About this episode
Steve and Adam Thomas discuss the evolution of RJ Thomas Manufacturing, a family business specializing in park equipment.
Guests: Steve Thomas (President) and Adam Thomas (VP) - RJ Thomas Manufacturing / Pilot Rock Host: Randy Chaffee Producer / Director / Co-Host: Wes Wyatt Episode Summary: Steve and Adam share the three-generation family business story of RJ Thomas Manufacturing, founded in 1959 by depression-era WWII veteran RJ Thomas and his wife Doris in Cherokee, Iowa (northwest corner, 60 miles from Sioux City). Steve, second-generation president raised in the business since high school (starting in 1972), and Adam, third-generation VP and Steve's nephew, who began work around age 14 (circa 2000), explain their evolution from a small welding shop with five employees hand-unloading steel to a 90-person operation with advanced automation and robotics. The company manufactures park equipment under the Pilot Rock brand—grills, picnic tables, fire rings, benches, and custom fabrication for municipal parks and campgrounds nationwide. Two years ago, they purchased Pilot Rock itself (a house-sized historic boulder 15-20 feet high used by pioneers and Native Americans as a navigation landmark, now listed on National Historic Register), anchoring their brand to authentic Americana. They emphasize…
People in this episode
Host: Randy Chaffee
Guests: Steve Thomas, Adam Thomas
Topics covered
- family business
- manufacturing
- automation
- park equipment
- employee retention
- technology investment
Keywords
- RJ Thomas Manufacturing
- Pilot Rock
- family business
- automation
- park equipment
- employee retention
- Cherokee Iowa
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: RJ Thomas Manufacturing, Pilot Rock
Places: Cherokee, Iowa
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