Firm Base Makes for Lasting Impressions

Seizing opportunities for community participation has been a continuing activity of Fisher Steel and Supply Company principals. This participation has paid off by helping to build a firm base and consistently producing positive results for the company.

"Our family has always been civic-minded," says Jim, president and chief operating officer of Fisher Steel. "We've always viewed that not only as our personal responsibility, but also as a way to assure the company has a sense of community responsibility."

Jim's father, Eugene Fisher, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the company, has concentrated his community involvement in local human services activities. He has been chairman of the Muskegon County Department of Social Services for more than 20 years, and was chairman of the Muskegon County Community Mental Health Board for more than 10. He also has worked with the Red Cross and was chairman of the United Way. Jim is treasurer for a state representative, was president of the Jaycees, chaired the local United Way board, and is treasurer of the Muskegon Economic Growth Alliance (MEGA). He was vice chairman of the task force that formed MEGA from the merger of three economic development agencies, one of which was the local chamber of commerce. In addition, Jim is treasurer of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and is active in its Michigan chapter.

It is continuing activities like these that keep the Fishers in the public eye. But what about Fisher Steel and Supply Company? Jim and his father have developed a close working relationship with the people at the Muskegon Chronicle, so the newspaper "has maintained an understanding of what our business is all about," says Jim, "and periodically prints updates of what's happening." He routinely sends the Chronicle announcements about company promotions and new hires and about his activities with ISRI. "It's free publicity," he says. "It gets the name Fisher Steel in front of the public."

Tour de Force

When Fisher Steel went through a major expansion last year, Jim Fisher knew a news release alone wouldn't have the impact he wanted. Until the mid-1970s, the firm had primarily processed motor blocks and other ferrous scrap; it also ran a small nonferrous operation. At that time Jim began to further develop the nonferrous end of the business, which subsequently grew to represent nearly 90 percent of the company's total business. The 1989 expansion included increasing its aluminum smelting operation by doubling the size of the reverberatory furnace operation, which makes secondary aluminum ingot, and installing a new aluminum shredder in a new building. The company's focus was now firmly on aluminum. Announcing this kind of company move called for something a little different.

A tour of the facility took place in June. It was not your run-of-the-mill plant tour, however. Fisher Steel invited the mayor of Muskegon, county commissioners, MEGA board members, human services organization staff people, educational leaders and teachers, customers, vendors, and the press. In addition, the families of the approximately 85 Fisher Steel employees were invited--giving them an opportunity to learn more about Fisher Steel, and giving the company a chance to show its appreciation of their loyalty. The event included a catered lunch under a tent and several shifts of one-hour tours of the facility.

"We used the tour as a major public relations event," says Jim Fisher. The firm went so far as to hire a public relations consultant to assist with the "packaging": a special brochure was written to underline the company enhancements; media releases were developed; a coffee mug was designed with the logo, "Our future is aluminum recycling." The better part of a week was spent preparing the physical plant for the tour.

Jim wanted to use the tour to communicate a specific message to invited guests. The best way to do it? A script. It wasn't a verbatim script that his eight employees-turned-tour guides had to memorize, of course, but it followed a specific place-to-place sequence and emphasized important points about the company, recycling, and the environment. Tour guides were taken on a practice run so that, Jim says, "by the time they were ready to give their tours, they were well prepared for what the company wanted to accomplish."

One of the things Jim wanted to accomplish was to inform people about the process and benefits of recycling. Tables displayed examples of incoming scrap, which Jim says were "fascinating" to people who didn't realize how many types of scrap the company handles. Guides showed guests the new aluminum operation, described how the dust collector works, and explained its purpose. Guests saw the baghouse for controlling air pollution. "We spent a lot of time talking about the important part we play in the environment and how we help reduce [the waste in] landfills," explains Jim. "We described what would happen if the scrap wasn't processed."

By the time the day was over, more than 400 people had walked through Fisher Steel and Supply Company--a success by any standard. Jim believes the crowd was so large because of people's acquaintance with him, his father, or other people in the company. Thus, while the tour was a "big splash," he says, "I don't think the splash could have been as effective if we hadn't had a nice base built over the years--a positive company identity built in the community." A similar tour in August for more than 70 Rotary Club members also was a success.

Working Partnerships

Another reason for the excellent turnout of the tours was Jim's affiliation with MEGA. The alliance has proved fruitful for Fisher Steel in a number of ways. The organization, made up of representatives from business, labor, government, and education, receives a good deal of media attention in Muskegon. Because it involves people from so many walks of community life, members of the group are interviewed on the local community college's cable television station, are written up in the newspaper, and--perhaps most important--are continually in touch with local leadership.

