On a late summer afternoon, Jane Lovell is standing in the middle of a bustling warehouse. Her voice carries above the hum of forklifts and the rustle of shrink-wrap. Rows of towering racks stretch out like city blocks, packed with building products — from aluminum railing to pallets of the company’s signature, Tyvek House Wrap. Machinery and team members weave in and out, scanning barcodes, moving loads, and shouting greetings to Jane. It’s busy. It’s efficient. And for Jane, it’s deeply personal.

This year marks the 90^th anniversary for Monsma Marketing. After starting his career at US Gypsum, Nick Monsma, Jane’s father, heeded his entrepreneurial spirit and started a lumber brokerage business out of his family home. Eventually, he bought Grand Rapids Reserve Supply, shifting the company from commodity products into specialty building materials and renamed it Monsma Marketing.

One risky gamble put the company on the map: distributing Tyvek house wrap before it was required by building code. “People thought we were crazy,” Jane recalls. “But my dad believed it was the future — and he was right.” Tyvek remains one of their top-selling products today.

Hammering out Change: Jane and Ken Build a New Era

Jane’s career did not start here. She had no desire to enter this “all-male industry.” Earning a master’s degree in social work, she obtained a position running non-academic programs in a school. When her position was eliminated in 1985, her father convinced her that now was as good a time to try working for the family business.  Her first role was called “Special Projects.” She was charged with modernizing the phone system and converting hand-written invoices into a digital computer system. She even bought plastic hammers for the employees – so they could “pound out their frustrations” as they learned to navigate and master all the new technology.

Jane’s husband, Ken, joined her in the business, expanding into fireplace and hearth supplies—now 20–25% of sales—and later opened and ran Heritage Fireplaces. Ken shares, “Working with your spouse can be a challenge. You can disagree at work, but you need to come home and not be disagreeable.”

Thirteen months later, Nick unexpectedly passed away, leaving 28-year-old Jane and her cousin George — then 35 — to lead the business. Selling was never an option. “We always knew we’d keep it in the family,” she says.

From Playing to Participating

That commitment has carried through three generations. Jane and Ken’s kids grew up in the family business, often coming to work on Saturdays. Jane recalls taking them to Monsma’s original building, with its dark, dank basement and noisy old grain elevator. “We told them our job was to get to the back of the basement to fight the rats for money from the money tree,” Jane said. Tiptoeing through the dark, the kids, armed with plastic bats, eagerly joined in play. Though the rats were never seen, the shrieks and giggles made Saturday mornings an unforgettable ritual for the Lovell children.

After all building careers elsewhere, all the Lovell children work in different divisions of the company. “We never pressured them,” Jane continued. “They had to bring something to the table.”

Matt, now based in Denver, started in the warehouse and worked his way up to business integration manager. Ryan left Ford Motor Company for a Tyvek specialist role and now leads market creation. Paige transitioned from nonprofit work into inside sales for the Hearth Division. Kelsey spent a decade in accounting at Waste Management before becoming the company’s corporate controller. “We all found our own natural way here. Individually, at different times and different points of our lives. And it was a true wanting to be here versus feeling forced or obligated,” shares Jane’s oldest son, Matt.

A Warehouse in Motion

The warehouse itself tells a story of adaptation. Once too large to fill – it was fully occupied within months. Expansions soon followed, extending beyond a former parking lot and even mobile park. The latest transformation is underway. Old racks are being removed, systems rearranged, and processes refined. At the center of it is a Warehouse Management System (WMS) which was implemented over a year ago. Now, every product is barcoded the moment it arrives, tracked as it moves to a shelf, onto a forklift, onto a truck, and out to a customer.

“We can see exactly where something is — and how fast it’s moving,” says  David David Gushiken, Vice President of Operations. “It’s about accuracy, efficiency, and making sure we can grow without just adding more people.”

Mobile racking systems increase storage density, while curtain-side trailers allow drivers to unload partial orders quickly at multiple stops. In the yard, 14 semis head out daily to Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio; hearth products ship to 39 states via common carriers. Orders range from 20-foot-long boards to cartons of railing, loaded like a game of Tetris to maximize space. The efficiencies aren’t just technical. Jane and her team are carving out a dedicated warehouse meeting space with comfortable furniture and vending machines — a place to start each shift together. “It’s about creating an environment where our people want to be,” she says.

