The opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Creating our show The CEO Series has allowed me to meet some of the world’s most innovative and inspiring business leaders to get their insights on what it takes to launch, grow and sustain a meaningful business.
This episode took us to Ozinga, the cement and building materials powerhouse. They are based in Chicago and if you are in the area, you are sure to be familiar with their iconic red and white trucks. They have about 2,500 employees and I got to have a great chat with the person who oversees everything, Marty Ozinga, the fourth generation CEO of this 95-year-old company.
Below are some highlights from that conversation, which have been edited for length and clarity. Watch the full video above.
His approach to leadership
“They’re not the people working for you, they’re working with you. That’s how they taught me and guided me. We all need each other. We all have different roles and responsibilities, but we work together.”
Related: Why Notre Dame football coach tells his team to ‘choose hard’
Ozinga’s 95 year history
“Our family came from the Netherlands in 1893, the year of the World’s Fair here in Chicago. The family has always been in the delivery business. Then, in 1928, my great-grandfather worked with the Cook County Sheriff’s Department during Prohibition and dealing with the risks of Al Capone and all that. He had five kids at home and he decided, “You know what? I don’t want to fight Al Capone anymore.” So he started a coal delivery business. And then around 1950, ready-mix concrete became the disruptive technology of the time. Ready-mixed means it’s mixed for delivery from a central plant instead to be mixed on site. And so Ozinga became one of the first suppliers of concrete in the region.”
Related: This entrepreneur started making short videos to share her passion for cooking. Now her food company is a global powerhouse.
On their iconic trucks
“We’ve supplied concrete to iconic Chicago landmarks like Soldier Field and Wrigley Field, so it’s fun to be connected to places like that. And we’re really proud of the red and white stripes on our trucks. I think it was a combination of this keen sense of marketing, but also national pride. But there’s also some joke that they were Dutch and very frugal and those were the two buckets of paint in the garage. So I like both stories.”
The power of peace
“Our shipping office is the nerve center of the company. It’s where all our customer orders arrive and where we then ship the trucks. The interior is purposely very quiet. We’ve tried to make it as quiet and peaceful as possible because historically the The shipping office is a very intense, chaotic, loud and crazy place.”
Building and sustaining a legacy
“There is an emotional connection between my family and this company. We have been truly fortunate to be able to establish ourselves in communities throughout the Midwest. We are committed to our employees and our customers: we want to be here for the next hundred years and more. This is our intention. And while change is necessary to not suffer upheaval, die and go out of business, there are some things you shouldn’t meddle with. Our core principles are the foundation of who we are and why so we do what we do: that should never change.”
Related: How Personal Passions Fuel Business Success for the CEO of Vivid Seats
Discover more profiles of innovative and impactful leaders by visiting the CEO Series archives.