Some people think that in order to reach a top position at Rumpke Consolidated Cos. Inc. that you need to be a relative. There are plenty of Rumpkes leading the company, but there are plenty of other last names, too.
“We have people in positions that aren’t relatives, blood relatives,” says William J. Rumpke Sr. “Everybody thinks they’re a relative, and that’s fine. That’s the way we like the thinking to be. We want to all be thinking on the same line.”
Much of the waste and recycling company’s success is linked to management’s ability to align employees under one vision and then grow them through the ranks. Since Rumpke Sr., chairman, president and CEO, took over the family business in 1978, the company has grown from $8 million in revenue to $407 million in 2008 revenue.
The growth has been seen through more than 200 acquisitions and diversifying services, but as Rumpke Sr. points out, you need good, responsive employees who understand the company to lead and maintain that growth.
That is where looking to your own employee base is a benefit.
“They have a better understanding of the culture of the company, of what our expectations are of them and to provide the kind of service (we’re looking for) to our customers,” says William J. Rumpke Jr., chief operating officer. “They get a real indoctrination from the ground up.”
In order to breed future leaders, you need to create an environment where employees know there are opportunities. Then, you have to carefully pick the ones who are ready to lead and closely monitor their abilities as they move up the ladder. Much of it has to do with communicating with employees.
“No. 1, if you want to be a CEO and you want to be good at it, you need to get out in front of your people, you need to talk to your people, you need to interact with your people,” Rumpke Sr. says. “You need to let them know how you want to make this operation run, and get a staff of your own people who follow the way your thinking goes.”
