HEADLINES
Former TV Reporter Now Heads IFI
In high school and college she worked summers at Mid West Fabricating Co. But Jennifer Johns Friel’s first career was as a news reporter for WKYT TV in Lexington, KY.
Her fastener manufacturer father, David Johns, had insisted she earn a business degree at the University of Denver so she could “make a living” in case the television news goal didn’t work out.
After nearly five years chasing – researching – news stories, Friel was looking at alternatives. Dan Hebert, then vice president of operations at Mid West Fabricating approached her about doing marketing research which company executives didn’t have time for.
She took on the role and three years later when the vice president left the company she succeeded him.
Friel became president in 1997 when her father developed health problems.
This month Friel became the first woman chair of the Industrial Fasteners Institute. Founded in 1931, the IFI has had 61 men chair the fastener manufacturing organization.
Her television news background shows in one management area Friel emphasizes. “Communications are important to me,” Friel told GlobalFastenerNews.com. “Most manufacturers don’t do a good job of communicating.” That starts with internal communications with employees. “That is probably the best impact I have had on my company.”
What have been the keys to her success as a domestic manufacturer?
“I had wonderful leadership examples in my family,” Friel responded first. “I have a terrific team of people who supported me in the beginning, and continue to make it very easy to be successful because they are all so talented and committed to the company.”
Another key factor to the success of Mid West Fabricating – especially during recessionary times and with automotive customers – has been a “very conservative position on debt. We had no debt load so we didn’t have the struggles with the banks” which have sunk otherwise good fastener companies.
Though her grandfather, Stanton Johns, is generally credited as the founder of Mid West Fabricating, she emphasizes that her grandmother, Jane Johns, was truly a co-founder.
Jane Johns had the business degree and front office knack. Stanton Johns had the technical knowledge, held patents and had the entrepreneurial spirit to start the company in 1945.
Friel’s father, David Johns, was the 1993-94 IFI chairman, and her husband, Michael Friel, was the 2005-06 chair.
The year ahead is already mapped out for the IFI.
“The IFI has a strategic plan for 2010 to 2015,” Friel noted. “Our challenge is to live up to the plan.”
Friel credited IFI managing director Rob Harris for the financial health of the organization and director of engineering technology Joe Greenslade for “bringing technology to the Institute.”
She envisions more technical services for IFI members. Greenslade has been using GoTo Meetings and there will be more technology applied to IFI meetings. For example, during breakout sessions a speaker may participate via Skype without the cost of traveling to the meeting.
Friel expects extra travel for 2011-2012. She al-ready travels from Mid West Fabricating’s two plants in Ohio and third in Southern California. Plus her husband is CEO of Haydon Bolts in Philadelphia and St. Louis Screw & Bolt. They have homes in both Central Ohio and Philadelphia.
Friel notes she has one IFI benefit beyond the meeting content, technical and educational pro-grams and timely information provided to members: “I met my husband at an IFI meeting.”
Editor’s Note: Mid West Fabricating specializes in cold forming of steel into special fasteners and formed rod. Mid West has plants in Santa Fe Springs, CA, and Lancaster, OH, and is headquartered in a 125,000 sq ft facility at 313 North Johns Rd., Amanda, OH 43102. Tel: 740 969-4411 Fax 740 969-4433 Web: Midwestfab.com ©2011 GlobalFastenerNews.com
Related Stories:
Share: