Chicago Tube & Iron – St. Paul, MN: Luke McConnell

Luke McConnell, Plant Manager, started in the role in April 2022 at the St. Paul, MN branch during a peak of customer demand. Luke was tasked with developing a more engaged Safety culture and achieving optimal staffing levels. He immediately implemented changes that increased employee awareness of overall safety and encouraged identification of opportunities to …

Luke McConnell, Plant Manager, started in the role in April 2022 at the St. Paul, MN branch during a peak of customer demand. Luke was tasked with developing a more engaged Safety culture and achieving optimal staffing levels. 

He immediately implemented changes that increased employee awareness of overall safety and encouraged identification of opportunities to improve. He also took the initiative to make adjustments to the onboarding process, adding a formal Safety presentation for all new hires and a first day Safety walk.

What sets Luke apart is how he’s able to motivate his co-workers. “Luke is a lead-by-example commander who strives each day to be present for all shifts and can be seen on the floor beyond the typical workweek,” says Mitch Patterson, General Manager at the St. Paul, MN branch.

Lesson Learned: The way in which we accomplish our goals, motivate others or get the job done is much more important than simply checking items off the list. Leading by example and modeling the behavior you want to see in others may just be the best way to achieve the desired result.