Mick Shelford’s last day
Words by CEO Craig White
Friday the 13th of September was the last time Mick Shelford drove through the gates as our foundry manager.
So, I write this story with mixed emotions; sad, because one of my mentors is leaving us and happy because I am one of the lucky few who were guided by him and also received the honour of working beside him as an employee and his boss. Great leaders make great teams, and I believe Mick has achieved both of these goals in his time at White Industries. Mick has been an inspiration to me.
The great news is we will still get to work with Mick in a consulting capacity, with him providing White Industries with his expertise as required.
We are one of the leading foundries in Australia, but what made us one of the best? Our secret lies in the sheer hard work of our staff and the loyal customers we have. Mick started with White Industries eight years ago, and it has been such a blessing for me to work with such a knowledgeable guy.
His experience in the manufacturing process of clean steel made us a market leader.
Mick never fails to appreciate his workers and helps us to work with complete dedication. We are what we are because of his supervision and visionary leadership.
His “We’ll make it happen” attitude is the essence of White Industries. That attitude has helped shape the culture here at White Industries.
His leadership has been terrific to watch, and I hope that his influence and guidance has led me towards being a good leader too. He gave me some words of encouragement and full support when I took on the role of CEO here at White Industries. Mick and the management team made the transition smooth.
I know that as a leader, you not only deal with the day to day running of White Industries but at times also need to be a marriage counsellor, mediator to interpersonal disputes, champion and sympathetic ear. Mick always went above and beyond to help his staff with their problems, work-related or not. He knew very clearly how to bring the best out of all his team and has been Foundry Manager like no other.
