Project Summary
Our Client: Charter Dura-Bar
Charter Manufacturing is a 3rd generation, family-owned steel manufacturer headquartered in Mequon, WI. Having worked with Charter Manufacturing in the past, we were delighted when we were tasked with finding a senior level executive for a Director of Operations position with Charter Dura-Bar, a division of Charter Manufacturing based in Woodstock, IL.
Our process always starts with a kick-off meeting, which allows us to gather information about the company’s needs relative to their culture and a particular position. After meeting with the business President as well as their head of Human Resources, we uncovered critical information that would guide the search. Their need? A leader with an advanced management style, with a focus on analytics and data-based decision making.
Our Search for a New Director of Operations
Since we’ve worked with Charter Manufacturing before, we understood the importance of finding a “cultural fit” with a collaborative, team-oriented and consensus-building style. We also understood that, as Charter Dura-Bar continues to be laser-focused on continuous improvement and a systematic approach, they did not want to lose focus of their guiding principle of treating their people like one family.
Utilizing everything from targeted search, to social media, to advertising campaigns, we found the perfect candidate, Bart Reimer – a recruit from Goodyear – in an impressive amount of time, as compared to the expectations of our client. All in, the search for a new Director of Operations took 105 days from kick-off to candidate offer, which was slightly more than our 90-day goal. That being said, our client was pleased with the timing, as in their experience, leadership searches may last 12 months or more in the high-tech manufacturing sector.
Our Results
Rather than looking at recruitment as a one-time transaction, our focus is on long-term relationship building with our clients. We emphasize the importance of understanding each client’s unique company culture and how our recommendations might elevate their teams and organizations as a whole. We also take seriously the possibility that our work may impact their organizations 5 and 10 years down the road. This is why we take the time to ensure a perfect company culture fit, a consideration too many of our competitors don’t take into account.