Building the Momentum

The company has always grown carefully, but the pace has quickened. In the past 18 months, they’ve acquired three companies—including Hanson Marketing in Detroit and Majestic in Denver—with another out-of-state acquisition soon to be announced. Each brought new products, facilities, and perspectives, dramatically expanding Monsma’s reach in building materials and hearth products.

Jane explains that private equity is active in these segments, competitors and customers are increasing in size and scale. With a commitment to remaining family owned comes an associated commitment to being first choice and staying relevant for our suppliers, customers, and the employees we serve. Continued expansion is not an option for us”, Jane said. “It’s a requirement.” Along with offering an expanding line of premium products, Monsma’s focus on family and relationships will continue to highlight the human element as it adopts advanced technologies to serve the industry more efficiently.

One Vision. One Voice.

Through growth, one constant is the company’s core values: commitment, passion, professionalism, relationships, doing the right thing, and humble confidence. They’re posted on walls, recognized monthly, and woven into decision-making. In an employee survey, the most common word people used to describe the company was “family.” That, Jane says, is the true measure of success.

Framing for the Future

From a one-man lumber brokerage to a multi-state distributor with over 150 employees, the company has grown far beyond what Nick could have imagined — yet it still feels, to Jane, like a company of ten.

When it became clear that the family was committed to carrying Monsma into its third generation, Jane realized the business needed more than tradition to thrive. She saw that building a formal structure and creating intentional learning opportunities for the next generation would be essential to carry the company forward.

Beginning with Annual Family Meetings in 2019 soon evolved into a quarterly cadence by 2022 and a more formal weekly council meeting in 2024. Ken and Jane took full advantage of FBA offerings which guided them on a multitude of topics including estate planning, family business leadership, and succession.  “The 6-part series ‘Leading Forward’ was especially valuable to me as a leader. I continue to apply what I learned from the moderator and others in that class to our business today,” Jane states.

The goal now is to scale toward $250 million in revenue without losing the closeness that defines them. That means investing in systems, facilities, and people while keeping one eye on the long game.

Opportunities, Jane says, were something her father always taught her to spot. “He’d say, ‘Opportunities happen every day. The question is, are you smart enough to see them, and do you have the confidence to go after them?’” “I think he would be pleased,” Jane reflects.

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Email fba@fbagr.org if you are interested in exploring feature opportunities.

Family Business Alliance strives to help family businesses with the tools, resources, and connections to help businesses succeed. Learn more about our resources including Leading Forward, Succeeding in Succession, and Navigating Governance that help to advance family business in our community.

The founder of Master Finish didn’t start in manufacturing—he started in a bakery. John Mulder, the son of a Dutch immigrant, spent his days shaping dough in his father’s shop and his nights in the basement of a Grand Rapids auto dealership, deburring metal parts by hand. What began with window cranks and door handles turned into something bigger: a chrome plating business built on process, precision, and a mindset that still drives the company 66 years later.

John’s son Dale joined the company in 1977, bringing both engineering expertise and a values-driven approach to the business. Dale called each plating process a “recipe”—a nod to his father’s baking roots and his own belief in getting every step right. Today, Master Finish is led by brothers John Mulder, President, and Aaron Mulder, CEO—the third generation to carry the family business forward.

“When we went camping, our dad instilled in us this principle: leave it better than you found it,” the brothers recall. “That’s how Dale ran Master Finish—and that’s how we run the company today.”

With defined roles and a shared commitment to core principles, John and Aaron modernized operations while preserving the company’s foundation of teamwork, honesty, innovation, and service.

“We were able to spend a great deal of time working with our dad,” John said. “He immediately helped us determine how to carve out areas of the business where our strengths could be put to use.”

That wisdom set the stage for their next step. Nearly ten years ago, they implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to provide a framework for growth, clarity, and accountability. “EOS has been a great way for us to keep progressing and improving,” Aaron said.

But process is only part of the story. “We are most proud of our team, the men and women that we call part of the Master Finish family,” John said. “We find ways to celebrate together, and we suffer and mourn together.”

That sense of connection extends beyond the shop floor. The brothers are long-time participants in the Family Business Alliance and Grand Rapids Chamber communities they say play a vital role in helping them grow as leaders.

“Business is never conducted in a vacuum,” John said. “We all need a great network of vendors, customers, and service suppliers to succeed. There’s great value in the educational events offered by FBA and the Chamber. They help us stay informed, understand current business conditions, and connect with great people in the broader business community.”

