This evolution is particularly evident in the restaurant industry, where sustainable practices are now seen as a key to long-term success.

At HopCat, growth isn’t just about opening new restaurants; it’s about building a company that thrives on community, sustainability, and long-term vision. From supporting internal career development to championing eco-friendly practices, the company is investing in the people and principles that fuel its success.

CEO Craig Stage has led HopCat’s evolution from a few local restaurants into a multi-state operation with a bold and measured growth strategy. Over the past five years, HopCat has experienced consistent expansion, now with exciting new locations launching in Southgate, Michigan, and eyeing new locations throughout the region.

“While we’re not trying to take over the country,” Stage says, “we’re not going to stop growing.” His philosophy centers around smart, intentional growth. “We know what it takes to run great restaurants, and we know what kind of markets we want to be in.”

HopCat is doubling down on its Michigan roots while tapping into new communities. “We’re excited to expand into areas where we can make a meaningful impact,” Stage shares. “We want to be the kind of business that feels like part of the neighborhood.”

With recent leadership changes, HopCat is walking the talk when it comes to internal promotion. Craig Stage stepped into the role of CEO, Andrew Woodruff was instated as CFO, and Michele Ary was elevated to Director of Marketing, all after demonstrating commitment, innovation, and a deep understanding of the business.

“There’s a lot of respect here for people who show up and give their best,” says Woodruff. “This is the kind of place where good ideas are taken seriously, where no idea is considered a bad one.”

Woodruff, who brings nearly a decade of restaurant finance experience, says internal mobility was a big part of his decision to join HopCat. “You want to work somewhere that believes in your growth. HopCat is that kind of company.”

Ary, who began as a social media intern in 2019, echoes that sentiment. “I’ve been supported every step of the way,” she says. “This company takes risks on people they believe in.”

Stage began his journey with the company in 2014 as a restaurant manager at a local HopCat, where his mentors nurtured his leadership potential. Over time, he advanced to Vice President of Operations before eventually stepping into the role of CEO. He shares, “I get excited when I see people grow from line cooks to general managers to directors. That’s the kind of growth that matters most.”

In fact, promoting from within has become a pillar of HopCat’s culture. It sends a message to employees at every level that hard work and loyalty are recognized and rewarded. The leadership team believes that employees who have grown with the company bring a level of insight and passion that’s hard to replicate, and this focus on internal development also helps foster a sense of ownership. Employees feel seen and supported, and that builds trust and long-term commitment. It also aligns perfectly with HopCat’s larger mission: building strong teams that genuinely care about their work and their community.

Sustainability remains a cornerstone of HopCat’s business ethos, with a leadership team that is committed to minimizing the company’s environmental impact while improving operational efficiency. “We want to be mindful of our waste and impact while still being profitable,” says Stage. “Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a responsibility.”

This responsibility is reflected in both daily operations and long-term strategy. The company prioritizes working with local compost vendors and maintaining practices that support a circular economy. For example, compost generated by its restaurants is returned to nearby farms, closing the loop and keeping environmental impact as low as possible.

Ary, who now leads the brand’s marketing strategy, shares that the sustainability focus was one of the reasons she chose to grow her career with HopCat. “One of the things that intrigued me about the company when I first applied was how much they value sustainability,” she says. While the company doesn’t advertise these efforts heavily, the community impact is tangible. “It’s something that makes our team proud, even if we’re not shouting it from the rooftops,” she adds.

The leadership team also keeps its finger on the pulse of evolving best practices in sustainability, regularly exploring innovations in packaging, energy use, and sourcing. “We’re consistently thinking about how we can do better, not just for our bottom line, but for our people and our communities,” says Woodruff.

Post-acquisition, HopCat has refined its operations to remain agile and efficient, especially in a rapidly evolving industry. Its lean structure allows the leadership team to make faster decisions, act on ideas quickly, and stay responsive to market shifts. Woodruff emphasizes adaptability: “The restaurant industry changes constantly,” he says. “It’s about adapting to trends while staying true to your values.”

The company’s smaller, collaborative leadership model encourages initiative and innovation at every level. There is a clear emphasis on empowering team members to speak up, contribute, and innovate, and the team also places heavy emphasis on listening, both to guests and to staff. “It’s a place where you can raise your hand and say, ‘What if we tried this?’ and people will actually listen,” Ary says.

Stage sees this as essential. “Hospitality thrives on creativity, and creativity doesn’t happen in top-down systems. You have to trust your people.”

That lean, empowered approach has also helped HopCat weather industry challenges. From supply chain fluctuations to shifting consumer preferences, the company remains resilient by staying nimble and connected to its core values. Each new restaurant opening comes with a local focus. “During soft opening weeks, we donate a portion of alcohol sales and match ticket revenue to support a local nonprofit,” Ary explains. “In our last three new restaurant openings, we’ve raised over $40,000 for these causes.”

This hands-on approach to giving back has helped HopCat deepen ties in the communities it serves. Whether it’s supporting food banks, education programs, or neighborhood initiatives, the company takes pride in being more than just a restaurant group, but a true community partner. “We’re not just opening restaurants,” Ary says. “We’re creating spaces that add something valuable to a neighborhood.”

“It’s important that our growth aligns with giving back,” Woodruff adds. “When you show up for your community, your community shows up for you.”

This community investment doesn’t just happen at the leadership level. HopCat encourages its local teams to take the initiative in organizing charitable events and building partnerships with nearby organizations. It’s a model that fosters a sense of pride and ownership across the company. “Being part of a community means showing up,” says Stage. “And when we open a new location, we want people to know we’re here for more than just business.”

With new HopCat locations on the horizon and a leadership team forged from within, HopCat is building momentum. Yet, the focus remains steady: to deliver high-quality experiences, reduce environmental impact, and empower employees. “We’re growing in a way that allows us to keep our culture intact,” Stage says. “And we’re building a team that believes in what we’re doing.”

This team is optimistic about what lies ahead both for the company and for the communities it serves. As the company continues to grow, it remains committed to innovation, inclusivity, and intentionality. With dedicated leaders like Stage, Woodruff, and Ary at the helm, HopCat is carving a distinct path in the hospitality industry, one that prioritizes people, planet, and purpose.

“We’re just getting started,” says Stage. “And we’re excited to bring more people along for the journey.”

The post Shaping the Future of Hospitality<p class="company">HopCat</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Finding a fresh answer
Embracing the goal of making tough decisions less stressful while welcoming challenges as teaching moments, Larlyn consistently suggests fresh, original, tailored answers for every issue a client faces. From condos, multi-family, and single-family rental properties to luxury high-rises, townhouse complexes, affordable housing, commercial and industrial buildings, historic sites, and unbuilt communities, Larlyn delivers intelligence, exceptional market expertise, and a passion for improving communities, investments, and initiatives.

“We’ve been around a long time, and we’ve been pretty consistent,” says Larry Holmes, President and CEO. What started as “a hobby run amok” with Holmes managing some small properties for a group of investors evolved significantly when those investors encouraged him to make the jump into condominiums. Although initially reluctant, Holmes and his wife Lynne (hence “Larlyn”) eventually agreed, in the process creating value and building relationships—still the backbone of the company to this day. It’s an outlook that has served the company well.

“We’ve grown through referrals, a few acquisitions, and then normal, organic growth,” Holmes explains. “What we’ve had to do—and it’s working very well—is adapt. We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’ve developed a focused team approach.”

Holmes’ business strategy isn’t just one of the property manager looking after a client, he adds. It’s a whole team commitment, with the property manager also acting as the account manager, backed by a regional manager. Each account has a dedicated accounting person, and each property manager has an administrator who works with them on their portfolio, providing a backup, or buddy system, that keeps everything afloat should someone be sick or on vacation.

Building on education
For instance, Larlyn is currently managing a diverse conglomerate of properties that includes a farm, a plaza, some residential properties, and a marina, and is still expanding in an industry where there’s been an exodus of some of the more senior managers who are either retiring or not wanting to adapt. And while young people come in, they still need to be properly mentored and trained, adds Holmes. There are accredited courses available, but many of the necessary skills can only be acquired via hands-on experience in a variety of situations.

