Isaac Heating and Air Conditioning was started in 1945 by George T. Isaac and is now in its third generation of family ownership. The company is led by four brothers who fill different roles in the company. The current president, Ray Isaac, who had worked in the family business since he was 14 years old…

Frank Reabe is a folksy, affable CEO who converted a poorly run business into a thriving, successful enterprise dedicated to early education of children. He and his team accomplished this through sound fiscal management, a clearly articulated mission, action-oriented core values, and a passion for infusing fun into the everyday operations of each of their early education learning centers.

John Thies and his sister, Michelle Klann, decided to start their business, Email on Acid, after working with companies to ensure their emails looked correct in every inbox. Taking on the role of CEO and growing the company was a new experience for John. Like many startup entrepreneurs, he did every job, including hiring new employees.

On a recent flight to Brazil, I had the good fortune to sit next to a gentleman who turned out to be the general manager of the South American division of a multinational company. Being curious, I asked him about his company, listening intently to how he described its culture.

After six years working in the insurance industry, Lew Kachulis was invited to join Gilbert’s Risk Solutions Insurance Agency, where his father was one of three owners. Lew had another job offer, but he accepted the hometown invitation on condition that he would stay only if the company was a good fit for him.

Sage Rutty is a fourth-generation family business founded in 1915 in Rochester, New York. The company initially sold bonds and for most of its existence was a full-service stock brokerage firm. The current CEO, Wayne Holly, joined the company in 1970.

After a career playing for the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants NFL football teams, Ron Johnson became an entrepreneur, buying and operating Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises in New Jersey, Tennessee, and Michigan. From the start, this was intended to be a family business.

Is it possible to be a high-volume, low-cost producer and cultivate a healthy culture? Some would say no, if only because high volumes mean high efficiency and production methods that dictate and control employee behavior.

Like most successful change agents, Rozanski believes that the Gintzler culture is a work in progress. His investment in executive development is paying off in improved performance and communication, stronger teamwork, low employee turnover, and higher quality. Several managers are thriving and growing by being empowered to make decisions for the betterment of the company and each other.

How does a company that sells products for cleaning up industrial messes and is led by an accountant who is data oriented create a successful business with an engaging, fun culture? While success may seem unlikely, it is the story of how a small Pennsylvania company used data-based marketing to grow its business of helping its customers clean up oil leaks and other fluid spills in industrial plants.

Our nation is experiencing two crises. The first is the coronavirus itself and its threat to public health. The second is the economic devastation created by the shutting down of major sectors of our economy. Much of the attention by federal, state, and local governments has been focused on protecting workers and the public from the disease and on ensuring that people who have lost their jobs…

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically disrupted our lives while driving our economy into a tailspin. Many businesses have seen their revenues shrink, straining their ability to continue operations. Some businesses have closed their doors--with uncertainty that they will ever open again.

Note: This blog was written by Jim Frost, a protégé of Don Rust. Jim is a retired GM operations executive who works as a change agent, executive coach, and leadership expert. We invited him to share his experience in transforming a failing company into a highly energized employee- and customer-centric company.