106. Building Craftsmen with Character with Dave Hataj from Edgerton Gear

About this episode

Paul Van Metre interviews Dave Hataj about transforming the culture at Edgerton Gear and developing the Craftsman with Character program.

In this deeply personal and powerful episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Paul sits down with Dave Hataj, third-generation leader of Edgerton Gear in Wisconsin. What begins as a conversation about a custom gear job shop quickly unfolds into something much larger — a story about culture change, humility, sabotage, burnout, mentorship, and the responsibility manufacturers carry in shaping the next generation. When Dave returned to his family's shop in the early 1990s, he walked into a deeply dysfunctional environment. Alcohol flowed freely in the lunchroom. Leadership was fragmented. Trust was thin. When he began making changes, the resistance was immediate and intense — including internal sabotage from senior employees and the loss of key team members. What followed was years of long hours, strained relationships, and hard-earned lessons about leadership and character. Instead of doubling down on control, Dave made a different choice. He committed to building a culture centered on humility, trust, mentorship, and service. Over time, that commitment reshaped not only Edgerton Gear but also his vision for workforce development. Out of that journey came Craftsman with Character — a…

People in this episode

Host: Paul Van Metre

Guest: Dave Hataj

Topics covered

• culture change
• leadership
• mentorship
• workforce development
• manufacturing
• character building

Keywords

• leadership
• manufacturing
• culture change
• mentorship
• workforce development
• character
• Edgerton Gear

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Edgerton Gear

Places: Wisconsin

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