Columbus McKinnon is a US-based company headquartered in Buffalo, NY, that was founded in 1875, with offices and manufacturing facilities around the world. The company’s Automation Division is based in Menomonee Falls, WI, with three buildings on one campus with approximately 340 employees. Columbus McKinnon employs over 3,000 people globally.
them a product, but actually partnering with them to come up with an answer and then designing and developing a custom solution.
OCH: What is your business philosophy? DB: Take care of the customer and they will take care of you, understand their needs, listen to what they have to say. Listen to the issues they might have, what they're trying to resolve. Don't come into it thinking you know it all. It’s essential to develop trust, a partnership, and a relationship, so even when things go south, because they do and they will, you can recover from that together and still find a path forward. A lot of issues today revolve around safety
and how to take the operator out of harm's way because a lot of these pieces of equipment that they're lifting, can include anything from molten steel to hot ingots or product that is transferred through a series of tanks, acid baths and the operator is working alongside that crane next to the production line. We want to understand how to make that a more streamlined and safer operation for the employee, the business, and the company, as well as creating more consistency with the products they're producing.
g
f The home of the company's automation division.
Employment History £ 1989-1998: Pawling & Harnischfeger, Engineer
£ 1998-2015: Magnetek
• 1998-2010: Manager, various departments including automation engineering, product engineering, product development, and business development
• 2010-2015: Director of sales £ 2015-Current: Columbus McKinnon
• 2015-2022: Director of sales, Magnetek material handling & wire rope hoists, North America
• 2022: General manager, Automation
Dan gives back to the local community though the Chamber of Greater Menomonee Falls & Sussex, where he serves on the board and helps develop future leaders in his community. As part of his work for this organisation, he serves as committee chairperson of the Leadership Moving Forward Committee, a programme that he himself graduated from in 2012. The prestigious programme selects high-potential leaders from the local area and develops them further with classes hosted by local businesses, including Columbus McKinnon. The programme aims to develop servant leadership and other leadership skills. In 2021, Dan was recognised for his achievements when he was honoured with the Chairperson of the Year Award. Dan is also a 30-year volunteer of the Milwaukee Irish Festival – one of the largest Irish ethnic festivals in the US. Over the 30 years, Dan has held various positions, including as a Jameson bartender. Dan is also an active member of his local church, where he volunteers throughout the year at various festivals and events.
www.ochmagazine.com | Fall 2023 | 41
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51