“You have to learn how to deal with people,” he says, which includes negotiating with notoriously challenging condo boards that range from “pretty experienced businesspeople” to those who are not. “You’re forever educating and mentoring boards as well as your staff,” he shares.

Education is key for Holmes, along with systems and processes into which he has invested greatly, including weekly meetings for the company’s three geographic regions of Alberta, the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), and southwestern Ontario. Each is headed up by a regional director who meets with their entire staff once a week to review what has happened the previous week and plan for the week ahead.

“We also try to have one educational program every month, whether internally or externally,” Holmes says. “We’ve been quite active in that regard recently because we have quite a few newer staff doing a great job, but the more we can help them, the better. It’s continuous team building and educating.” Senior staff supported in obtaining their MBA, or bookkeepers continuing to their CGA or CMA qualifications, for instance, is quite common at Larlyn because it’s all in the name of building a stronger team.

The company is also practised at adapting to a variety of challenges, including those that COVID threw its way, managing to pivot quickly via “extremely good computer software and systems” that allowed employees to work remotely, which partly continues today via a hybrid scenario that has reduced the number of physical branches. “Accountants who want to continue working from home still can,” says Holmes. “The new ones, we bring into the office because of the social and educational aspect,” while property managers work successfully in hybrid positions for the most part. But Holmes continues to stress the social importance of hands-on experience.

Success in relationships
“We’ll continue what we’re doing,” he says, “with a strong emphasis on relationships. I can teach almost anybody to manage a building, but it’s really tough to teach people how to deal with people. Relationships are huge, and we promote that as much as anything, and we’ll continue our emphasis on building relationships.”

In short, it’s not about what he wants, but what the customer wants, a commitment that has set the tone for Larlyn’s ongoing success and impressive history. “We consciously look at where we’re at and evaluate our systems,” Holmes says, “and where something isn’t working the way it’s supposed to, we try to fix it. We’re not perfect, but by addressing issues and developing people and keeping the focus on customer service and relationships, I think we will continue to be successful.”

That impressive history is also a result of embracing the team approach, he adds, along with a focus on building relationships and striving to always “hire good people.” Adopting smart and effective systems and processes as you grow is also vital, he adds.

“We went through a period where we were buying extra systems to attach to the existing system to try to make things better, and I eventually said, ‘let’s stop that and use the system we have,’” which, he says, is one of the best in North America, if not the world. “‘Let’s just figure out how to use it and use it well,’ and that’s what we’ve been doing. It’s made it easier for everybody, and certainly has had a good impact.”

It’s surprising, he adds, that many boards don’t know how to read their financial statements, which is a setback within the industry. While government licensing has some good points, it also has some challenges, which Holmes hopes will be ironed out over the next five to 10 years. “We used to be able to train in-house for the licensing ability, and our people, when we trained in-house, got better marks than when they go to the colleges,” he says. “The exams were still proctored, so it was the same material, but our people got higher marks and a better understanding of the various topics.”

Why was that? Holmes says that students in a classroom with people from other companies are often uncomfortable opening up about issues that might be happening within their own company. “They don’t want to look stupid, and they don’t want to share information about their company,” he says. Conversely, if they’re in a group made up entirely from one company, attending a course given by someone from the same company, their discussion will be about real-case scenarios which not only provide a better education but could make a real impact within the industry. Online courses don’t offer this true opportunity for learning and learning well.

“There’s nothing like case studies and discussions on cases to help you understand different situations that can occur,” he says. “But that’s one area that I hope they look at changing. They don’t seem to be talking about it yet, but that would improve the overall quality of people graduating and getting their licenses.”

Looking for the difference
Along with better, more useful education and hands-on experience, what else makes a difference in a successful property management company? Holmes has a few more solid suggestions.

“You have to learn to address issues. It’s not a weakness to admit you don’t understand something or you’ve made a mistake; it’s a weakness when you don’t,” he says. “If you can’t admit it, you can’t fix it.”

He has been able to grow Larlyn so well over the years precisely because he was determined to pivot and change with the times, making progress not only within his own company but also within the industry. “We try to keep an open mind,” he adds. “Nothing can be static in today’s world. You have to learn to adapt around it, to keep yourself competitive and keep your people on top of things.”

The post Adapt, Pivot, Grow—A Fresh Approach Brings Long-Term Success<p class="company">Larlyn Property Management</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Since we previously spoke in 2022, the last two-and-a-half years have brought consistent growth for Hanover Logistics. This growth is due to its considerable customer base on the warehousing side and is also related to the onboarding of new business. The Hanover Pennsylvania community and region have seen overall growth, too, as manufacturers and shippers in South Central Pennsylvania increase their supply holdings closer to manufacturing bases in the area while still providing ease of access to the busy Port of Baltimore. Hanover is within a one-day drive from 40 percent of the U.S. population and 60 percent of the Canadian population.

In response to its expansion, Hanover Logistics recently introduced its new building, on which construction began in early 2024 and was completed by year’s end. It is the first company build made with pre-cast concrete, boasting 82,000 square feet in total, seven docks and one drive-in, and ceiling heights of up to 38 feet. This site was last built on through the 1980s and ’90s as the business grew. With the growth trajectory of the company and area, founder and President Kurt Dietrich decided to move to the next phase of development of the site at 201 Center St. in Hanover with the construction of this new class A facility. Hanover Logistics Director of Operations, Charlie Fowler, says that the intention is to fully rack the space and to obtain height lift equipment to allow staff to easily add or remove stock. In an energy-conscious move, Hanover Logistics recently upgraded the lighting in all its facilities to LED lights as well. As Fowler explains, the move was done for the company to do its part for energy conservation.

The company also upgraded its equipment with a mix of electric forklifts, heavier weight dock levelers, and heavy weight lift trucks, which have improved its capabilities to support a wide variety of products, from roll stock paper to palletized consumer goods and raw materials for manufacturing.

The company’s position as a warehousing and logistics provider continues to provide advantages to its market. Hanover often handles the entire end-to-end supply chain for its clients, which in turn helps them better serve their clients and concentrate on other core business development strategies. “We work closely with our customers to provide a full-service supply chain partnership which is also a key differentiator in our business model,” the Director of Operations says. This includes managing e-commerce solutions for shippers and distributors, as well as traditional truck movement both in and out of state.

As an early adopter of e-commerce and pick-and-pack operations, Hanover has positioned itself as a uniquely capable and dependable provider. With its long-standing customer focused mindset, Hanover has helped its clients grow, creating organic growth for Hanover as well.

Beyond its customer-based services, the company’s dedication and appreciation for its workforce reinforces the people-first focus that is at the heart of the women- and family-owned business. The company proudly puts its people first and gives them leadership of their own teams and processes. This allows the workforce to take pride in their work, an attitude which is passed along to customers. Hanover’s facilities are supported by site-specific leadership who build their own team and benchmarks to incentivize the crew to find success and better serve customers.

Hanover maintains its own safety committee comprising key contributors from all different sites at every level of staff. The committee meets monthly for site walks to identify potential risks, which are efficiently submitted into work and repair orders and monthly reports to executive leadership for accountability. The team also participates in fun and engaging practices to encourage safety, where employees can win prizes each day without a documented safety incident. Similar incentives are available to drivers on the trucking side, with bonuses awarded for safe miles driven and for passing Department of Transportation inspections. “Our people, safety, and customers are our highest priorities,” Fowler adds.

Employees’ health and wellness is also paramount, with the goal of supporting employees in healthy lifestyle choices, whether through offering a new fitness center to staff and their families or by featuring group health insurance benefits that encourage regular wellness appointments. Hanover Logistics stays at the forefront of both safety and service by hiring and continually training a skilled workforce, offering competitive compensation, and providing work that fits team members’ unique lifestyles. Hanover wants its employees to enjoy coming to work feeling appreciated and to aspire to be good teammates.

