Scott Schmelzer
Scott Schmelzer, Director of Residential Sales, Metal-Fab, Wichita, KS
Determined to make sustainable improvements. Builds success through accountability and trust. Dedicated to people, progress and partnership.
When Scott Schmelzer, Director of Residential Sales, looks back on his career with Metal-Fab, one thing stands out: a long-standing commitment to the company, its people and its customers.
Scott joined Metal-Fab in January 1989 as an entry-level application engineer. Over the years, he took on a number of different roles and promotions, building a career that has spanned more than three decades. Through it all, his positive attitude and dedication to making a lasting impact have shaped both his approach to his work and the way he has worked with others.
While Scott has many professional accomplishments he could point to with pride, he believes his greatest contribution goes beyond any single achievement. For him, it is about the growth of the company and the positive impact Metal-Fab has had on its employees over the years.
Metal-Fab has been part of the Olympic family for the past three years, but Scott’s connection to the company goes back much further. As he reflects on his career, he keeps coming back to a piece of advice from the previous Director of Sales: “Leave it in a better place than when you arrived.”
That philosophy has become a personal mission for Scott, who says, “When my time here is done, I believe I will have accomplished that goal.”
Along the way, several leaders played an important role in helping Scott develop professionally. Ken Shannon, the previous owner of Metal-Fab, gave Scott his start when he hired him in 1989. Jim Rawson, then Vice President of Sales, recognized potential in an inexperienced employee and helped guide him early in his career. Former Presidents, Steve Hughbanks and Mark Ohm, also provided Scott and his team with the support they needed to succeed.
Those relationships helped reinforce another value that Scott considers central to his career and the Core Value he most represents: Accountability. “I learned early on that our customers depend on us,” he says. “Matching our actions to the words we say is critical to earning and maintaining their trust.”
That sense of accountability continues to influence how Scott approaches both opportunities and challenges. When a challenge arises, he tackles it head on, but he also recognizes that the best solutions rarely come from one person working alone. Instead, he relies on the collective knowledge and experience of the people around him.
“Rarely does one person have all the answers,” Scott says. “Typically it becomes a collective effort of the company as a whole to be successful.”
That collaborative spirit is also part of what makes him excited to come to work each day. For Scott, it is the people, both within the walls of Metal-Fab and across the country, who make the difference. He also enjoys the opportunity to compete in the marketplace and, of course, to win.
“Scott is a continuous learner. He studies our competitors and the market and uses this knowledge to strategically approach new products or sales opportunities. And he is committed to winning – for his team and our customers,” says Shaun Ray, Metal-Fab President.
For those just beginning their own careers with the Company, Scott’s advice is straightforward: “Find work you enjoy. Seek out a strong, positive mentor who can provide sound advice. Be passionate about what you do. And, just as importantly, never lose sight of family and find ways to maintain balance in your life.”
After more than 35 years with Metal-Fab, Scott’s career reflects the principles that have guided him along the way: show up, take accountability, work together, make a difference and leave things better than you found them.
