A Steadfast Chief

Rob’s path was not typical, and he has seen many leadership styles in his career. Rob could see some decisive leadership and inferior management styles from being in the Navy on a Nuclear Submarine. Hence, for Rob, focusing on the people is key to driving a supportive culture and making a workplace “a good place to work”. “I strive to make our jobs as fun as possible (work is work, but we try and do little things to improve it). Knowing who works for you, greeting them when you see them, listening to them and following through, honoring promises made to the employees and most important, be authentic,” explains Rob. “A simple example of how you can change culture. Our office did a monthly cake for all office employees who had a birthday that month. Someone from our shop floor joked that no one celebrated his birthday. So now, we celebrate everyone in the company who has a birthday that month. The name goes on a board, and we change the food item up. We have done cupcakes to Hawaiian Ice to churros. Everyone here is important, and we need to find new ways to make sure that they feel that way.”

Building A Brand

With his different outlook and being a true people leader, Rob has taken the company to new heights. Bay Cities is a leading sheet metal fabricator serving the homebuilding market in southern California for over 60 years. They design and manufacture sheet metal products used in roofing and guttering and sell exclusively through distribution. Their capabilities are vast, utilizing a 230,000 ft2 of manufacturing facility between three locations with 175 employees to design and build various standard and custom products.

The company is attempting to integrate AI into its systems to predict customers’ needs better both on a short-term basis and on a longer view to determine the right mix of raw and finished goods, depending on seasonality, the industry, and customer activity. It will strengthen inventory and allow for more skill in the market while increasing the customers’ ability to rely on us to have the parts when they need them.

Towards the Future

Bay Cities products are, for the most part, commodities. There are some quality differences between some parts and others, but for the most part, it would be hard to differentiate one product from another. Their solutions range in the “Customer Experience”—what each customer wants from us to make their job easier—from doing physical inventories for locations to seminars with the end users about the difference in metals and how they perform. 

Specifically, Bay Cities had a large, multi-billion-dollar national customer who wanted them to expand geographically. He gave several reasons that would be advantageous for his company and himself. “We studied the needs that he presented, realized that others would benefit similarly as he did, and, after much work and discussion, raised funds for an acquisition,” elucidates Rob. “Now we have expanded our business with them and others just by listening to the needs of the customer.”

For Rob, one of the company’s most significant achievements has been taking a company that had no processes or procedures and was very siloed and increasing the EBITDA by 357% and the top-line revenue by 133%. To do this, Rob and his team had to rebuild each department from accounting to shipping and receiving and everything in between to prove to the customers that they could deliver the right part to the right location at the right time. “The rest is just being there and being who the customer needs. Building the team that could accomplish this with me was the most fun,” says Rob. “Mentoring, helping and guiding the team into being the leaders in our industry and being recognized by others as world-class is something I am very proud of.” For the days to come, Rob has his eyes set on transforming the company and implementing a system that will make work easier for those in the company.