Celebrating Manufacturing Month: Meet Team Member Ron Borchardt

Ron Borchardt is a plant manager in Wisconsin's Facility 2. To wrap up our Manufacturing Month series, we sat down with Ron to learn more about his role, career journey, and why he chose to be a leader in the manufacturing industry.

Q: Tell us a little about your role and what a “day in the life” might look like for you.

As a plant manager, my day consists of meetings, communicating with other supervisors, and spending time with team members on the production floor. Since production runs 24 hours a day, a check-in with supervisors and team leads before the 3rd shift leaves and the 1st shift starts is a great time to engage and find the essential needs. My top priorities every day are safety and quality. If all goes well, I spend a few hours each day talking to team members and helping them solve problems before the 2nd shift crew arrives. With over 250 team members and 8 supervisors on my team, 5:00pm comes quickly!

Q: Why have you chosen a career in manufacturing?

My forte is not manufacturing—it's people. Manufacturing allows me to work with talented people in our production facilities and in the office. I was fortunate to have a very close friend working here before me, who suggested I consider Greenheck Group. It's hard to believe that was 18+ years ago.

Q: What’s something you admire about the people on your team?

My team is resilient, energetic, and, most importantly, committed to doing their best for each other. I've worked with teams in numerous situations in the Army, but none compare to the team I am lucky to work with now. My favorite part of this job is getting to talk to people and build relationships. Whether we discuss work or personal topics, every conversation is important to me.?

Q: What career advice would you give to your younger self?

Don't be afraid to make mistakes. As long as you fail forward and put the safety of others first, you will become stronger for it. I was always ashamed of failing and, in my younger years, tried to hide my mistakes. As I've grown, I realize that I can keep others from making the same mistakes if I share my growth with them.

Q: Why did you choose Greenheck Group?

After 23 years in the U.S. Army, I had high expectations for my next endeavor. I didn't expect to find the challenge of a new role and caring team members with a manufacturer in central Wisconsin. There were so many people who welcomed me in right away that I couldn't pass the opportunity up.?

Q: What are you looking forward to in regards to the future of the manufacturing industry?

I keep looking for the next challenge, whether solving complex problems with capacity or helping a team member with their open enrollment. Each of these interactions is a time to build relationships.

To learn more about careers with Greenheck Group, visit greenheckgroup.com/careers