Genzink Steel names CEO

Genzink Steel names CEO

John Maxson. Courtesy Genzink Steel

Holland-based Genzink Steel, founded in 1961, has named the new CEO of the family owned company.

John Maxson, Genzink Steel’s chief operating officer for the past five years, has been promoted to CEO.

The announcement came from Genzink Steel board chairman Ken Genzink, whose father, Donald Genzink, founded the company.

Genzink Steel, a maker of fabricated steel products, employs more than 140 people. The company’s 138,000-square-foot fabricating plant is located at 40 E. 64th St.

Maxson said that Genzink’s goal now is to continue to develop more stringent capabilities in welding and documentation, which are crucial elements for companies engaged in mining, oil and gas extraction.

Maxson said Genzink has also availed itself to some state grants to continue training its employees to advance their education, particularly as it relates to safety, a key requirement of the oil and gas industry.

COO tenure

Genzink said that under Maxson’s direction, the management team he put together over the last few years has enabled Genzink Steel to become a nationally recognized manufacturer.

Genzink supplies large parts and components to some of North America’s biggest original equipment manufacturers of heavy equipment used in several industries: mining, oil, gas extraction, railroads, energy and defense.

Maxson background

Maxson, a native of the Midland area, spent the first 25 years of his 40-year career at firms supplying the auto industry.

He took some classes in business at Delta Community College and Western Michigan University, while starting his full-time career at the same time.

Soon, Maxson was placed in supervisory positions in a skilled-trades environment and from there, into management roles, culminating in plant manager.

Maxson and a partner started Zovmax in Midland in 1981, building plastic-injection molds for use by GM and Ford and for special machinery used by Dow Chemical.

Maxson sold his interest in the company to the partner after eight years.

He then worked for a number of years at a structural steel company in Midland before joining Genzink in 2003.