The brothers emphasize the value of FBA peer groups, where they meet monthly with other family business leaders to navigate challenges, trade insights, and stay accountable. Far from superficial networking, these closed-door sessions foster honest discussions on leadership pressures, strategic shifts, and personal growth. For John and Aaron, the benefit is mutual: the chance not only to gain perspective—but to offer it. 

“You’re rarely the only one trying to solve a problem,” John said. “The groups brainstorm options that can help solve it collectively, for everyone involved. Creating a network of others who help you on your path—and whom you help on theirs—makes the journey far better and more effective.”

That same collaborative mindset fuels how they run the business, always looking for smarter, safer ways to evolve. Master Finish has long been ahead of the curve in sustainable metal finishing, recycling all plating waste and using trivalent chrome for over a decade to reduce environmental impact and improve workplace safety.

“Trivalent chrome is a much more beneficial process due to the reduced environmental impact and improved safety of the chemistry,” John said.

One area of growing interest is black chrome—a sleek, high-end finish gaining traction in the automotive industry, supporting both design flexibility and cleaner chemistry.

While today’s economic circumstances bring uncertainty, particularly around tariffs and shifting global production, the Mulders remain optimistic. “We’re seeing great new opportunities to bid on programs historically made overseas,” they said. “But we’re also seeing the other side of the coin—many are delaying launch decisions while there’s still a lot to be determined. It’s really a strange time in America.”

Through it all, John and Aaron lead with discipline—steady, thoughtful, and precise. From a basement startup to a global supplier, Master Finish proves that legacy isn’t just something you inherit. It’s something you build—layer by layer.

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Email fba@fbagr.org if you are interested in exploring feature opportunities.

Family Business Alliance strives to help family businesses with the tools, resources, and connections to help businesses succeed. Learn more about our resources including Leading Forward, Succeeding in Succession, and Navigating Governance that help to advance family business in our community.

For more than a century, King Milling Company has turned American wheat into flour—and family legacy into lasting enterprise. Now led by the fifth generation of the Doyle family, the Lowell-based company remains one of the oldest continuously operating family-owned flour mills in the country.

Flour, Family, and Five Generations in Lowell

As King Milling celebrates its 135th anniversary, fifth-generation leaders Patrick and Regan Doyle—alongside fourth-generation family members Steve, Jim, and Brian Doyle—reflect on their family’s history, values, and vision for the future.

Today, it’s also the largest flour producer in Michigan—and ranks among the top 15 nationwide, with four mills producing over 2.5 million pounds of flour daily. That scale expanded significantly in 2024 with the completion of a six-floor mill and state-of-the-art grain handling facility, boosting output and positioning King Milling for the next era of growth.

Roughly 40 percent of the company’s wheat—used to produce soft flour for pastries and cookies—is grown in Michigan. The rest, harder wheat varieties for bread and pizza dough, comes from states like Kansas and the Dakotas. While the grain travels far, the company itself has never strayed from the community where it began.

“Lowell’s home to us,” said Patrick Doyle, the company’s president. “We live here. We work here, and we’ve always tried to do things the right way—with our people, our community, and the customers we serve.”

From Fire to Flourishing

Founded in 1890, King Milling remains under family ownership for five generations. The business began with the acquisition of the bankrupt Superior Mill on the west side of Lowell by Francis King and partners, though the site itself had milled grain since the 1840s.

The Doyle family joined King Milling in 1900, and by the 1930s had taken full control. Steady modernization followed—even through crisis.
“We had a fire in the 1940s during World War II,” recalled Jim Doyle, former president and now chairman. “To rebuild, our grandfather had to take a train to the War Department in Washington, D.C., just to requisition enough steel—because it was all going into bullets.”

The new concrete mill opened in 1945. Ten days later, William Doyle—the driving force behind the rebuild—died suddenly. His sons, King and Mike, took over. King, then serving in the Pacific, came home on emergency leave to help stabilize the business.

“They could’ve walked away,” said Patrick Doyle. “But they pushed forward. That decision defined who we are.”

Progress with a Purpose

Progress at King Milling is not accidental. The company’s reputation for durability is built on foresight and discipline.

“We’ve never taken shortcuts,” said Patrick Doyle. “That’s just not how we do things.”

After the 1943 fire, William Doyle rebuilt the facility with the most advanced milling technology of its time. By the 1960s, King Milling was among the first in the U.S. to adopt pneumatic elevators. Automation followed in the 1980s, and the company introduced its proprietary Ceres® line, extending flour shelf life through enzyme control.

“From the beginning, we’ve looked for ways to do things better,” said Steve Doyle, senior vice president. “That mindset is what’s kept us competitive for 135 years.”

