Employee Referral Program: Real Stories, Real Impact
Great people know great people! Sometimes, they know them a little. Other times, they know ‘em like they raised ‘em! One dad, three sons and a shared history in steel turned a few referrals into a family story that keeps growing.
Our employees know Olympic Steel, and they know the friends and family members who could bring something great to the team. When they make that connection, it can open the door to a new opportunity, strengthen our teams and put a little extra money in their pocket, too. That’s why we created the Employee Referral Program—to reward the employees who help bring great people through our doors.
We’ve seen how one good referral can keep paying off long after someone’s first day. It can lead to people who find their place here, keep growing and make a lasting impact on the team.
Sometimes, it can even become part of a family story that spans generations—just like it has for the Fultons.
Russell, Brandon, Brent & Skyler’s Story
For the Fulton family, working in steel runs pretty deep. Russell Fulton, First-Shift Production Lead at our Buford, Georgia location, grew up with the industry already woven into his family’s story, with generations before him building their own careers in steel long before he started his. Russell traces that family history back about 100 years, including his father and uncle who both worked at a major steel mill in Gary, Indiana. His father spent several years there as a young man, while his uncle worked there for more than 30 years before retiring from management. That connection to the industry was part of what made steel familiar territory for Russell. Now, with nearly 20 years in the industry himself, Russell gets to see that family connection carry on with three of his children working at Olympic Steel.
Russell joined the Company in 2025, and within a couple months, he was already talking with his sons about openings at Buford. Russell knew what mattered to him in a workplace, and he had a good sense of what makes one worth recommending, especially to family. He says he quickly liked what he saw, noticed opportunities for people to keep learning and growing, and he felt good about the Company and culture.
So when openings came up at Buford, his sons came to mind. He knew their work ethic and knew they were already familiar with steel. He’d encouraged them since they were teenagers to learn CNC skills they could build on, and he thought Olympic Steel could be a great place to put those skills to work. “I always told them—if you can learn the steel industry, you’ll always have a job somewhere,” Russell said. “The world has to have steel to build.”
Identical twins Brent and Brandon were the first to accept Russell’s referral and join him at Olympic. They interviewed on the same day, were offered jobs and joined second shift about a month after Russell started. Brent already had experience with oxy-fuel cutting after Russell trained him at a previous company, so stepping into his Plasma Operator role here was a simple transition. Brandon brought steel experience too and learned how to run a laser after joining the team as a Laser Operator.
It wasn’t long before Russell was talking to Skyler about an opening too. By then, his dad and brothers were already here, but Skyler still got his own look at the place before deciding to join the Buford team. “I did my walkthrough, I liked everything I saw, and I knew I wanted to work here,” Skyler said. He became the next Fulton to join the team, coming on about a month after his brothers as a second-shift Laser Operator. While steel wasn’t new to him, the laser was, so his first weeks included learning the machine, troubleshooting and what to do when something wasn’t running quite right.
For Russell, it’s been rewarding to watch each son take what he already knew and keep building from there. “They catch on really quick,” he said. “I knew they’d be a good fit, so I didn’t hesitate to refer them.”
“They’ve all come a long way here,” Russell said. In just over a year, each has added new skills to the experience he brought with him. Today, Brent is one of only a few employees at the facility who can run plasma, Brandon continues building his experience on the laser, and Skyler recently helped get the new weekend shift off the ground and has quickly become a go-to for coworkers with questions.
As proud as Russell is to see all three doing well, he makes a point of stepping back. They work different shifts, report to different leaders and each have their own responsibilities, which Russell says helps keep the family and work sides of things separate. “At work, I don’t have to be Dad,” Russell said. “I’m just another employee.” Skyler sees it the same way. “Here, he’s just another coworker.”
It’s a setup that gives each of them room to do their own thing, while still keeping them close enough to look out for one another and say hello when their paths cross, even though it’s not often. Interestingly, when asked what they like most about their jobs, family is only part of the answer. They point to their teams, growth opportunities, schedules that work for them and a Company that cares about both its people and its customers.
For Brandon, one of the biggest surprises was seeing how organized the operation is and how much focus goes into serving customers. He also appreciates that his role has continued to grow beyond simply learning the laser. “I like that I have the opportunity to operate a laser while also training new employees and coworkers,” Brandon said.
“It’s a good work environment—I like it, I enjoy it—and I like the people I work with,” Skyler said. And he wants more people he knows to experience the same, so he recently referred his best friend for an opening at Buford.
What started with Russell telling his sons about a few openings has grown into four Fultons working across three shifts, with another referral now coming from Skyler. Russell got to help his sons take the next step in their careers and the Company gained three employees who have become important parts of our team. And if Skyler’s friend is hired, Skyler gets a referral bonus in his pocket, the two get to work together, his friend gets a new opportunity, and Olympic Steel—and the steel industry—gain another hardworking person who came recommended by someone who knows him well. Everyone wins!
Be Part of the Story!
Know someone who’d be a great fit for Olympic Steel?
Your referral could help open the door to a solid career, just like it has for so many across the Company. Help them see what’s possible—encourage them to apply at https://www.olysteel.com/employment.
To learn more about the Employee Referral Program, visit https://www.iamolympicsteel.com/refer-a-friend.