The leadership team is always eager to support and celebrate the success of its workforce, which garnered several awards in 2024 for their hard work in trucking collectively and individually. These include Safe Driver competitions where the company’s safest drivers compete with other national trucking companies in various driving, written, and pre-check competitions. RHC’s drivers and team have scored top awards and have supported the first-place finishers in competing at the national level. And Food Logistics has named Hanover Logistics to its top 3PL & Cold Storage Providers List year after year. The company has also updated its facilities’ food grade certifications to BRCGS accreditation.

During our last feature, Hanover Logistics was still in adaptation mode following the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of which were still being dealt with worldwide. While the company has made its way out of the tumultuous time, the pandemic highlighted potential flaws in the just-in-time shipping approach because manufacturers had a hard time getting materials from overseas; as a result, more businesses began to think about holding raw materials closer to manufacturing hubs to avoid it getting bottlenecked in transit.

This trend away from the just-in-time model will likely persist as Hanover Logistics navigates other industry challenges. According to Hanover’s Director of Logistics, Kevin Davis, space availability will be a big priority going into 2025, as warehouse and storage space will be tight in certain markets while abundant in other areas. Over the last couple of years, he notes that there has been a big push to build more warehouses, leading to a flood in the market. The continuation of this push will depend on location and what the state of importing will look like over the next four years of the new administration.

Davis believes that automation will continue to find a stronger foothold within the logistics industry as well, with new manufacturing buildings and factories being constructed with automation in mind for the long term. While many within these spaces are a bit leery of fully embracing it, several manufacturing outfits in Hanover, Pennsylvania are resilient (especially considering that Hanover is considered the snack food capital of the world) to changing economies, so the region is in a good position to retain its high occupancy rating even amongst potentially disruptive market shifts and trends.

Trucking, Davis says, has been a bit depressed in the last few years as a decline in freight demand coupled with higher interest rates is slowing the trucking economy. Hanover Logistics hopes to see more of an increase going forward; if anything, trucking is seeing a rebalancing after a large post-COVID spike, so things should level off to a more typical volume in time, he believes.

The years to come will see Hanover Logistics continue to grow its presence in warehousing with the support of its transportation arm, investigating potential opportunities outside of the Hanover region. The company aims to grow in a smart and measured way. “We plan to work with our key customers in pursuit of that growth and in regions that we see opportunity,” Davis concludes. We look forward to seeing where that growth takes the company next.

The post Investing in Our Future<p class="company">Hanover Logistics</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Moreover, this dynamic company has become a powerful, innovation-driven partner that embodies excellence beyond the transportation industry.

With more than 300 direct employees and seven vertically integrated divisions all supporting one another, answering complex client needs in multiple ways has become JTG’s signature style. Clients are delighted to find that this team is the only point of contact they need to handle a breadth of services including recycling haulage and concrete pumping.

With his strong belief in visionary development through expert guidance and leveraging economies of scale for growth, Geoff Joseph joined the company in 1995. Enabling his parents to retire and spend some quality time together, in 2007 Geoff took the company over from his father, Joseph K. Joseph, who founded the firm in 1975 with his first purchase of a dump truck. The company ran as a small home-based operation for over 30 years, with a fleet of seven trucks working in the bulk (aggregate and soil) market when Geoff took over.

Geoff Joseph embodies hospitality as he shares the company’s story with us. “As we were blitz-scaling our business [in 2007], we didn’t have the power of the internet as it is today. We didn’t have job descriptions. It was way different back then,” he says, describing early staff’s job descriptions as “everything.” The team forged ahead, making strategic adjustments to bring order and organization to its operations. Now, the company’s Joseph Transportation Group (JTG) division is proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies, based on criteria like Strategy, Culture and Commitment, Capabilities and Innovation, and Governance and Financials.

Not one to be swept away by the glamour of such an award, Joseph remains grounded in pragmatism. “Even though we won the award of the best, it doesn’t mean we are the best yet, but we are on the way,” he tells me with characteristic humility, pointing out that, for him, remaining relevant determines longevity. Based on that idea, continuously reflecting on performance while embedding sustainability and innovation into everything it does keeps this company at the forefront of industry trends in Canada and beyond.

Known for its commitment to remaining at the forefront of technology in the transportation industry, JTG ensures it has all the latest equipment its fleets need to perform optimally in this space, buoyed by an annual $1,000,000 spend to provide technology-driven solutions. Such solutions include in-transit temperature monitoring, ETA updates, Live Link, Client Portals, AI agents and chatbots, and AI-powered pricing to deliver fast, reliable information and service to clients. As well, the company recently employed a software engineer and, in the process, developed an in-transit heat sensing system that monitors tank performance alongside client-facing, real-time cargo updates based on a sophisticated international shipper’s model.

JTG also harnesses AI to attend to its client care division outside of office hours—and for faster, accurate quoting. As a staunch supporter of frictionless transacting, the company is hard at work simplifying and streamlining its other systems—like creating paperless offices and keeping its website integrated and current. Moreover, the company is in the process of expanding its executive management team while also establishing a fully-fledged advisory board to ensure sound decision-making through expert guidance.

While JTG has been hard at work refining and expanding its asset-based transportation division by acquiring three new outfits in recent years—including DeGrandis Concrete Pumping, one of the largest pump companies in Ontario—its fleet is now 350 trucks strong including the vehicles of its owner-operator partners. Because it approaches business with a service delivery mindset, the company has been in an exciting metamorphosis over the past few years—a process that is making it stronger, more flexible, and increasingly more aligned with its clients’ needs.

To celebrate half a century in business, JTG has some fun and exciting events lined up. One of these is a traditional Show and Shine on August 16. Here, staff and clients will be treated to a dedicated truck show that promises to impress with a yet-to-be-revealed showstopper exhibit. As a company that knows how to play together, JTG staff know how to work hard together, too, and enjoy doing so.

And this culture is by no means new. Going into the many shifts of recent years as a team that plays and wins together, the company’s bonds were strong enough to withstand the pressures of the global economic and social storm. “I’ve always maintained that if this place doesn’t feel like Disney World—minus the high-priced admission—then we’re not doing something right,” Joseph adds, underscoring that the company wants its team to genuinely feel appreciated and happy to be a part of something bigger.

To further secure its capabilities and optimally develop its employees’ skill sets, the company founded Joseph U, short for Joseph University. Established in collaboration with local professors and lecturers, the team now benefits from robust academic resources, with topics covering everything from negotiation to software training. Everyone in the company is expected to complete a course in negotiation as, in this CEO’s view, life is a rolling sequence of daily deliberations.

As such, Joseph is clear on the fact that his personal evolution as a leader is also imperative to the future health of the company. For this reason, he approaches his role with an open mind and steps up in every way possible to ensure that the company moves forward intelligently and in keeping with the times. His message to the team is one of care: “Don’t be so busy making a living that you [don’t have time] to make a life,” he says, pointing out that a work-home-life balance is essential to maintain when technology has invaded people’s private spaces.

Paying as much attention to community well-being as it does to staff morale, the company supports various not-for-profit sports teams, sporting events, and organizations like Salvation Army, CityKidz, Good Shepherd, Ronald McDonald House, and more. With its firm belief in the value of sports training in creating adults who understand team performance and function well within teams, the company especially loves supporting the children of families for whom such an extra expense is a stretch. As Joseph says, “[We should not] deprive younger kids of the ability to be on a team and have so many memorable experiences meeting new people and working together as a team.”

Looking at how the company has achieved its current success, he highlights that it was not a matter of “having it all figured out from the beginning.” Instead, his and his team’s journey was one of incremental growth and evolving with the company. “We’re an old new company,” he laughs.

As JTG expands its transportation division through new projects driven by large national names like Canadian Tire and others impressed with its high safety standards and work ethic, its ownership’s 2035 plan is to become one of North America’s leading companies. That includes reaching its goal of 1 billion dollars in topline revenue, establishing more physical facilities throughout Canada and the United States, and offering warehousing and diversified transportation services that include rail, air, and shipping.

The company’s future is reflected in its visionary leader’s commitment to excellence: “This is my life… We’re in it for the long haul,” he says. “We’re excited about what the future holds.”