Fisher Steel has been working with several schools in the area via MEGA's business and education partnerships program, which is managed by Jim's wife, Jackie. The idea is to put together partnerships between the two groups to ensure that companies get workers in the future who are sensitive to the needs of business and are well qualified to fill future jobs.

Fisher Steel is currently involved in two such partnerships. In the North Muskegon school system, the firm has given plant tours for elementary and junior high school students and has made classroom presentations explaining the value of recycling. Parents who accompanied their children on the tours wrote appreciative letters to the company for its work.

At Reeths-Puffer High School, a three-way partnership has begun with Goodwill Industries, Fisher Steel, and an extracurricular-activity group at the school. Goodwill is the only group in the area involved in what could be called municipal recycling; it maintains drop-off centers for certain recyclables around Muskegon and sorts and processes the items at its main facility. Jim says the partnership's plans are to put together a small collection center for glass, plastics, paper, and metals. Fisher Steel will help educate the students so they better understand the effect of recycling on the environment. Fisher Vice President of Marketing Steve Bolhuis, who is involved with the Reeths-Puffer project, is on the board of directors of Goodwill and chairs its recycling committee.

Leading Legislation

Beyond Goodwill's efforts, the feasibility of community recycling is being investigated by Muskegon County's newly formed recycling committee--with which Fisher Steel and Supply plans to work closely.

"I think there's very good identification of Fisher Steel as a metal recycler," Jim says. "Because of a long-term effort, we have accomplished a great deal in getting that message across to people in the Muskegon community." Through the legislative committee of his ISRI chapter, of which he is a past president, he has been very active with legislators statewide, helping the chapter hire a lobbying firm located in the state capital. "There are all types of legislative initiatives happening," he says, noting that his relationship with state and local legislators has added to their knowledge of the issues facing the recycling industry.

But he keeps referring back to the effectiveness of the tours in June and August. "We had key people in our community captive for an hour to deliver the message. ... Instead of writing an article to publish in the paper containing everything I wanted to say about the company, the tours did it. We could illustrate firsthand what we wanted to say." Positive results from the June tour include articles in several local newspapers, such as the Muskegon Chronicle, which followed up with an editorial on Fisher Steel shortly after its initial article, and the Grand Rapids Business Journal, which gave the company even wider exposure.

Seizing opportunities for community participation has been a continuing activity of Fisher Steel and Supply Company principals. This participation has paid off by helping to build a firm base and consistently producing positive results for the company.

"Our family has always been civic-minded," says Jim, president and chief operating officer of Fisher Steel. "We've always viewed that not only as our personal responsibility, but also as a way to assure the company has a sense of community responsibility."

Jim's father, Eugene Fisher, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the company, has concentrated his community involvement in local human services activities. He has been chairman of the Muskegon County Department of Social Services for more than 20 years, and was chairman of the Muskegon County Community Mental Health Board for more than 10. He also has worked with the Red Cross and was chairman of the United Way. Jim is treasurer for a state representative, was president of the Jaycees, chaired the local United Way board, and is treasurer of the Muskegon Economic Growth Alliance (MEGA). He was vice chairman of the task force that formed MEGA from the merger of three economic development agencies, one of which was the local chamber of commerce. In addition, Jim is treasurer of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and is active in its Michigan chapter.

It is continuing activities like these that keep the Fishers in the public eye. But what about Fisher Steel and Supply Company? Jim and his father have developed a close working relationship with the people at the Muskegon Chronicle, so the newspaper "has maintained an understanding of what our business is all about," says Jim, "and periodically prints updates of what's happening." He routinely sends the Chronicle announcements about company promotions and new hires and about his activities with ISRI. "It's free publicity," he says. "It gets the name Fisher Steel in front of the public."

Tour de Force

When Fisher Steel went through a major expansion last year, Jim Fisher knew a news release alone wouldn't have the impact he wanted. Until the mid-1970s, the firm had primarily processed motor blocks and other ferrous scrap; it also ran a small nonferrous operation. At that time Jim began to further develop the nonferrous end of the business, which subsequently grew to represent nearly 90 percent of the company's total business. The 1989 expansion included increasing its aluminum smelting operation by doubling the size of the reverberatory furnace operation, which makes secondary aluminum ingot, and installing a new aluminum shredder in a new building. The company's focus was now firmly on aluminum. Announcing this kind of company move called for something a little different.

