Jeff Padnos: Chairman of PADNOS, Episode 94

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Jeff Padnos, Chairman at PADNOS is among the third-generation Padnos family members to join the company. Founded in 1905, PADNOS is a family-owned and operated business, creating innovative recycling solutions and managing scrap products for industrial and commercial accounts with accuracy and efficiency. Their mission is to make the best use of all resources in recycling paper, plastics, ferrous, and non-ferrous metals, as well as e-scrap at their 25 locations (24 of which are in Michigan).

Jeff joins me on the Wow Factor to share the details of his current role in the company that his grandparents built from the ground up. He discusses how the work ethic and study ethic was instilled in him by his parents from an early age. Jeff also dives into what it is like to work alongside family members, and some of the strategies that he used to update some of the business’ systems without treading on other senior leader’s toes.

"When you are inefficient, or doing things that aren’t productive, you're actually detracting from someone's standard of living.” - Jeff Padnos
“We want to make the best use of all resources — not waste anything.” - Jeff Padnos
“Curiosity and collaboration are core values.” - Jeff Padnos

This Week on The Wow Factor:

What the core business of PADNOS is in terms of recycling
Why it’s important to Jeff to have a company culture of continuous education and development
Why Jeff sees a questioning mindset as an important quality
The importance of supporting your team as a business leader
How the people at PADNOS are involved in giving back to the community
How PADNOS helps their employees pass down a love of learning to their families
How Jeff embodies his personal philosophy of ‘treat others as you would like to be treated’
Where Jeff looks for innovators to join the company