Entrepreneur Of The Year

Better systems

After 24 years spent helping other entrepreneurs with their successes, Brian D. Roth finally accepted an offer to make his own path.

Roth spent years as a commercial banker, assisting a number of business owners along the way, but he’d always turned down propositions to take a leadership position in one of the businesses.

That all changed in 2002 when Roth took over as president and CEO of Altenloh, Brinck & Co. U.S. Inc., which owns the brand TRUFAST. His first step was to rebuild the company on a strong foundation of relationships. By obtaining and maintaining relationships with existing and potential business partners, Roth has turned the company from a family-owned business into an internationally active company with strong financial health.

Along the way, he improved relationships internally, as well. Before he arrived, employees had annual reviews and often felt left in the dark. In response, Roth created a quarterly review system and began an incentive program for improved performance. The updated process gave employees a clearer view of expectations for their performance in areas relating to their attitude, aptitude, initiative and flexibility. The ratings that the employees receive in each category are tied directly to the amount that they receive as their quarterly bonus.

Roth also tightened internal systems. Before, the company often faced failed production goals, a problem that often led to lost customers. But he revived the company by putting more focus on production improvements and people. Many processes were automated, and Roth himself went down to the production lines to figure out what systems could be improved upon.

And the end result of all his hard work has been a remarkably more profitable company that is able to impress customers with promises of 48-hour delivery.

How to reach: TRUFAST LLC, (419) 636-6715, www.trufast.com or www.altenloh.org