Innovation continued into 2023, when the company opened its newest facility, the D-Mill, increasing daily white flour capacity to 21,000 hundredweights (cwt), with total output—including whole wheat—reaching 25,000 cwt. As output increased, so did the need for speed and scale.

“We built a system to load 50,000 pounds of flour into a trailer in just five minutes,” said Patrick Doyle. “Other mills had done that—but we were the first to engineer a way to load multiple trailers from a single bin.”

Problem-solving at that level isn’t just about efficiency, it reflects a broader mindset.
“We’re always looking at what’s next—not just for us, but for our customers,” Patrick added. “That’s how we stay ahead.”

The Golden Rule

At King Milling, fairness, respect, and community involvement remain central to how the business is run.
“We try to follow the golden rule—treat people the way we want to be treated,” said Patrick.

King Milling supports numerous civic projects in Lowell—from sponsoring the rebuild of a major playground to volunteering time and resources at the local food pantry. Family members also serve on boards including the Rotary Club, Downtown Development Authority, and Historic District Commission.

“We’re integrated here,” said Steve. “We’re not just a business in Lowell—we’re part of the community”
That sense of connection runs deep inside the mill, too.

“We’re proud of our employees’ longevity,” said Steve Doyle. “We have 63 people here, and we know each one personally. They feel like family. Many have been with us a long time—which we hope reflects the respect we have for each of them.”

Advancing the Legacy

As King Milling charts its next century, the fifth generation is already carrying the load.

“We’re in the process of handing things off to the next generation,” said Jim Doyle. “They’re doing the heavy lifting now.”

That continuity is intentional. Patrick and Regan Doyle have worked across nearly every part of the business for more than two decades. Michael Doyle is doing the same. The handoff is deliberate, measured—and entirely on brand.

With its values intact, operations expanding, and a leadership pipeline firmly in place, King Milling isn’t just celebrating 135 years in business, it’s steadily shaping the future of the industry it helped define.

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Email fba@fbagr.org if you are interested in exploring feature opportunities.

Family Business Alliance strives to help family businesses with the tools, resources, and connections to help businesses succeed. Learn more about our resources including Leading Forward, Succeeding in Succession, and Navigating Governance that help to advance family business in our community.

As Swisslane Farms celebrates its 110th anniversary, we sat down with fourth generation cousins Annie Link and Matthew Oesch. Along with Tom Oesch Jr., Matt and Annie are steering the family business into its next century with a focus on innovation, efficiency, and long-term sustainability.

“We want to get to 200 years, at least,” Annie says. “It’s about honoring the past—but not standing still.”

A Century-Long Foundation

To understand where Swisslane is going, you have to know where it began.

In 1904, 16-year-old Fredrick Oesch, an orphaned immigrant with a dream, left Switzerland for America with a plan: own land and build something lasting. He started as a farmhand at the Wingeier family farm in Alto, Michigan. In 1915, he married Lucy Wingeier, a local farmer’s daughter, and bought 91 acres of land that became the foundation of Swisslane Farms.

By the 1930s, the operation had already traded hand milking for vacuum-powered pipeline systems—an early sign that innovation would always be part of the business model.

Fredrick’s son Joe stayed on, eventually taking over and guiding the farm through decades of change. When Joe’s sons—Fred, Jeff, and Tom—stepped into leadership, the family formalized a partnership in 1981. Amid the 1980s farm crisis, they hand-built a 12-unit milking parlor from salvaged parts—an investment that kept the business afloat. By 1999, a major herd expansion pushed Swisslane past 1,000 cows and into long-term economic viability. 

In time, Tom’s sons—Tom Jr. and Matt—and Fred’s daughter, Annie—representing the farm’s fourth generation—stepped into leadership, each taking on defined roles. Annie leads human resources and public engagement, Matt, as CEO, manages efficiency and profitability, and Tom, as Visionary, drives innovation and long-term goals.

Modern Milking, Timeless Values

Today, their total operation milks roughly 5,500 cows and raises 4,400 heifers as replacements, while farming 5,000 acres of corn and soybeans to feed the herd. The operation includes four milking centers across Alto and Battle Creek and a team of 86 employees—making it a large, complex business by any measure.

“Our goal is to be 10,000 cows by 2032,” Matt says. “It’s about sustainability and using scale to lower costs of production while protecting the environment.”

More than 1,500 cows file into the milking parlor—not once, but three times a day. 

