How would you describe your company? Hybar is a new startup steel producer located in Osceola. Hybar produces rebar steel from scrap metal and operates an adjacent Mississippi River port and the largest behind the meter solar power generation and battery storage facility in the United States.
Hybar was founded by my investment firm and two other high-profile equity investors that my team and I have built several businesses with over the past 20 years. On Hybar’s first day in business, Aug. 1, 2023, Hybar had three employees, $1 billion in the bank, and a 1,300-acre soybean field. Since that time, Hybar has grown to 200 employees who are expected to make $140,000 per year on average.
Which skills do you think are most important when it comes to leadership? All leaders have their strengths and weaknesses, and all have different skill sets. My way of leading is vastly different than other highly regarded leaders I know. My strong belief is that a successful leader needs to believe to his or her core in the mission and course the company is following.
Do you think Artificial Intelligence (AI) can take jobs in your industry? All industries will see historical jobs replaced by AI. This is the normal course. New inventions and new technologies are always realigning the way things get done.
How significant to you is developing a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) culture within your organization? DEI and related acronyms have become too prevalent in some organizations. The best organizations naturally reflect the communities that they operate in. A diverse workforce is the best workforce.
If you had $1 million to give, what would you support? I would contribute to a local hospital in a rural community that was desperately in need of funding just to keep the lights on.
What is the best business advice someone has ever given you? “Go for it!” Digging a little deeper into this advice reveals the greater meaning, which is that you will never have perfect information when making decisions. Once you learn enough about a matter that there is at least some reasonable sense that there is a path to success, just go for it.
If you could change one thing about your leadership style, what would it be and why? Spend even more time practicing my walk-around management style chatting with my colleagues throughout the organization at all levels, whether a seasoned veteran of the company or a colleague that was recently hired.
If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why? A new entry level Hybar employee so that I could experience firsthand what she was going through and better understand her first impressions of Hybar.
What is the most used app on your phone? Delta and United airlines are tied.
What’s your favorite television show? The series “The Men Who Built America” is enjoyable to watch, as are documentaries on a wide range of topics, from business, to politics, to science, to fashion.
When you were growing up, what did you want to be? A garbage man. I worked as a garbage man during the summers growing up. I worked as part a five-person crew with specific routes every day. We weren’t allowed to begin work before 7 a.m. — the scooters were a little noisy for the suburban residential neighborhood. But once the clock hit 7 a.m. we were off to the races. When we completed our route, whether it was 11:30 a.m., noon, or 1 p.m., we got paid for the rest of the day (through 4 p.m.). This allowed me to take on a second job and make even more money. I thought this was great!