A tour of the facility took place in June. It was not your run-of-the-mill plant tour, however. Fisher Steel invited the mayor of Muskegon, county commissioners, MEGA board members, human services organization staff people, educational leaders and teachers, customers, vendors, and the press. In addition, the families of the approximately 85 Fisher Steel employees were invited--giving them an opportunity to learn more about Fisher Steel, and giving the company a chance to show its appreciation of their loyalty. The event included a catered lunch under a tent and several shifts of one-hour tours of the facility.

"We used the tour as a major public relations event," says Jim Fisher. The firm went so far as to hire a public relations consultant to assist with the "packaging": a special brochure was written to underline the company enhancements; media releases were developed; a coffee mug was designed with the logo, "Our future is aluminum recycling." The better part of a week was spent preparing the physical plant for the tour.

Jim wanted to use the tour to communicate a specific message to invited guests. The best way to do it? A script. It wasn't a verbatim script that his eight employees-turned-tour guides had to memorize, of course, but it followed a specific place-to-place sequence and emphasized important points about the company, recycling, and the environment. Tour guides were taken on a practice run so that, Jim says, "by the time they were ready to give their tours, they were well prepared for what the company wanted to accomplish."

One of the things Jim wanted to accomplish was to inform people about the process and benefits of recycling. Tables displayed examples of incoming scrap, which Jim says were "fascinating" to people who didn't realize how many types of scrap the company handles. Guides showed guests the new aluminum operation, described how the dust collector works, and explained its purpose. Guests saw the baghouse for controlling air pollution. "We spent a lot of time talking about the important part we play in the environment and how we help reduce [the waste in] landfills," explains Jim. "We described what would happen if the scrap wasn't processed."

By the time the day was over, more than 400 people had walked through Fisher Steel and Supply Company--a success by any standard. Jim believes the crowd was so large because of people's acquaintance with him, his father, or other people in the company. Thus, while the tour was a "big splash," he says, "I don't think the splash could have been as effective if we hadn't had a nice base built over the years--a positive company identity built in the community." A similar tour in August for more than 70 Rotary Club members also was a success.

Working Partnerships

Another reason for the excellent turnout of the tours was Jim's affiliation with MEGA. The alliance has proved fruitful for Fisher Steel in a number of ways. The organization, made up of representatives from business, labor, government, and education, receives a good deal of media attention in Muskegon. Because it involves people from so many walks of community life, members of the group are interviewed on the local community college's cable television station, are written up in the newspaper, and--perhaps most important--are continually in touch with local leadership.

Fisher Steel has been working with several schools in the area via MEGA's business and education partnerships program, which is managed by Jim's wife, Jackie. The idea is to put together partnerships between the two groups to ensure that companies get workers in the future who are sensitive to the needs of business and are well qualified to fill future jobs.

Fisher Steel is currently involved in two such partnerships. In the North Muskegon school system, the firm has given plant tours for elementary and junior high school students and has made classroom presentations explaining the value of recycling. Parents who accompanied their children on the tours wrote appreciative letters to the company for its work.

At Reeths-Puffer High School, a three-way partnership has begun with Goodwill Industries, Fisher Steel, and an extracurricular-activity group at the school. Goodwill is the only group in the area involved in what could be called municipal recycling; it maintains drop-off centers for certain recyclables around Muskegon and sorts and processes the items at its main facility. Jim says the partnership's plans are to put together a small collection center for glass, plastics, paper, and metals. Fisher Steel will help educate the students so they better understand the effect of recycling on the environment. Fisher Vice President of Marketing Steve Bolhuis, who is involved with the Reeths-Puffer project, is on the board of directors of Goodwill and chairs its recycling committee.

Leading Legislation

Beyond Goodwill's efforts, the feasibility of community recycling is being investigated by Muskegon County's newly formed recycling committee--with which Fisher Steel and Supply plans to work closely.

"I think there's very good identification of Fisher Steel as a metal recycler," Jim says. "Because of a long-term effort, we have accomplished a great deal in getting that message across to people in the Muskegon community." Through the legislative committee of his ISRI chapter, of which he is a past president, he has been very active with legislators statewide, helping the chapter hire a lobbying firm located in the state capital. "There are all types of legislative initiatives happening," he says, noting that his relationship with state and local legislators has added to their knowledge of the issues facing the recycling industry.

But he keeps referring back to the effectiveness of the tours in June and August. "We had key people in our community captive for an hour to deliver the message. ... Instead of writing an article to publish in the paper containing everything I wanted to say about the company, the tours did it. We could illustrate firsthand what we wanted to say." Positive results from the June tour include articles in several local newspapers, such as the Muskegon Chronicle, which followed up with an editorial on Fisher Steel shortly after its initial article, and the Grand Rapids Business Journal, which gave the company even wider exposure.