As fourth-generation leaders, Annie, Matt, and Tom inherited more than a farm—they took on the challenge of modernizing a legacy. In 2010, Swisslane invested in robotic milking, a leap that redefined herd management and labor models. The technology offered key insights but proved costly and tough to scale. The farm has since stepped back—but sees future potential as the tech and economics catch up.

The robotics era marked more than a shift in equipment—it sparked a deeper conversation revisiting the past and exploring its future. Matt helped distill what mattered most: six core values that now guide the business. “It gives us a roadmap,” Annie says.  

Swisslane Farms’ Core Values 

God-honoring conduct 

Thinking light years ahead 

Focus on the cows 

Turning a nickel into a dime 

Making hay while the sun shines 

Becoming productive people 

Those values were tested early. In 2015, a prolonged dairy slump forced Swisslane to rethink nearly every part of the business. “It was our own version of the ’80s,” Matt said. “We had to dig in and rethink everything.”

Today, those principles shape hiring, onboarding, accountability, and long-term planning. “We try to make them easy to remember and apply every day,” Annie says. “Each one has a hero and a story behind it.”

By 2021, Swisslane made a bold expansion into Battle Creek, acquiring leased facilities from retiring farmers without successors. The move added complexity and herd size—and underscored the importance of strong systems and culture to support growth. 

The Cow is King

“Cows are my favorite animal,” Annie says.

“They take things we can’t eat—byproducts like corn cobs or cottonseed—and turn them into milk, cheese, and ice cream. They give us organic fertilizer, make renewable energy, and at the end of their lives, they still enter the food system as beef. They just keep on giving.”

Swisslane cows live in free-style barns where they move freely, access fresh feed and water, and rest as needed. A consistent, low-stress environment is central to how the farm operates. “They need routine,” Annie says. “Anything that causes stress affects their health and production, so we work hard to keep things calm and predictable.”

Each cow wears an RFID tag that tracks production, behavior, and health in real time. Flow meters on the milking units monitor output, helping staff spot issues early and optimize performance.

Sustainable Farming

At Swisslane Farms, sustainability is baked into the growth strategy. A major initiative underway: a 3-million-gallon anaerobic digester in Battle Creek, built in partnership with Consumers Energy. Instead of releasing methane from open lagoons, the system captures and converts it—dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“The system captures methane from manure, purifies it, and feeds it into the natural gas pipeline,” Matt says. “It’s enough to power over 2,000 homes—and delivers both environmental impact and market value.”

More Than a Farm

Swisslane isn’t just a business—it’s home turf for nearly 60 family members living within five miles of the farm. The roots here run deep.

Dairy Discovery, a nonprofit launched in 2006, brings thousands through its barns each year for tours, camps, and hands-on lessons in how milk is produced.
“Our mission is education,” Matt says. “We want people to smell the farm, see the cows being milked, touch the calves—so they understand what modern agriculture really looks like.”

For Annie, it’s about narrowing the farm-to-table gap and fostering greater appreciation for the food on every plate.

“There are little miracles that happen here every day. It’s easy to overlook that when you walk into the grocery store—you take it for granted” says Annie.

That sense of purpose isn’t just for visitors—it’s shaping Swisslane’s next generation. Through a NextGen workforce program and regular family meetings, seven fifth-generation relatives are already on the payroll, gaining early exposure to how the business runs—and how they might lead it in the future.

“It’s been really fun to see the younger ones get excited about working on the farm,” Annie says. “We have some great kids ready to step up and continue the legacy.”

As Swisslane Farms marks over a century in business, its story is one of evolution with intention—rooted in family and driven by resilience. The next chapter isn’t just coming—it’s already in motion.

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Email fba@fbagr.org if you are interested in exploring feature opportunities.

Family Business Alliance strives to help family businesses with the tools, resources, and connections to help businesses succeed. Learn more about our resources including Leading Forward, Succeeding in Succession, and Navigating Governance that help to advance family business in our community.

Founded in 1894, Eikenhout Inc. navigated over a century of industry changes, growing from a small roofing supply store into Michigan’s last independent distributor of exterior building materials. Through the voices of three family members; Greg Schierbeek (President and CEO), Leah Weesies (Marketing Coordinator), and Alex Schierbeek (Director of Finance)—we get to look into the heart of this multigenerational business.

From Hot Tar to Building Supplies

Eikenhout’s roots trace back to Hendrik Eikenhout, a hot tar roofer in Grand Rapids who started selling roofing supplies and tools to other roofers. The company quickly evolved under the leadership of Hendrik’s son, John, who shifted focus from installation to distribution.

