Job Description

J.C. Steele & Sons seeks a President to lead its North Carolina operations, driving sustained profitability, disciplined growth, and strong organizational performance.

The President will serve as the senior leader of the Statesville business, responsible for executing strategy, strengthening operational performance, and expanding the company’s position in both established and emerging markets.

This role requires a balanced leader who can:

• Nurture and optimize a mature, market-leading business
• Identify and capture growth opportunities in new markets and customer segments
• Build and lead a high-performing, accountable team
• Operate with strong financial discipline and clear alignment to Board-defined performance metrics

The President will work closely with the Board of Directors to ensure consistent execution against strategic priorities while maintaining a high degree of operational ownership and accountability.

Key Responsibilities

Business Leadershop and Profitability

• Own full P&L responsibility for the North Carolina operations
• Drive sustained profitability through disciplined cost management, pricing strategy, and operational efficiency
• Identify and execute margin improvement opportunities across the business
• Ensure consistent performance against Board-approved financial and operating metrics

Core Market Strength and Expansion

• Strengthen and grow the company’s position in its core heavy clay market
• Expand into adjacent markets and new customer segments where capabilities align
• Develop and execute strategies to diversify the customer base and reduce concentration risk
• Build long-term, trusted relationships with key customers

Operational Excellence

• Lead all aspects of operations including manufacturing, engineering, and commercial execution
• Evaluate the competitiveness and efficiency of current operating processes
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance throughput, quality, and cost structure
• Ensure alignment between operational capabilities and market needs

Leadership and Team Development

• Build, develop, and retain a high-performing leadership team
• Establish clear roles, expectations, and accountability across all functions
• Identify capability gaps and strengthen the organization through targeted hiring and development
• Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and performance

Board Alignment and Performance Accountability

• Maintain strong alignment with the Board of Directors on strategy, priorities, and performance expectations
• Deliver clear, consistent reporting on financial results, operational performance, and strategic initiatives
• Operate with a high level of accountability to defined metrics and outcomes
• Translate Board direction into actionable execution plans

Collaboration Across Business Units

• Partner effectively with other J.C. Steele business units to create value through collaboration and shared capabilities
• Identify and execute opportunities for synergy where commercially and operationally beneficial
• Support a coordinated approach to customers, markets, and product development
• Contribute to broader company-wide initiatives while maintaining focus on Statesville performance

Strategic Growth Execution

• Identify scalable growth opportunities aligned with company capabilities
• Allocate resources toward highest-return opportunities
• Support development and execution of growth initiatives, including new products, markets, or services
• Ensure growth is pursued with clear return thresholds and operational readiness

Key Success Metrics

• Profitability and margin improvement
• Revenue growth in both core and new markets
• Customer diversification and reduced concentration
• Operational efficiency and throughput improvements
• Strength and accountability of leadership team
• Consistent achievement of Board-defined performance metrics
• Effective collaboration across business units

Qualifications

• Proven executive leadership experience (President, GM, or Divisional Leader)
• Background in manufacturing, capital equipment, or industrial sectors
• Strong financial acumen with demonstrated P&L ownership
• Experience driving both operational improvement and market expansion
• Ability to lead and scale teams in performance-driven environments
• Engineering or technical background preferred

Leadership Attributes

• Growth-Oriented Operator – Balances core business optimization with disciplined expansion into new markets
• Accountable Leader – Owns outcomes and drives performance against clear metrics
• Operationally Grounded – Understands and improves manufacturing and operating processes
• Team Builder – Develops strong leaders and creates a culture of accountability
• Collaborative Executive – Works effectively across business units to unlock value
• Credible with Board and Organization – Communicates clearly and operates with confidence at all levels

This is a leadership role focused on strengthening an established business, driving disciplined growth, and building a high-performing organization aligned with Board expectations. The President will play a central role in advancing the company’s market position while delivering consistent financial and operational performance.