Padnos announces leadership team changes

Family company prepares for generational transition.

Holland, Michigan-based Padnos, a full-service recycling company that was founded in 1905 and today has 20 locations throughout Michigan and the U.S., has announced changes to its leadership team as the company prepares to transition its management to the next generation.

Matt Heitmeier has been named vice president of metals. He joined Padnos in 1991 and has been instrumental in leading the company’s nonferrous business. He will assume responsibility for the company’s ferrous and nonferrous sales and purchasing activities.

Ben Irwin has been named chief financial officer. He joined Padnos in 2004 and will continue to direct the company’s finance functions while broadening his companywide leadership responsibilities.

Leslie Lynch recently joined Padnos as its chief administrative officer. Her responsibilities will focus on leading the company’s administrative functions with optimal efficiency and innovation.

Scott O’Neil has been named vice president of ferrous sales. He joined the company in 1999 and has been instrumental in Padnos’ successful ferrous product purchase and distribution business. His new role will focus on the development of critical strategic partnerships with steel mill and foundry customers as well as with major industrial suppliers.

Jonathan Padnos joined the company in 2011 and was key to advancing its plastics business—from sales and purchasing to full operational responsibilities. He represents the fourth generation of the family to work in the company and will be responsible for overseeing Padnos’ successful execution of its strategy and annual business plans with his teams.

Rick Post has been named vice president of secondary fibers. He joined Padnos in 1993 and has played a critical role in the buying and selling of recyclable paper and will continue to work closely with paper mill customers and major regional suppliers as the company broadens its reach.

Al Tomes has been named vice president of manufacturing. He joined Padnos in 1990 and has been a key player in the company’s manufacturing processes. Tomes will lead all aspects of the company’s manufacturing activities.

Additionally, Josh Padnos and Sam Padnos, also fourth-generation family members, joined the company in 2014. Both are actively engaged in client-facing, account executive roles.

Jeff Padnos, chief executive officer of Padnos, says, “One of the greatest challenges about family business success is maintaining it—especially over generations. We believe that the leaders we are announcing today will help achieve our transition to the company’s fourth generation.” 

He continues, “We know succession in a family business is a lifelong process and doing it right requires time, discipline, planning, communication and, most important, passing on the culture that has made Padnos what it is.

“Our next leadership team represents the best in the business with proven track records of serving our loyal vendors, customers and employees and delivering results,” Jeff Padnos adds.

The third-generation of Padnos family members who lead and operate the business today—Doug, Jeff, Mitch and Shelley Padnos—will guide and advise this new management team through a planned leadership transition.

Shelley Padnos, the company’s executive vice president, says, “We are doing something many family-owned businesses struggle to do—execute a planned and thoughtful transition to a fourth generation. And if we are successful, we will be proud to have followed in the footsteps of several of our customers, What makes this leadership team work is the combination of existing and new leadership talent loaded with lots of Padnos history and business smarts. Congratulations to Matt, Ben, Leslie, Scott, Jonathan, Rick and Al.”