of capable leaders to strategically place in critical roles as the company executes its aggressive growth plans.   Employees participating in this program will rotate through a variety of positions at CSMI gaining broad business knowledge and experience applicable to higher levels of leadership within the company. Candidates fit for this program will be highly agile and able to relocate.

CSMI is among the leading fabricators of high quality steel building products in the United States.   The employees of CSMI are all employee-owners through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). As vested owners, all employees are intrinsically motivated to see the company succeed.

There are presently five manufacturing and distribution sites: one at the headquarters in Northwest Arkansas, plus facilities in Indiana, Texas, Alabama, and North Carolina.  The company’s retail division, Metal Central, has sales outlets located within the Lowell and Jasper plants, as well as, a stand-alone facility in Little Rock, Arkansas. The company currently has approximately 370 employee-owners.

THE COMPANY

CSMI’s corporate headquarters are in Lowell, Arkansas.  The founders, Carl and Rick Carpenter (father and son) started the company 1988.   One of CSMI’s most valuable assets is its reputation. For years, the company has worked aggressively to leverage its reputation and strong relationships with leading building materials distributors, building contractors, suppliers, and architects who recognize the importance of bringing projects in on time as well as on budget. It has done this by developing a keen understanding of the industry, the nature of building projects and project management, and its own capabilities. The results have produced satisfied and loyal customers.

Due to its unique culture and leadership style, CSMI achieves a level of productivity and commitment unequaled by its competitors.  CSMI credits its success to numerous fronts, one of which is the commitment to Open Book Management a concept discussed extensively by leadership expert, John Case (www.openbookmanagement.org). From the Open Book website,

“In its simplest form, Open-Book Management is a way of running a company that gets everyone focused on building a better business - helping the business be more successful. It teaches all employees the goals of the company and how they can make a difference - both individually and as part of a team. Open-Book Management works because employees get a chance to take responsibility rather that just 'doing their job'. Each employee knows enough about the company to understand how their actions will affect their stake in the outcome.

CSMI is exceptionally transparent and that transparency example is set by the Chairman, Co-Founder and majority stockholder, Rick Carpenter, and carried through by the strategic, day-to-day leader and President, Donna Leger.  The current executive management team  of George Glover,  Executive Vice President of Sales - John Williams, Vice President of Commercial Sales - Gary Crainshaw, Vice President of Component Sales - David Mann, Vice President of Operations - Jon Lewis, Vice President of Purchasing - Vince Tate, Chief Financial Officer, and Ladena Lambert, Director of Human Resources further models the transparent, open-book paradigm.

CSMI’s success is also based on its commitment to five core values.  These values have roots based on the values found in Rick Carpenter’s Christian faith and are fundamental to all aspects of the company. Like the rest of the leadership team, the successful candidate will need to embrace these values and live them out in a genuine sense.

• Integrity
• Excellence
• Accountability
• Success/Quality of Life
• Financial Success

Please note that while profitability is a core value, it is not more important that the others.  All five values are important and emphasized.

CSMI has a competent, vibrant leadership staff and there is a sense than people enjoy their work and are highly motivated.  It is a dynamic and exciting time within this company. The company and senior leadership are described with terms like “visionary, entrepreneur, risk-taking, freeing, creative, and committed.”  Rick and Donna are described as strong, winsome team players, effective at casting vision and desiring to release competent people to do their jobs with a true sense of empowerment.  This warm and relational spirit sets the tone for the team. 

CSMI’s management team is a close-knit group working as an integrated team in order to continually innovate and improve as it delivers top performance. A candidate’s management style and relational skills are of specific interest. These are positions for team players with a strong sense of genuine humility; there is not room for big egos.  Each of these new leaders should be competent in managing people as well as processes, and must be able to lead and earn respect of others—supervisors and peers, as well as subordinates.   While getting the job done and being part of the ownership may prompt an overly industrious work ethic, leadership holds people accountable for having balance in their lives.  

The benefit of everyone being an owner is the collective desire to want the company to be successful (quarterly and annual incentive plans are available to all employees), and it is a principle of leadership that creativity and participation is not stifled but rather encouraged. Humility, a sense of being down to earth and putting the 370 employees/co owners first is a valued standard at CSMI.  Being agile and fast are also precepts held by the company.

Right, On Time, Every Time is one of CSMI’s prime strengths. The company is widely recognized for its ability to fabricate simple or complex steel building components to exacting tolerances and then delivering on its commitments within tight schedules.  The company also focuses on keeping costs low and being efficient. 

Even with a casual environment and management style, there is an underlying seriousness and purposefulness with an inherent understanding that there is a lot of important work to accomplish.  The office environment reflects an energized, participative, creative, informal, yet professional approach to making the company successful.

THE POSITION AND OPPORTUNITY

Within the Leadership Job Rotation Program (LJRP) the successful person will have the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of projects and departments within Central States located in Lowell Arkansas and/or one of its satellite facilities.   The program includes direction and guidance from Central States Executive Leadership to develop individuals for leadership positions to support the growth and business strategy, specifically in the start-up of new business units and manufacturing plants. Development and progress in the program is expected to be steady and progressive with evidence of strong initiative and learning agility. Resulting leadership positions can be in a variety of roles and position levels that include Management, General Management, Regional Management or Executive Management.

QUALIFICATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The candidate must have a willingness to learn, embrace, and implement the CSMI DNA.  The successful candidates will be responsible to take what they have learned during their two to three year immersion program, be willing to relocate back to the area they were recruited from or other areas (as needed) in order to replicate the processes and culture in the start-up of a new facility.   In time, the successful candidate will:

• Receive training in objectives, functions and outcomes of various departments throughout the company in areas including, but not limited to, sales and operations to develop and broaden business knowledge and understanding and enhance promotional opportunities.
• Observe and gain input from experienced and successful coworkers to acquire knowledge of methods, procedures, and standards required for performance of departmental duties.
• Be responsible for strategic planning, process improvement, employee relations, and problem resolution.
• Direct and coordinate financial and budget processes to maximize investments, increase efficiency and achieve desired results for the company.
• Maintain employee relations and processes that perpetuate Open Book Management and support CSMI Values and Mission Statement. 
• Hire, mentor, supervise, give accurate/helpful performance appraisals, reward and discipline as appropriate, address complaints and resolve problems, and as needed terminate employees.
• Identify and address the development needs of others and through coaching or mentoring, help to improve their knowledge and/or skills to contribute to the success of CSMI.
• Promote positive employer-employee and customer relationships.
• Travel as necessary to meet company needs.
• Effectively present information to all management and external and internal customers.
• Develop excellent organizational and planning skills with ability to plan and manage strategically and operationally.
• Demonstrate flexibility, comfort with change, and accountability as the responsibilities will fluctuate and vary.
• Monitor and manage development progress with management and key trainers.
• Physical activity varies from being physically involved (production, transportation, customer visits) to being more sedentary (planning, reporting, analyzing, etc.).
• Familiarity with Microsoft office products. Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning tools is a plus.
• Manifest frequent, open, clear and effective communication, verbally and written, with subordinates (when applicable), peers, managers and executives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and over five years of management experience preferably in a manufacturing environment or equivalent combination of education and experience. An MBA would be a plus.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.  Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. 
• High learning ability and agility, preferably in the area of sales and/or operations leadership. The successful candidate must have demonstrated ability to be flexible laterally as well upwardly—a willingness to roll up their sleeves to serve where needed.
• Strong oral and written communication. Ability to speak and present effectively before customers or employees.
• Must be able to travel as needed. Travel requirements vary.
• Must be able and willing to be highly re-locatable.
• Ability to efficiently use resources in terms of time, materials, money and people to make division and corporate strategies happen.
• Strong organizational and time management skills are required to manage multiple projects concurrently.
• A willingness to take responsibility and initiative (a drive for results)—the CSMI team is not about excuses or passing the buck.
• Have demonstrated success recruiting, managing and developing professionals within an organization.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret financial reports and information to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Ability to establish a constructive and informative relationship with employees, management, and executives; a high “EQ”.
• Excellent interpersonal skills in the areas of conflict resolution, change management, negotiations and effective listening and communications.
• Ability to encourage and build mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among CSMI team members.
• Willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges, offer opinions and direction.
• Be a person of high integrity, down-to-earth and trustworthy.

LOCALE

Northwest Arkansas is a wonderful place to live.  Economically, the area has been one of the fastest growing parts of the U.S., with the largest economic contributors being Wal-Mart and Tyson Foods.  There are many new shopping centers, upscale housing developments, mega-churches, schools, and large medical centers. 

Additionally, this is part of the stunning Arkansas Ozarks, where fishing, hunting, boating, hiking and other outdoor sports abound.  The surrounding areas are plentiful with beautiful woods, flowing streams, and pristine lakes. Beaver Lake, a deep blue lake of 30,000 acres, and the Buffalo National River are some of the finest examples of “The Natural State.” Outdoor Life Magazine ranked the town of Rogers #20 of Top 200 Towns for Outdoorsmen 2008.

School districts consistently ranked as the finest in the state (Rogers High School one of Newsweek’s top 100 schools in U.S.), and Kirksey Middle School was one of 86 “Diamond Schools to Watch” nationwide in 2007. The University of Arkansas (18,000+ students, recent $1 billion Campaign for 21st Century) ranked in the top tier of America’s Best Colleges in 2008 (U.S. News & World Report). Also, nearby is John Brown University, a fine Christian school (www.JBU.edu) also ranked among top Universities.

The cost of living is about 10% below national average, and in 2010, CNN named Rogers (next to Lowell) one of the top 10 best cities in which to live in the United States.  Check out the cost of housing at:  http://www.relohomesearch.com/USA/AR/lowell.aspx.

SUMMARY

Any interested parties are encouraged to contact The Ardent Search Company.  All candidates will go through its screening process.  This Opportunity Profile may be forwarded to any potentially interested person.

Our client is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, sex, national origin, or physical handicap.

We fully respect the need for confidentiality of information supplied by interested parties and assure them that their backgrounds and interests will not be discussed with anyone, including our client, without their prior consent, nor will reference contacts be made until mutual interest has been established.