LOCATION: S80 W18766 Apollo Dr., P.O. Box 406, Muskego, WI 53150
WEBSITE: inprocorp.com
Year founded: 1976
Product or service offered: Interior and exterior architectural products including IPC Door and Wall protection, Clickeze privacy systems, SignScape signage and wayfinding and engineered metal products.
Projected 2009 revenue: $80 million
CEO, President/Owner(s): Steve Ziegler, CEO; Phil Ziegler, president
Leadership team:
Marc Holland, executive VP of sales and marketing; Glenn Kennedy, executive VP of plant operations; Andy Ciesielski, CFO; Laurie O’Loughlin, VP of human resources; Larry Dronek, VP of marketing; Mark Alan, VP of Clickeze and SignScape; Matt Bennett, VP of product development; Mike Gallagher, VP of engineered metal products; Mike Sekula, VP of distribution; Steve Baumgartner, VP of IT; Jennifer Zilvetti, director of strategic employee development
Target clientele: Architects, interior designers, general contractors, subcontractors, facility managers, facility owners, and material suppliers.
Business organization memberships: CSI, SHRM, HRMA, SHRP, MMAC, MRA, SPE, BMA, CMG, USGBC, LEEP-AP IIDA, AGC, AIA, ISSFA, NKBA, American Society of Training and Development, International Society for Performance Improvement, American Society of Safety, Business Marketing Association, Color Marketing Group,USGBC, LEED-AP, IIDA Industry Member, Wisconsin Safety Council, EA, TEC, Muskego Chamber of Commerce, Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Product Development Management Association, UW E-Business Consortium, UWM Consortium.
What has fueled your company’s growth?
Exceptional employee base with an outstanding leadership group that are team oriented and committed to success. Everyone takes ownership of their particular role within the company and are considered the “President” of what they do. As with any successful team, everyone has a role to perform and they must understand and accept their role with enthusiasm. With everyone accomplishing what they do best and not worrying about what anyone else is doing, the organization runs at peak efficiency.
What is the biggest obstacle to your company’s growth?
As with any manufacturing company, competition on a global scale increases in ferocity every year. Looking past the current state of the economy, which will pass, corporate taxes, both state and federal, inhibits our ability to hire additional employees and invest in new products, capital equipment, etc. At some point, national and state officials need to look at corporate taxes compared to other countries. Other obstacles, since they are within our control, have been successfully controlled and overcome. Taxes are another story.
Do you plan any changes in your company in the upcoming months?
No major changes, however, we continue to push our sales and marketing efforts in advance of the economy picking up later this year and into 2010.
Who are the business people, locally or nationally, whom you admire? And what traits do those people exhibit that make you admire them?
On the personal/professional level, I look toward individuals who push positive mental attitude and the development of personal relationships as a tool towards success. Individuals like Jack Kane, Robert Oxley and Jeffery Gitomer come to mind. On the business site, individuals like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs who truly understand market conditions and market research as it pertains to the requirements of consumers stand out. They have built teams that have created wonderfully profitably blue oceans.
What is the outlook for the business conditions of your industry over the next several months?
Our sales and marketing professionals are experiencing signs of orders that were put ‘on hold’ beginning to loosen up. While we have not experienced the growth during the first 2 quarters that we are use to, we look for the remaining two quarters to be stronger. Our efforts during the economic downturn have been that to realize that “Opportunity is Now Here” not “Opportunity is No Where”.
What is your company’s key strategy for rising out of the recession?
Over a year ago I read an article in the WSJ concerning what companies need to do during an economic downturn. The number one strategy was to do whatever you could to keep sales and marketing on full throttle…or as close as possible. While others are pulling back and “waiting it out” our strategy has been to keep going at full throttle in order to come out better than we went in. The task of our leaders has been to remain positive and upbeat in order to be excellent role models. While not being a Pollyanna and blindly going about our business without a solid view of business conditions, we need to realize that many companies have been born out of recessions and depressions. McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Hyatt, CNN and Microsoft are just a few.
Congratulations from the strategic partner behind InPro Corporation.
Scott Tracy
414-476-1880
www.cliftoncpa.com