Geared for expansion, new headquarters are planned for a 13-acre footprint in Stoney Creek, Ontario, breaking ground this year. And, with more new facilities in Quebec and Western Ontario bringing JTG ever closer to its clients in the foreseeable future, the company’s drive to do better through personal, professional, and technological advancement remains key to its success.

The post In It for the Long Haul<p class="company">Joseph Transportation Group</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Whether it’s planning, engineering, or interior design, collaboration is key within this complete design team to integrate all system components into workable, sustainable solutions. The team executes the client’s vision with an integrated approach, fostering personal connections and recognizing the impact of furnishings, finishes, and colors on creating distinctive spaces that improve people’s lives, workplaces, and educational experiences.

The company has also instilled a sense of pride and belonging at work by prioritizing teamwork and professional growth. A Buddy Program and mentorships mean that new hires can connect with seasoned designers, making it easier for everyone to communicate at all levels.

“We’re a woman-owned firm founded by Ellen Bailey Dickson, while Robin Edward Whitehurst joined about a year later, which is where the company name comes from,” explains Karla Smalley, Principal. “The early work was a lot of residential and retail, and we grew into what their vision of the firm was, which is committed to serving clients that are mission driven, such as government, education, and military.”

When it comes to projects, the company embraces an approach whereby design begins with investigation, understanding each challenge a project may bring, explains Stephanie Allston, Architect. “This means creating an interconnected architecture on all levels: the ecology of the site and the people inhabiting it. Then we use our knowledge, expertise, and passion for innovative design to improve the built environment for the social good,” she says.

Bailey Edward’s historic preservation work echoes this approach, with projects such as the Pullman National Historic Site, located south of the city and enshrining the workman’s heritage. Other projects include the Illini State Park, and the company is currently working with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Lilly Foundation, hoping to help as much as it can with the preservation of Black churches in Alabama, California, and Kentucky.

“We’re also working on a couple projects in Champaign, one of which is the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Altgeld Hall—higher education and more accessible spaces,” says Allston. “And there’s Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, a project to make sure we’re respectful of that land and the heritage of that site, because it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site as well.”

The company as a whole strives to embrace respect when approaching each and every project, she stresses. “I think a lot of what Bailey Edward stands for is understanding and being sensitive to the culture of each project, no matter how varying and how different it is.”

Being culturally aware also extends to the overall company culture, which enables the team to approach each project with the care and concern it deserves. “I think the company culture really focuses on supporting our staff in their creative ventures, in their education, and in the direction they want to take their careers,” says Smalley.

“We do have a lot of working groups aside from that to expand our company from the inside out as well,” Allston adds. This includes the Excellent, Meaningful, Beautiful group, designed to “create the highest quality product possible,” starting with the standards used to create Bailey Edward’s work. “We have a lot of people at our company interested in renderings and that technology, and it’s about finding those strengths and passions within the company, using that together, and collaborating to see how that can help benefit Bailey Edward as a whole.”

There is also the Drawing Standards Team for those who are more technically minded and want to look at standardizing some of the drawings Bailey Edward produces, along with the Well-Oiled Machine group, Culture Club, the Strategic Planning group, and the Healthy Building groups for those passionate about sustainability and the healthy buildings initiative.

And maintaining a strong company culture extends to other vital areas as well. Other architectural disciplines don’t necessarily require the high level of technical proficiency and subject-specific knowledge needed for historic preservation. To assist with such a challenging field, professional development is encouraged for all staff members, both administrative and technical. Every employee has access to paid education time and an educational stipend, which are scheduled and reviewed during the person’s yearly performance review. In addition to the stipend, staff members seeking an architectural license receive industry-leading study materials, mentorship from licensed architects, exam fee reimbursement, and a bonus upon obtaining their license through the company’s profession-specific licensing aid programs. Bailey Edward aims to eliminate as many barriers as possible between its employees and their licensure.

“Our staff have hands-on experience with tools like Matterport scanning and destructive and non-destructive testing,” adds Sara Gaum, Associate Principal. “We support licensure within our firm, which is extremely important in architecture because a lot of women do not get their licensure, and we have numerous licensed women architects within our firm.”

In terms of educating staff, the company also ensures there is a broad understanding of all areas, so even if someone leaves the company, they have a richer skill set and are better equipped to take care of these buildings throughout their career.

Bailey Edward is also heavily invested in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2030 commitment within the architecture community for carbon neutrality. “It’s a goal you can elect into in architecture firms across the country, looking at how this impacts design for buildings and our industry as a whole,” says Allston.

The main aim is carbon neutrality by 2030 and focusing on the design and performance of existing and new structures, utilizing a reporting and measuring system called the design data exchange (DDX) that helps track elements internally and shares data with AIA to track performance on project energy performance, something that’s very important to Bailey Edward as a firm.

“As far as historic preservation, a lot of it comes from assessing the existing building’s energy performance,” Allston explains. “We have historic buildings that may have unique structural elements that can affect energy, and the building’s age is going to affect material designs.” The goal is often to create a modern, efficient HVAC system and integrate it into the historic structure without ruining the character.

Bailey Edward stands out in this regard, differentiating itself in terms of its expertise and how it trains its staff, adds Gaum. It comes back to company culture and the desire to be supportive of staff. This includes providing a flexible work schedule. “If someone is going after license, there’s time set aside for them,” she says. “There’s compensation. There are things we put into our structure that are available to everybody but historically would maybe have been limited to men at other firms. But they’re not limited at our firm.”

“We try to keep it fair and equitable across all lines such as gender or race,” adds Smalley. “It’s just people doing a really great job at what they’re passionate about, and that’s really what we want to support.”

There is also an allowance for education to help those interested in various topics connected to historic preservation, such as an upcoming conference about window enclosures. This unique combination of company culture and supporting creativity and education has continued to serve the company over the years.

“It’s the hands-on learning as well,” says Allston. “It’s working with all of our staff members to train them in all of the different things we provide, whether it’s laser scanning or writing different reports like facility conditions assessments or historic structures reports, and training each of our staff members in how to do research too, especially because that’s important with our documentation of historic structures.”

Bailey Edward also boasts a very diverse portfolio, moving across sectors doing historic preservation work for the government and local municipalities, performing work for research institutions, and doing historic preservation in a building that is still being used for highly sensitive research.

“We’re also within healthcare,” says Gaum. “We do have a very diverse portfolio, and yet still have extremely qualified staff who are able to address challenges specific to those buildings.”

But it is the company’s unwavering dedication to preservation and comprehending why it is so vital that sets it apart in a society sometimes determined to destroy instead of defend.

“It’s important to preserve our history,” stresses Allston, adding that the Bailey Edward historic design philosophy is that buildings are the ‘visible history of our culture.’ “They’re storytellers. They’re reflections of our culture and the people that use them, the communities that have created them, and those people and communities that continue to use those buildings. We’re those buildings’ temporary caretakers, and it’s our responsibility and our passion to make sure those buildings and those stories endure for future generations, restoring them so they last the next 100 to 200 years.”

The post Temporary Caretakers: Preserving the Future of the Past<p class="company">Bailey Edward</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Building on decades of experience—and backed by extensive research, development, and testing—Blackseries has made a name for itself around the world for its ability to bring all the comforts of home to the harshest and most remote locales. Mud, sand, sea, rocks, ruts; nothing can stand in the way of a Blackseries adventure!

Supported by a manufacturing footprint in Australia, China, and the U.S., and a dealer network of 65 dealers and counting on five continents, more than a hundred thousand Blackseries are taking people where they want to go—even if it is the road less traveled—to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Taking campers farther than ever before
Blackseries was born out of a passion for camping and the desire to design an RV that could withstand inclement weather and challenging terrain. Founded by CEO Hongwei (Jack) Qiu, an outdoors aficionado who has long held a love for camping and outdoor adventure, the company seeks to revolutionize camping culture around the world by taking people farther into nature than they have ever been capable of going.

The goal, according to Qiu, was to “develop a trailer that could go anywhere. A traditional RV needs to go to a campsite and plug in; you have neighbors, and you would be more stationary. But Blackseries started off-grid, so it enables customers to go somewhere beautiful: the mountains, the ocean—they can be completely off-grid.”

