Passing the Torch: Celebrating Roger Slaughter’s & Scott Szymanek’s Leadership
The only constant in life is change, and we’ve seen quite a bit of it in our 85 years of business. From services/products offered to our customers’ agricultural practices, our company and the ag industry have certainly grown. The newest change at Stutsmans comes in the form of leadership.
As we celebrate year 85, we are marking the end of one presidency and the start of another. After serving as President for the past 7 years, Roger Slaughter is stepping down. Although he’s transitioning out of this role, Roger is still going to be serving our grain handling equipment customers as well as taking the lead on special projects.
Roger began working for the company in college driving trucks. After college, he came back to Stutsmans full-time where he worked with livestock equipment and grain bins. Flash forward to today, and Roger has continued his work in the Grain Handling Division through his presidency and will continue this service on a part-time basis. He is excited to help out with other tasks as well. “I’ll drive a nurse truck this spring if we need it,” stated Roger. When asked what his favorite part about serving as president was, he said, “I really enjoyed working with my fellow employees. Everyone has a great work ethic and really cares about doing a good job. I’m thankful to have had such a rewarding career with Stutsmans.”
We’re extremely grateful for Roger’s service to the company.
“Roger is a very fair man and we appreciate the way he treats people. His level-headed personality made him a great sounding board as we considered new ideas, and he really helped us make the right decisions over the years.” – COO Mark Stutsman
As we celebrate the leadership Roger brought to the company, we look forward to the direction Scott Szymanek will bring as our new President.
“Scott Szymanek has many of the same character traits as Roger and we’re excited to see him in this new role. With his accounting background, Scott does a great job communicating financials to our division heads, which will aid in our decision-making process. Additionally, he will take the lead in maintaining our family culture in the expanding business environment.” – COO Mark Stutsman
Scott joined the Stutsman team in 2012 as CFO of Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc. and President of Stutsman Logistics. Prior to this, he held executive positions with United Title Services and transportation companies, CRST and Florilli Corporation. Scott also has experience in animal nutrition from his time with PM Ag Products. He holds degrees in Accounting and Economics, has a CPA and MBA, and brings thirty plus years of accounting experience in the transportation and agriculture industries to the table. Outside of work, Scott serves on the Iowa Motor Truck Association Board of Directors and the Cedar Rapids Community School District Audit Committee.
We are thankful for Roger Slaughter’s service as President and look forward to the new leadership of Scott Szymanek.
