Our Team
The People Behind the Performance
Behind every successful outage, rebuild, and shutdown is a team that showed up early, stayed late, and never cut corners. At Schad, our people aren’t just trained—they’re built different. With decades of experience and a deep sense of accountability, they bring the kind of focus and follow-through that critical infrastructure depends on.
- We don’t just hire for skill. We hire for grit.
- We build teams who know what’s at stake.
- And we treat each project like it’s our name on the line—because it is.
Built on Safety
Built on Loyalty, Driven by Safety
From our field crews to our project managers and support staff, safety is the throughline. Every new hire is trained the Schad way—and every returning crew member knows what that means: Look out for each other. Speak up when something’s off. And never, ever sacrifice safety for speed.
Many of our team members have been with us for 10, 15, even 30+ years. Why? Because we invest in them, and they take pride in doing things right.
- Full-time Safety Directors across offices
- Site-specific hazard planning and safety orientation
- Ongoing safety training and compliance audits
Ross Lee
Jim Choate Jr.
Brian Bortner
Brad Shoff
Matthew Kuderik
Matt Sam
Tyler VanWinkle
Stuart McManus
Doug Kincaid
Brance Hall
Discover Our Core Values That Drive Success at Schad Refractory
Local Strength. National Reach.
With offices in Detroit, Youngstown, Louisville, and Kansas City, our teams are embedded in the regions we serve. We understand the industries, the urgency, and the work culture because we live it. And when it’s time to mobilize, our crews are ready—no matter the state line.
Leadership That Stays in the Trenches
Our leadership isn’t hiding behind boardroom doors. They’re out on job sites. They’re working through plans with plant managers. They’re making sure every customer gets what they were promised—and more. It’s this top-down accountability that keeps customers coming back and crews performing at their best.
We Don’t Just Earn Respect—We Keep It
At the end of the day, the best proof of a strong team isn’t a logo or a slogan—it’s a customer who says, “We don’t use anyone else.” That’s what our team delivers. Every time.
Talk to Our Team
From prefabrication to delivery logistics, we’re here to help you plan smarter and build faster.