From the company’s founding in Australia in the mid-’90s through the 2000s, at which point it broke into the U.S. market, Qiu invested time and money into learning the ins and outs of RV manufacturing technology. He continued to refine his designs, a dedication to continuous improvement that continues to this day. Indeed, the Owner Development Program is a feedback loop that is regularly used to refine the design and performance of the company’s trailers by integrating improvements into the trailer designs to better adapt to off-road conditions with ease.

Today, there are several models available, including the HQ12, HQ15, HQ17, HQ19, HQ21 and the HQ21 Balcony, as well as toy haulers, HQ19T and HQ22T. The HQ19 is one of the brand’s best sellers and as Qiu notes, “I always take the HQ19 with me when I go camping with my wife.”

These homes away from home are just that; they offer the security and comfort of home from wherever adventure takes you. And they are tested in the real world, by putting the product to the test in some of the harshest conditions around the globe.

“We feel like the U.S. off-road community is growing very fast compared to the European market and Canadian market,” says Qui. “The Middle Eastern market is also important for us. In Australia, at least 30 percent of the RV market goes off-grid; I believe that could happen in the U.S. We just need to bring the price down.” Qiu thus plans to take advantage of the camping culture and the extensive camping infrastructure in the U.S., which includes a rich national parks system.

The promise of performance
Blackseries offer users a rugged, well-equipped design that is simple to operate. Well-appointed for off-grid activities thanks to carefully balanced weight and an articulating hitch—and customizable to meet personal preferences, including an Android-powered smart control system from which users can check tire pressure, water levels, and light controls from the palm of their hand—the features and performance of the equipment continue to expand and evolve.

Blackseries remains committed to its founding principles of innovation and evolution. The company continuously seeks ways to enhance its trailers by improving power recycling and storage systems, ensuring a reliable energy supply for greater comfort and performance. Additionally, it prioritizes sustainability features that not only elevate the customer experience but also minimize environmental impact.

“We started to research bigger power inverters that could take more appliances at the same time, making sure that it’s safe for the customer to use. Every year we introduce something better in terms of features to help customers enjoy more off-grid camping,” says Qiu, who notes that the power system can operate on battery or solar power.

“Our off-grid power system uses a 3,000-watt inverter to run everything,” he explains. “We are the first ones to do that, and we are still, to my knowledge, the only company that can do that.”

To facilitate this level of performance, Blackseries invests heavily in research and development, manufacturing, and real-world testing to ensure it is respected for its performance and longevity but also its economical price tag. This is why the company is often the first to market with new features and capabilities and why as a brand it continues to grow in popularity. Further, its tents and trailers are protected by a one-year manufacturer warranty, a five-year warranty for structural components, and a lifetime warranty on the chassis.

Offering peace of mind
Like the campers themselves, Blackseries employees also share a passion for camping, which enriches the company culture and the value customers derive from their service.

“We are a company that wants to do something different by bringing a new lifestyle of camping to our customers, so when our employees choose us, they already know about our brand, they already know about our company culture, and they love what they do,” says Qiu.

One of the advantages of employment with Blackseries is that “we offer employees free use of the campers so they can experience the product and give suggestions and advice when they come back. So, they understand our customers and know how they feel,” he says. “We have very strict quality control,” which includes vetting suppliers and inspecting components as well as the final assembled trailer, which is inspected off the line and prior to being shipped.

“In our manufacturing facilities in City of Industry, California, when the trailer leaves the assembly line, the quality control team will perform the first step of quality control, making sure all the gas and electric appliances work and making sure there are no problems,” Qiu explains.

While the state of the RV sector post-COVID has been marred by high interest rates, the market is returning to strength, and Qiu believes that Blackseries has good reason to be optimistic looking ahead.

“As the leader in the off-road RV market, we of course want to maintain this position because we are the first ones to do it, and we have had success in this area. So we are expanding and employing new elements in manufacturing, assembly, and quality controls,” with the larger goal of bringing more adventure tourists closer to nature.

Truly, wouldn’t we all rather be on a mountain top or a secluded beach, enjoying the spectacular beauty and power of nature while enjoying the comforts of home and connectivity to society—even if it feels like it is a world away.

The post A Camping Experience off the Beaten Path<p class="company">Blackseries</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

“We supply trailers to Lowe’s, Ryder, U-Haul, and major steel companies,” President Trey Gary states with pride.

Dorsey’s specialties include aluminum trailers, steel trailers, and combination trailers, chip vans, tagalongs, and lowboys. Chip vans are durable but lightweight enclosed trailers commonly used for commodity hauling or to transport wood chips in forestry operations. Dorsey’s chip vans are up to 53 feet long and come in open top, closed top, and walking floor formats. Tagalongs are built to accommodate an extra piece of equipment, while lowboy trailers ride low to the ground, have two separate drops in deck height, and are well-suited for transporting big construction equipment, cars, and other heavy loads.

Dorsey sells its trailers through a vast dealer network that stretches across the United States. Companies in the over-the-road sector, which entails long-distance hauls that can last for weeks, make up about 80 percent of its end users. Other customers include businesses in the oil field, brick, road and bridge work, and construction markets.

Durability, price, customization, quality, company response time, and customer service are the main advantages Dorsey offers over competitors, says Gary. But the biggest selling point is “the people here at Dorsey,” he adds.

“We’re a bit different as a company in how we treat dealers,” explains Assistant Vice President Joseph Scott. “Everybody treats their dealers really well—all manufacturers do—but we’re very personable with our dealers. We see them a lot; we go on the road with them.”

In addition to the head office, the company’s facilities in Elba include production lines for platform trailers, chip trailers, and all-aluminum platform trailers. About a fifth of the company’s work is outsourced while the rest is performed in-house. “There are some places around town that do some components for us. Then, some places in Birmingham do a little bit,” says Scott. Dorsey also maintains a parts shop.

Given its status today as one of the top trailer manufacturers in North America, Dorsey’s roots are exceedingly humble. The company was founded as a machine shop in 1911 by Henry and Pete Dorsey. From its base in a converted livery stable, the firm initially repaired trucks, power saws, and other equipment for clients in the timber trade. Very soon, the company expanded its focus, moved into bigger accommodations, and began designing and building its own products. Within two decades, company engineers had created its first commercial freight trailers, and Dorsey began to establish a nationwide reputation as a premier trailer manufacturer.

“They built refrigerated trailers, dry van trailers, and furniture trailers or high-capacity van trailers. They also built some dump trailers, but all along, they built flatbeds,” recalls Gary of the company’s early years.

Flatbed trailers have an open deck and no walls or roofs. Refrigerated or ‘reefer’ trailers, by contrast, are enclosed and contain a refrigeration system to keep frozen foods and other goods cold. Dry vans are also enclosed but designed to keep cargo dry, not frigid. Dump trailers (not to be confused with dump trucks) are typically used to transport aggregates such as sand, soil, and gravel at landscaping or construction sites. A lift mechanism is used to raise the trailer deck and dump the load. A furniture trailer, as the name implies, is used to transport couches, tables, chairs, and other household items.

During World War II, Dorsey was converted to wartime production. “We’ve done a lot of trailers for the military. We have machinery in our fab shop that has war stamp commissions on it,” shares Scott. After hostilities ended, the company continued using its expertise to produce military-related products, including electronic vans for missile programs and transporters for rockets.

Approximately 15 years ago, Dorsey began phasing out production of reefer trailers and vans to focus primarily on flatbed trailers. Ownership of the company has also changed over the decades; it is now owned by Propst Companies, a diversified investment firm based in Huntsville, Alabama.

During its long history, Dorsey Trailer has survived economic upheavals and natural disasters alike. The latter includes a series of catastrophic floods as the area in which the company is based is known for flooding. Some storms have produced floodwaters rising to 18 feet, Scott remembers.

Not only did Dorsey withstand these travails, but the company stayed open during the COVID pandemic, which began in early 2020. The virus had an effect on business and made it difficult at times to maintain a full workforce. Yet, for all the challenges brought about by COVID, the company flourished and enjoyed strong sales.

