Innovation Ambassadors: How a new leadership program is making a difference by creating connections

Innovation. We hear people talk about it all the time. But what does it mean? At its most basic level, innovation is about introducing something new that leads to improvement. How can you make that happen in your life — especially your work life? And what does it look like?

The new Jack W. Schwarz Ambassador Program is a great example. A group of Schwarz Partners employees came up with the idea while batting ideas around over dinner, shared their idea with Jeff and John Schwarz, and kicked off their new program in 2022. What’s the Jack W. Schwarz Ambassador Program all about, and what does it have to show you about innovation at work? Find out in this Q&A.

How did the program get started?

“It began with a lot of organic conversations about our own careers,” Nate said. “We talked about how we could develop and continue to grow our business, and we realized we were all talking about something similar. We thought: Why don’t we try to build something out, go to Jeff and John Schwarz and get them behind it, then roll it out across the entire Schwarz Partners organization?”

“We realized there are a lot of opportunities across each division,” Thomas added. “We wondered: How do we capture that? How do we create value between each entity within the company? That unfolded and developed into the program we’re talking about now.”

What’s it all about?

The Ambassador program is an ongoing series of events designed to foster networking, recruiting, retention, training and culture building within the Schwarz Partners organization. It focuses on:

• Building strong business and leadership qualities among high-potential employees
• Developing talented people within Schwarz Partners and beyond
• Improving the long-term future for Schwarz Partners and the customers we serve

What are the program’s goals?

The Ambassador program has four main objectives:

• Networking: Increasing interaction and networking among different business units within Schwarz Partners
• Recruiting: Attracting and high-caliber talent to Schwarz Partners and retaining talented people
• Skill-building: Developing broad business skills over a variety of areas to build professional and personal attributes
• General business knowledge: Increasing general business knowledge of Schwarz Partners operating units 

Who’s part of it?

Executives throughout the Schwarz Partners family of companies nominated the program’s first group of candidates. “We reached out to each leader at the company, and those executives wrote nominations for candidates they wanted to recommend,” Thomas said. Next, Jack, John and Jeff Schwarz reviewed the candidates and chose the first group of Ambassadors. These are the members of the first group:

• Matt Adair, Controller, Venture Solutions
• Mike Emmerth, General Manager, SPA
• Sara Healey, Customer Service, Triumph Sheets
• Ty Krug, Plant Manager, Dalton Box
• William “Billy” Kurtz, Assistant General Manager, Independence Corrugated
• Maria Sanchez Loero, Director of West Coast Operations, Venture Logistics
• Brett McIndoo, Plant Manager, Northstar Sheets
• Tony Madden, Controller, Heartland Sheets
• Nate Mitchell, Chief Financial Officer, Integrity Fiber Supply
• Thomas Trudeau, Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations, Integrity Fiber Supply
• Brittany Williams, Manager of PMO (IT project management office), Schwarz Partners
• Lucas Young, General Manager, Sheets, LLC

Are there requirements for the program?

“The most important requirements are to be highly motivated and a strong performer with a bright future,” Billy said. “Those kinds of people come from all over Schwarz Partners.” Nominees could be at any level, he added: “A lot of general managers in our sheet feeder division started their careers on the floor.”

To be eligible, candidates also must be employed by a Schwarz Partners company for at least three years and must not be serving in an executive leadership role. Once candidates are chosen for the program, requirements include a time commitment of two years, four in-person meetings per year and participation in projects, visits and events.

How do the Ambassadors benefit Schwarz Partners?

“Getting people to interact and tell the Schwarz Partners story will naturally have positive impacts across all our businesses,” Billy said. “This program is a way of building relationships. Otherwise, everybody is in their own silo.” Collaborating and breaking down barriers will help the Ambassadors — as well as others — discover what they have in common so they can develop new ways of working together for the benefit of all.

“When you get to the size Schwarz Partners is now, it can be challenging to have effective communication across the organization,” Lucas said. “We’re trying to establish a physical presence and footprint in each division, so when we come across an opportunity, we know how to identify its potential.”

What are some of the projects you’re working on?

The Ambassadors have branched into three subgroups to explore different aspects of the business:

1. Culture/Recruiting/Retention
2. Executive Presence
3. Synergies

The synergies group is looking at operating platforms, for example. “We’re really drilling down into the weeds and how we operate the businesses and what tools, resources and shared services are available within the company,” Thomas explained.

How is the group working together so far?

At the group’s first meeting, which took place at Schwarz Partners’ Indianapolis headquarters in May, the Ambassadors focused on getting to know each other and setting up subgroups. At the next meeting, each subgroup team will present the information they’ve gathered. “Later we’ll share data and reports on our progress and discoveries,” Nate said. Meeting No. 2 will be held in South Carolina, and the Ambassadors will visit different parts of the business — the New-Indy Catawba mill and STS Packaging.

In addition to developing relationships and solving problems, the Ambassadors engage in professional development and coaching activities, including personality assessments and sessions on executive presence, public speaking and finance. “Those activities go back to Schwarz Partners’ core values,” Thomas said. “We’re investing in people by fostering their development.”

What can you gain from learning about the Ambassadors?

The idea for the program came from Schwarz Partners employees who developed it, vetted it and set it in motion. That’s innovation at work. “If you have ideas, talk to someone about them,” Nate said. “Hard work pays off. If you’re motivated and you perform well, you and your work will have an impact on both your company and your career.”

Ready to innovate? Talk to your supervisor about your ideas and ask to learn more about the Jack W. Schwarz Ambassador Program.