Jeff Cloud, President and CEO of IBT Industrial Solutions and its parent company, Cumulus Companies Inc., shares the rich history of his family's 77-year-old industrial distribution business, founded by his grandparents in 1949. Born from his grandfather's entrepreneurial spirit after a sales territory dispute, IBT's core "Yes, we can do that" mantra and sales-driven approach fueled its growth from a single shop to a multi-state enterprise with over 400 employees. Jeff discusses the intentional cultivation of a people-first culture, emphasizing respect, internal development, and exceptional customer service, evidenced by their remarkable employee longevity. His personal journey, which included time in the culinary industry before returning to IBT, highlights the value of earning respect and understanding the business from the ground up. The family's commitment to long-term stewardship led to the formation of Cumulus Companies, diversifying investments while intentionally scaling IBT's core cultural values across new acquisitions. This episode offers a compelling case study for family business leaders on nurturing legacy, fostering a resilient culture, and strategically preparing for multi-generational success.

 

Key Themes:

Multi-Generational Legacy and Succession Planning

Culture as a Performance Driver

Customer-Centricity and "Exceptional Engagement"

Strategic Diversification and Value Creation

Leadership Development and Humility

 

Timestamps:

00:41 - What IBT Industrial Solutions does and context for listeners

00:59 - Founding story, sales-first ethos, and "Yes, we can do that" mantra

08:14 - Second-generation leadership succession: Uncle Tree, then Jeff's father as CEO

09:24 - Culture under Jeff's father and extraordinary employee longevity

12:31 - Culinary school and restaurant background shaping work ethic

16:10 - Decision to return to the family business and two-year pact with his father

19:10 - Cross-functional rotations across warehouse, sales, IT, supply chain, and more

20:43 - Transition to CEO and advice for next-gen family leaders

23:40 - Mentorship from President Mark Byrne and their candid-feedback agreement

28:45 - External CEO period after Byrne and eventual transition back to family leadership

30:06 - Communicating the move to family-led, long-term stewardship and private flexibility

32:29 - IBT House and the Four Heroic Pillars (Family & Community, Customer Experience, Leadership, Integrity)

39:51 - Scaling culture via quarterly all-hands for all branches and improved NPS

43:51 - 24/7 exceptional customer service and emergency support examples

57:09 - Jeff's legacy goal: prepare the fourth generation and reach 100 years

 

Additional Resources:

Jeff Cloud, President & CEO at IBT Industrial Solutions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcloud/

Connect with Marshall on LinkedIn

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn

Learn more about PeopleForward Network