Business has slowed down a bit lately, for several reasons. High interest rates have pushed up costs, and 2024 is a presidential election year, so there is uncertainty about the economic policies that will be pursued by the occupant of the White House over the next four years. There were “some record years after COVID where a lot of trailers were sold and manufactured. It’s just come down a little bit,” says Scott.

These challenges the company faces are industry-wide; finding skilled workers, for example, can sometimes be difficult, since insufficient numbers of young people are entering the skilled trades to replace existing retirees. No doubt, Dorsey will endure and continue to boost its market presence.

Unsurprisingly for a company that has been around so long, it boasts a roster of very high-profile clients. Dorsey has made hauler vans for NASCAR and trailers for country music band, Alabama. The company also built a black, enclosed 45-foot van trailer for the hit 1980s TV show Knight Rider. This van trailer, which was used on the show to transport the super-customized, futuristic Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that star David Hasselhoff used on crime-fighting missions, can be viewed on Dorsey’s Facebook page.

Asked if there is a secret to the company’s longevity, Gary says, “great employees, quality product, and a great dealer network. That would be our three key ingredients.”

The company currently has 350 personnel and prefers to hire people who are willing to make a long-term commitment. “We want somebody who wants to build a career at Dorsey. We don’t just want an employee,” states Scott.

“We don’t want you here for just a year or two years. We work hard to keep our [staff]. We want their first day and their last day [to be spent] working here,” adds Gary. The company offers a 401(k) program and other financial incentives to support and retain its workers.

Above all else, the company values quality work. Dorsey has an internal quality control team who are “out there monitoring trailers all day long,” says Gary. It has also hired consultants to implement lean manufacturing practices to maximize efficiency and minimize waste. Safety is also addressed in a comprehensive, well-organized fashion, with paid safety staff, a dedicated committee, and a commitment to safe working conditions and practices in general.

Much promotion is handled via participation in trade groups. Dorsey belongs to the National Trailer Dealers Association, Alabama Trucking Association, Alabama Forestry Association, and the Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association. The company takes part in charitable events as well, including initiatives to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer and men’s health. The company made a financial contribution in conjunction with the Elba Public Library to support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Coffee County.

“We invest heavily in our community. Anything to do with schools, any sport here in Elba [or surrounding areas], we’re there,” says Scott.

Even though Dorsey Trailer’s heritage dates back over a century, management is not sitting on its laurels. The company is hard at work developing new products, such as a series of fully galvanized trailers, and offering updates and enhancements of its existing trailers.

Moving forward, the plan is to keep on the same path that has led this company to such long-lived success. This includes “expanding into new markets, new designs, and listening to the customer,” says Gary. “What are they hauling? And what can we do to make their job easier?”

The post Success for Over a Century<p class="company">Dorsey Trailer </p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Dedicated to working responsibly and always looking for innovative solutions, Berger responsibly processes these products from peat to enable a sustainable, dynamic, and productive horticulture industry.

As customer needs have changed and grown over the past 60 years, so has Berger. The company combines its unique world-renowned expertise with the desire for a more productive and healthy world, energizing customers’ horticultural business and leaving the environment as fertile for human development as for horticultural and agricultural growth.

Founded by Huguette Théberge and her husband, Alcide Berger, in the Québec village of Saint-Modeste in March 1963, today the business is well-known in the sector for both its extensive experience and the high calibre and reliability of its output.

Growing talent
The company has been headed by members of the family for decades, with each generation strengthening it further, enabling Berger to develop and thrive while embracing the basic ideals and philosophy of harmony, performance, commitment, and proximity.

Harvesting peat was initially done by hand, but it was quickly mechanized, and when the company was passed to Claudin and Régis Berger in 1980, the duo began exporting product and innovated by importing value-added items.

Additional changes for the business included developing direct sales; distributing products under the Berger label; acquiring peatlands in New Brunswick and Manitoba; building both peat processing and mixing plants in several locations in the United States and Canada; and creating the Skyscraper format, an unequalled industry innovation.

Since 2015, Claudin Berger’s daughters Valérie and Mélissa have served as the company’s Co-Chief Executive Officers, revitalizing Berger and remaining dedicated to its sustained success by developing cutting-edge products that cater to growers’ demands. Some of their impressive accomplishments include attaining Veriflora® certification, acquiring Sun Land Garden Products and Beaver & Lafaille Peat Moss.

Clearly, the first and second generations of the Berger family have built a legacy that has contributed to the company’s success over the last 60 years.

“I think women in the leadership of the company is rooted in the foundation of Berger,” says Marc Bourgoin, Executive Vice President. “The family is really people-oriented and has had a big impact on the community here. Wherever we operate, we’ve made a major contribution to the success of the community. It’s been important for them to achieve this.”

Where business and family meet
Managing the company, Valérie and Mélissa have created an excellent balance between family and business life, and have good people around them.

Communication is also vital. “It’s at the heart of their way of living, or their philosophy of life. They provide really strong leadership and are very qualified.”

On the business side, respect for the environment is extremely important to Berger, as demonstrated in the company’s dedication to scientific research and advanced production processes. The company manages its peat resources as efficiently as possible under its integrated harvest and restoration strategy, which also helps coordinate numerous scientific research efforts on water quality, wildlife monitoring, and wildlife management.

Peatlands—naturally occurring areas formed over thousands of years by the decomposition of vegetation, primarily sphagnum moss—are inhabited by unusual flora and fauna, and the company makes the required preparations to return a harvested land to a peat-accumulating ecology as soon as harvesting is finished.

Additionally, Berger has been involved in numerous scientific studies into the ecology and restoration of peatlands for more than 30 years. The utilization of high-performance technologies and the knowledge gathered from this research have made it possible to track the life cycles of peat bogs, ensuring that this resource is managed sensibly and responsibly.

Towering achievement
The company’s commitment to ecological care is reflected in its use of technology, particularly the use of its Skyscraper, introduced in 1993 and considered a “revolution” in the industry. Reducing handling labour and packaging waste by almost 80 percent and using only 70 pounds of plastics per load (compared to a previous industry norm of 350 pounds), Skyscraper saves both time and labour.

“It changed the whole industry because now most of the competition uses that big bale format,” says Bourgoin.

Huguette Théberge’s descendants, he adds, want to continue the dream of their grandmother, living the admirable values that were the very foundation of the company: proximity, harmony, performance, and commitment.

Along with spreading that message across the business, the company is continuing to expand, with close to 800 employees at present.

“Our product is the premium brand in the industry,” Bourgoin says. “When it’s about choosing a growing medium, Berger is at the top of the list for sure. And now we’re heading into some more ag markets with controlled environment agriculture and all of the produce for the food industry. So we’re really into it at the moment.”

Cultivating culture
When it comes to its employees, Berger strives to promote enthusiasm among all staff members, urging them to take responsibility for their jobs and engage in company activities. As a result, employees commit themselves to these shared interests and proudly represent the business. Additionally, the Berger team places a high value on creating and maintaining strong relationships with its staff, clients, and business associates through open communication, proactive stakeholder engagement, and availability.

“When it comes to employees, I would say it’s like a big family. There’s a real value in flexibility,” he says. “We try to support them and provide everything we can.”

This includes creating a high quality of life at work, providing surveys, and taking appropriate action to improve health and safety within its facilities so people can feel safe and have fun doing their work.

“We’ve been taking care of internal life and communication year-round,” says Bourgoin. “We have dedicated health and safety people and a large HR group that ensures good working relationships throughout the organization.

Leading the way
In terms of company growth and expansion, Berger is well positioned in the ag business, especially in the controlled environment and agriculture segments. “It’s fast-growing, and we want to increase our contribution to this segment,” says Bourgoin. “Being among the leaders of it, we are well positioned to do that.

Customers’ facilities and greenhouses are technologically advanced, he adds, and Berger has the compatible products for these conditions. “We can for sure make a difference in supporting the food industry, so it’s really where our energy is aligned and is present in our upcoming strategy as well. It’s where we would like to put our focus for the upcoming years.”

