There are a lot of aspects that tie in to being a successful industry leader and some involve more than just running a prosperous business, said Stan Sugden, president and CEO of Ruekert & Mielke Inc.
“One of the most important aspects that I have found in my time leading R&M is giving back to the community and industry to improve the lives of those within and outside of our firm,” he said. “Fortunately, in my position, I have had the opportunity to solve many of the infrastructure challenges that the communities we serve face by both working directly with our clients and by supporting our employee-owners as they do so.”
Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. is a 100 percent employee-owned civil engineering and environmental consulting firm with more than 75 years of service to local communities and organizations. The firm’s engineers, environmental specialists, agricultural experts and technology consultants empower clients to thrive by solving infrastructure challenges.
When transitioning into his current leadership role, Sugden said he was proud to be a part of decisions that impacted the company’s future. In 2015, the company became 100% employee-owned. “That decision has been the catalyst for our firm’s growth by including all our staff in our ownership,” said Sugden. “Sharing the benefits of being an owner with everyone has helped us retain the excellent staff that our clients are familiar working with.”
An added bonus has been the retention of staff and growth in numbers even during the current staffing challenges. “Our clients can rest assure that our staff is very committed to solving their infrastructure and environmental challenges and that they are working with an owner of the company,” said Sugden. “This has helped build an extra layer of confidence and trust with our clients and allowed us to deepen our relationships with them.”
Sugden has been committed to building relationships as a leader in the industry. In addition to involvement on multiple boards and acknowledgements locally and nationally, he is also passionate about helping young professionals succeed in their careers. “I am most proud I was given the chance to mentor to classes of the American Council of Engineering Companies Leadership Institute,” he said. “It was a great learning experience for those young leaders but more importantly for me to learn and accept new ideas and concepts for our changing workforce.”
As his company and the industry continues to transform, Sugden has earned the recognition as a titan for his unwavering commitment to foster the growth of others.
