Martin Hilti never forgot his father asking him at age 14 what he wanted to do with his life. The answer: “Build motors — electric motors.” This was in 1930 in Lichtenstein, a small country wedged between Austria and Switzerland. That answer did not change even after earning a degree in applied mathematics. So, Martin…
Learning on the job: Finding success in the fastener industry
If Kristin Glink had not changed her mind about a career halfway through college, she never would have made the friends or had the success she’s experiencing in the fastener industry today. The fastener sector wasn’t even on her radar. “Unless you have parents or grandparents in the industry, it’s probably a rare career to…
A strategic career choice: Mallory Nichols talks business
For as long as she can remember, Mallory Nichols has enjoyed innovating and talking strategy. She didn’t think twice about earning a business degree after high school, which she did at Auburn University in Alabama, focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. But joining her family’s company was never the endgame. “It’s interesting because my mom…
How Buckeye Fasteners Company was built on resilience and success
It’s been said that change is inevitable while growth is optional. For Buckeye Fasteners Company, a division of Fastener Industries, Inc. (FFI), this was never a choice. Decades of change and innovation led to a company that built itself on strength, resilience, and success. And it all began in the early 1900s in the Midwest…
Meet SPIROL’s Tara Meinck: Life as an engineer
As many of us experienced as seniors in high school, Tara Meinck was unsure what career path to follow after graduation. And if she could fast-forward a decade or so into the future, she likely never would have guessed she’d have a full-fledged career as an engineer and product manager at SPIROL International, a global…
How ARaymond’s Laurence Fayand is closing the gender gap through innovation
In the world of engineering and fastener design, it’s important and noteworthy to find businesses that acknowledge and celebrate female talent and accomplishments. ARaymond is one such business. A global firm specializing in assembly challenges, ARaymond actively recruits female team members and recognizes the value of listening to women’s voices at the highest levels of…
Flying high: Hercules Bolt’s karma is one of success
In what seems like both yesterday and a lifetime ago, Lt. Col. Edward Jackson retired as Lieutenant Colonel from the Air Guard. He spent 22 years flying the C-130 aircraft, where he served in Dessert Shield and Operation Enduring Freedom. When he co-founded a fastener business in 1998, the company name was obvious: Hercules Bolt.…
How AFT Fasteners emerged from a simple coatings company
Johnny Rose always wanted to start his own business. After years of working in sales and marketing for others, he finally took the chance in 2001. The only concern was the timing. It was about a month before the tragedy of 9/11, which seriously affected the U.S. economy. “Initially, I thought I lucked out in…
Expediting and selling high-precision fasteners
Ashley Parker has always been a go-getter. She has a degree in hotel and restaurant management and an associate degree in business management. At 22 years old, she successfully opened her own restaurant in Arizona. But what she did not have, until recently, were plans to work at her father’s company. “My dad is a…
How taking a risk paid off with a career in insurance
Jamie Ausec works in insurance, but she began her career by taking risks. In 2006, she left the familiarity of the Pacific Northwest, where she was raised, for California and a job solely based on commission. “It was a bit of a gamble that I only look back on now with relief and gratitude that…