Aside from its passion for making a difference and continuing to forge ahead in the industry, Berger also prides itself on its customer approach.

“It’s the direct relationship we have with them,” Bourgoin says. “We know them, we learn about their challenges, and we can provide services to ease their operations. We have a family and business mindset, and our goals are often the same.”

This all-around compatibility means knowing and understanding customers’ needs and striving to provide a good fit.

This state of affairs all stems from the company’s long-time family involvement, beginning with Huguette and Alcide’s unique and singular vision that has endured through the decades through leadership, creating an exceptional company culture.

“This is a place where you want to be,” says Bourgoin. “When people join the company, they are enriched by their journey with us, joining a unique culture. In turn, Berger is enriched by the expertise and contribution of each of our employees. We want them to have this experience with us, and we make sure they’re equipped to face the challenges. There’s a spirit here and it’s part of the business.”

The post Generational Talents – The Spirit of Success Runs in This Family<p class="company">Berger</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Started in California by Kevin and Jennifer Cole in 1999, Original Footwear Co. built its early reputation on its range of Original S.W.A.T.® tactical boots. Around 12 months later, the company acquired the ALTAMA® footwear brand. It also recently acquired shoe manufacturer CAPPS®, based in Virginia, which makes it the only Berry Compliant Oxford supplier to the military.

The company’s footwear is so popular that big orders arrive well in advance while the team builds non-stop to ensure that there is enough supply. The Cole family has done exceptionally well here, and while the company has been partially sold to another shareholder, two of the Coles’ three sons and their daughter-in-law are the next generation to continue the family legacy. Kevin and Jennifer also remain involved in the daily running of the company.

With attention to detail that is evident in everything it does, the company offers international shipping designed to suit all potential and existing customers. “We tried to find the best sweet spot for everybody because we know how expensive it is. We have dealers all over the world in free-trade-friendly zones,” explains Heather Roach, Director of Marketing.

The company has separate business-to-consumer and business-to-business websites to ensure all clients, retail and wholesale alike, enjoy a smooth purchasing experience. In addition, the company is researching the benefits of re-establishing a European warehouse to make long-distance shipping and supply faster for its customers abroad, which will increase its geographic footprint further. At present, its biggest customers are on home soil in the U.S. and in Australia.

Recognized for its integrity, innovation, and the durability of its shoes, Original Footwear Co. carries the ALTAMA®, Original S.W.A.T.®, and CAPPS® ranges. Altama has been in existence as a footwear brand since 1969, when they developed the hardwearing jungle boot that was the first of its kind to be used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. The Altama range remains the favorite for DOD-issued military boots.

“I would say Altama is our prestige line, even though the cross points with other lines are similar,” says Roach, pointing out that the boots’ use in rough military environments makes them “translate well into work and everyday use.” Of course, as the company provides to the DOD, the shoes sold to U.S. military branches are Berry Amendment Compliant, as every component is American-produced and sourced.

Based in Morristown, Tennessee with factories in Big Rapids, Michigan and elsewhere, Original Footwear Co.’s legendary Original S.W.A.T. first responder boots are also a favorite with the Spanish police force—quite the compliment from a country known for the quality of its handmade shoes.

And there is now a new favorite, and it is far above anything available in its class today. The comfortable Alpha Freedom Hands Free® boot means that hardworking people do not have to touch their shoes when getting off their shift.

These shoes are not zipped, laced, or tied. Instead—similar to Kizik sports shoes, from which the company purchased the technology—the first and the last time these shoes need to be touched is on the day of the fitting, and that is simply to ensure that the wearer has the ability to customize their fit. Following that, all the wearer does is press down on the next-generation polymer heel casing with the other foot and slide the foot in and out of the shoe in one easy movement.

Putting them on and taking them off is as easy as putting on slippers because the heel casing collapses as you put your foot into the shoe and springs back up when it is on. “You step in and out of the Alpha Freedom Hands Free in seconds,” Roach says.

These boots still come with the same quality specifications and specialty materials combined with leather to deliver a purpose-specific shoe that is smarter and more comfortable to wear when compared to the first responder and military personnel shoes of the past. The snug fit also adds much in the way of safety, as loose lace-up boots can cause injury to people who are required to snap into action at a moment’s notice—like firefighters waiting for emergency calls. “It’s really hard to run in an untied boot. Firefighters also have medical calls that they can wear the Alpha Freedom Hands Free for,” Roach adds.

The Alpha Freedom Hands Free is a superbly designed, everyday workhorse that looks as good hiking as it does behind a desk. After the collapsible heel casing, the next intelligent feature is a comfortable horn section in the back of the ankle support that removes the need for grabbing a shoehorn to get the boot on. It comes in black, in a three, six, or eight-inch-tall boot with the option of a steel toe cap and as the Coyote model, a golden-brown boot in six-inch and eight-inch options.

The design is groundbreaking in the level of safety and comfort it provides wearers, especially following COVID-19 and the public hygiene challenges people suddenly faced. For the first time, ordinary people could imagine how close to all sorts of contaminants and infections our civil protectors are in their line of duty every day of the year.

“Several years ago, we developed the side zipper in tactical boots to speed up response times, but this is going to blow that out of the water,” Roach says.

The company has another new offering in the wings as well. The ProTec six and eight-inch-tall range is what the company calls a price-point boot—a medium-price range, protective yet comfortable shoe that is every bit as tough and well-engineered as the company’s other tactical boots. Yet this has a sportier look, combining leather and polyester with built-in impact absorption to answer the need for running and other physical activities responders face on the job. As it happens, this boot is not quite on the market but already has a fan club.

There are more things to come later this year, too. The next big introduction will be the upgrade of the S.W.A.T. range’s Alpha Fury. The Alpha Fury 2.0 will offer new technology with enhanced rebound action in the innovative Ignite midsole and a considerable reduction of weight on an already extremely light boot series.

“We named the midsole Ignite because that’s exactly what it does; it ignites your performance,” says Roach. “Everyone always comments on how light the Alpha Fury was. So this is like holding nothing in your hand, which is a big deal.”

While the latest version looks much like the previous one, it weighs 12 percent less and promises to give wearers an even more athletic experience to add to the durable support it already offers. It features an improved type of Sandskin—a sprayed-on, highly abrasion-resistant material that keys into fabric to provide protection that outperforms leather in tests. Besides adding to the look of the shoes, this material also considerably enhances the lifespan.

Of course, the company’s original classic S.W.A.T. boots are still a favorite, especially amongst police officers. There are few moments on the job more enjoyable for Roach than when people come up to her to say hello and show her their trusty, beloved Original Footwear Co. boots that just keep going—sometimes for as long as a decade or more. Investing a bit more in footwear that lasts also reduces the impact on the environment in the long run as opposed to constantly discarding low-quality shoes.

In terms of its own environmental footprint, the company is conscious of keeping the waste it creates to a minimum. From cardboard boxes to other materials, everything is used optimally and recycled wherever possible. There is no unnecessary packaging or any other needless waste happening in the company’s facilities either, and it has also ensured that its fabrication outfits abroad are in countries like Cambodia and Vietnam, approved by the General Services Administration (GSA) under the United States Trade Agreements Act and, as such, take sustainability seriously.

“We try to be extremely transparent about where our boots are made, because it is something that matters to us. It’s an integrity note,” Roach says. In this way the company also reflects its commitment to longevity. “We have no intention of being a flash in the pan; we want to be here until the world is gone. We want to serve the people who serve the people.”

Beyond serving first responders and the protectors of national safety, the company also supports related charitable causes. “We are grateful for the people we are serving, so we want to bring them the best,” says Roach.

During the Kentucky floods in July last year, the company donated several pairs of good, B-grade boots to survivors as well as a stash of kids’ galoshes. It has also produced a unique, limited edition run of boots in aid of breast cancer research, of which a portion of the proceeds was donated to the American Cancer Society.

Other organizations that benefit from its support include Merging Vets and Players, started by company ambassador Nate Boyer, a Green Beret and former NFL player, together with his friend Jay Glazer. For those interested, the film MVP tells the story of the trials and tribulations that led to the foundation’s coming into being.

“We love working with them. Their goal is working with combat veterans and professional athletes who have moved out of their careers and are finding difficulty reintegrating into society without the uniform and sense of team,” Roach says of the crucial work the organization does, giving belonging and hope where it is needed.

The company’s support also goes to providing U.S. veterans with homes in the form of a five percent donation from every pair of camouflage shoes sold in November of each year to the U.S. VETS Foundation. It also has a close relationship with Boot Campaign, for which Original Footwear Co. custom designs a pair of boots for exclusive sale by the charity.

“We love Boot Campaign. It’s another veteran outreach initiative that is close to our hearts,” Roach says, highlighting that the company goes out of its way to also support first responders injured in the line of duty with fundraisers, merchandise, and more.

Blessed with a dedicated, goal-oriented team that Roach describes as running like a well-oiled machine, the company is full of praise for its people. “Our team cares about who we are serving, who we are building these shoes for. We want to do the best we can as quickly as we can,” she says.

Not a team to rest on its laurels, Original Footwear Co. has its aims firmly set on continued growth and innovation. It is just as well that this company is as strong as its products and is sure to stay at the forefront of tactical boot technology for years to come.

The post Serving the People Who Serve<p class="company">Original Footwear Co.</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

“Our snack is 100 percent natural and air dried… We naturally allow the moisture to go out of the meat and what you’re left with is pure lean and clean protein,” says Chris Boever, Chief Executive Officer of the Frisco, Texas-based firm.

Beef is misted in vinegar and then seasoned with dry rubs consisting of spices and other natural flavoring. The seasoned meat is not cooked but dried instead in a climate-controlled room at the company’s 50,000-square-foot, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-certified processing plant in Madill, Oklahoma. Once properly dried, the meat is cut into slabs, slices, or sticks and packaged in foil pouch bags. The beef is obtained from farms based around the plant and elsewhere.

Stryve offers three main brands: Stryve, Vacadillos, and Kalahari Snacks. Stryve—the company’s flagship brand—comes in original, hickory, and pepper flavors, among others. The Vacadillos brand features a Latin American influence as South and Central America have their own version of air-dried beef, called Carne Seca. Vacadillos snacks have a slightly higher fat content to enhance flavor and come in chipotle honey and habanero varieties. Kalahari Snacks are primarily sold in natural food channels.

According to Boever, Biltong contains 50 percent more protein than leading types of beef jerky, one of the prevailing dried meat snacks in the United States. Unlike Biltong, jerky is cooked and then injected with “water, broth, preservatives, and sugar as well,” he notes.

As one of the only commercial suppliers of beef Biltong in America, Stryve has been on a major growth curve. Its products can now be purchased online or on store shelves at Walmart, Albertsons, H-E-B, Whole Foods Market, Publix, Hy-Vee, Sprouts Farmers Market, Food City, Natural Grocers, CVS, Cub Foods, Wegmans, Love’s Travel Stops, Circle K, and other well-known retailers.

Within the convenience channel, the company counts the Army & Air Force Exchange Service as a key customer. The exchange operates stores, restaurants, and other facilities at military bases and stocks all three brands at its gas stations. The company’s wares are also becoming increasingly popular among people engaged in vigorous outdoor recreational activities like hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, or camping. This is understandable, given that the products weigh less but offer more protein than traditional jerky, says Boever. Stryve also sells Biltong slabs for use on charcuterie boards, a popular snacking and hosting option.

The company is constantly looking at potential new markets, including schools, correctional facilities, and even the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. government department that assists the public during natural disasters. High-protein, easily portable Stryve snacks might be a convenient way to provide sustenance to people displaced by fires, floods, and the like. That said, “Our priority right now is in retail,” Boever states. The goal is to expand into grocery stores and other retail spaces that probably have not sold a lot of beef Biltong in the past. To this end, strategic alliances have been forged.

“Acosta just came on as a partner in January of this year,” says Katie Brenner, Chief Customer Officer. “That shows you their belief in our growth as well. They don’t typically take on new partners that are as small as our company.”

The Acosta Group is a leading marketing and sales agency, and the partnership is expected to increase Stryve’s reach, distribution, and brand visibility.

The company primarily sells within the United States, although there are plans to expand into Canada and further afield, Brenner says.

Being a pioneer in the meat snack sector could be a huge selling point for the firm. While a few people in the U.S. might air-dry beef Biltong as a personal treat, Boever only knows of one other USDA-certified commercial operation in America that manufactures and sells such a product. It is smaller than Stryve and lacks the latter’s forward momentum, he says.

Stryve was founded in late 2017 by Ted Casey, Warren Pala, and two others. Pala, who hails from Johannesburg, South Africa, had grown up with beef Biltong and spent decades creating his own varieties of the snack.

Three of the four founders remain with the firm to this day. Casey is Chairman of the board, while Pala now serves as Stryve’s CBO or ‘chief biltong officer’ in charge of “research, quality, and innovation,” says Boever.

At first, the company sold directly to consumers online. A loyal following was built, but growth was uneven. The summer of 2022 marked the beginning of a transformation. Food sector professionals including Boever and Brenner came on board to add industry knowledge and experience to the founders’ zeal and enthusiasm. Stryve also slimmed down, from hundreds of workers to about 80 today, and its range of products was reduced.

“We had to get smaller to get bigger. We had so many different [stock keeping units], and we were in categories we shouldn’t have been in. We had a nutrition business, with pre-workout and post-workout [products] that really wasn’t our forte. We had to simplify the portfolio,” Boever recalls.

As part of the transformation, operating expenses were reduced and quality enhanced. Gaining USDA certification for meat processing required a lot of time, resources, and money—the company “had to go through lots of trials, and meat is expensive,” notes Boever—but is clearly a source of pride for Stryve staff.

The transformation entailed new packaging and positioning as well. Package design became more colorful, and new bags that “lock in freshness much better,” were introduced, he says.

Stryve also changed the wording on its packaging from Beef Biltong to ‘thinly sliced steak.’ It is an accurate descriptor and refers to a cut of meat that is immediately familiar to consumers. The steak focus has given rise to some snappy marketing slogans: ‘Eat steak, don’t be a jerky!’ for the Stryve brand; ‘Adios jerky, Hola steak!’ for Vacadillos; and ‘Hello Biltong, goodbye jerky!’ for Kalahari.

While the transformation involved reducing product numbers, the company maintains a pet food business built around human-grade, all-natural beef treats. Originally called Two Tails, this branch of the business is in the process of being revamped and renamed.

While it is possible to air-dry other meats, Stryve plans to stick with beef for now to avoid the risk of cross-contamination at its processing plant. Huge retrofits at the Madill facility would be required to introduce non-beef options in a risk-free fashion.

Stryve still offers online sales through its own channels and sites such as Amazon, where slabs of Biltong for charcuterie boards represent the top-selling online product. Internet sales, however, are only one portion of the firm’s current marketing efforts.

Promotion is handled through social media, digital and business-to-business marketing, and attendance at trade shows. At trade shows, Stryve promotes its products through the tried-and-true method of giving out free samples. Letting people taste its products is a good way to educate consumers who are probably unaware of beef Biltong.

Stryve, of course, is not solely focused on the bottom line. The company works with a charitable initiative called Folds of Honor that offers scholarships to families of lost or fallen soldiers or first responders. Since 2007, the organization has provided over 50,000 educational scholarships. “There are lots of veterans in the country. It’s a great way to give back and also to gain a lot of awareness for our product,” says Boever, who sits on the organization’s board of directors.

Going forward, there are plans to consolidate the core offerings and expand distribution, and Stryve officials are exuberant about the future of the firm.

“We want to help the category expand. We want to give the consumer the healthiest, best protein snacks that can be delivered. I want to exceed the expectations of our retail customers and bring more innovation and expansion to this category, to make America healthier and fitter,” says Boever.

“We have three of the fastest-growing brands in meat snacks throughout the United States, whether that’s in dollar sales, unit sales, or velocity, so it’s an incredible time. We have a lot of work to do but we’re excited about our future,” adds Brenner.

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