“Did you know that the asphalt roofing shingle was first made in Grand Rapids?” asked Greg Schierbeek, current president and second-generation family leader. The Eikenhout family began selling these products and moved the company to its long-standing location in the heart of Grand Rapids on Wealthy Street, eventually expanding the site across the street as well.

The family’s legacy of leadership extended through John’s widow, Nelly, who took over after his death in 1940. She managed the company for over a decade before selling shares to Walt Kok and Pete Albers, longtime employees who brought stability during a transformative period. Greg’s own father, Henry Schierbeek, joined the company in 1959 as an office clerk and eventually was part of a group of local businessmen that purchased it in 1971.

Adapting to a Changing Landscape

While Eikenhout doesn’t manufacture products, their ability to quickly adapt to market trends sets them apart. “We’ve been quicker to embrace innovations in exterior cladding and decking products than our competitors,” Greg said. During the pandemic, for example, the surge in demand for outdoor living spaces bolstered their decking business—a trend that has continued post-pandemic.

As the only remaining Michigan-owned distributor of its kind, Eikenhout stands apart in an industry dominated by national chains and private equity. Their independence allows them to remain deeply connected to their customers and communities. Leah emphasized, “We’re able to do more for our customers—whether it’s hosting events, handing out swag, or investing in local projects.”

Growing Up Eikenhout

For the Schierbeek family, Eikenhout has always been a part of their lives. All three have memories of growing up around the business, performing odd jobs long before stepping into full-time roles.  “My dad brought me here on Saturdays when I was 12 to make sure the coffee pot was full, sweep floors, and clean toilets,” Greg recounted with a smile. “I’ve been here full-time since 1980.”

Leah remembers they were too young to use power tools, “so we used hand clippers to weed whip,” she said. “My cousins and I would end up painting the warehouse—and sometimes each other.”

Alex, who now helps oversee the company’s finances, also started on the ground level of operations. “In high-school and college, I weeded, swept warehouses, and eventually drove trucks during the summers” he said. Leah joined full-time during the pandemic in 2020 after a career in commercial banking. Her brother, Jackson, recently stepped in as an estimator, continuing the family’s involvement.

Pride in Family and Reputation

When asked what they’re most proud of, the Schierbeeks pointed to the lasting legacy of the business and its impact on the community. “I love seeing our trucks out on the road and hearing from friends who spot them all over the state,” Leah said. For Alex, it’s the stories from longtime customers. “They often share memories about my grandpa or Greg, and it’s always positive. It makes me feel good about who I work for.”
Greg highlighted the relationships he’s built over decades. “I’ve been fortunate to work with my father and now with Leah, Alex, and Jackson. We’ve had phenomenal employees, we had a purchasing agent retire two weeks ago who had been here for 36 years. That’s something I’m incredibly grateful for.”

Family Values at the Core

The familial atmosphere extends beyond the Schierbeek family to the broader company culture. “We’re a close family, and that translates into the office,” Alex said. “Customers know they can walk down the hallway and talk to Greg directly. It’s not like calling a corporate hotline.” With 10 locations, 186 employees, and a six-acre compound in Grand Rapids, Eikenhout Inc. has grown significantly over the years, with Leah describing it as “a decent-sized company that still feels like a family.”
Greg, reflecting on the business’s longevity, credited the foundational values instilled by his predecessors. “My father never officially retired, and his presence shaped how we operate.”
Leah added, “When I started just four years ago, he was 87, and he was here almost every day. He’d come in just to have a cup of coffee, walk around, call his friends, and make a tee time—that’s what he did forever.”
Greg reflected on the legacy that his father left behind, saying, “We have that legacy where so many people knew him. And, you know, we’ve always just really tried to treat people fairly.”

Part of that commitment to treating people fairly extends to the company’s extensive healthcare program. “We’ve got 150 employees on our healthcare program, and probably 350 people total when you factor in their families,” Greg said. “It’s a big expense, and it gets tougher every year, but you’ve got to have it. You’ve got to take care of your people.” The program may get more challenging to manage, but Greg remains firm in his belief: “Just be good people.”

Community involvement is another cornerstone of Eikenhout’s philosophy. The company sponsors local Little League and high school teams, as well as food banks across Michigan, a practice they affectionately call ‘Eikenhelp.’ Greg shared, “We actively support charities that our employees are involved in, whether it’s donating uniforms or materials to rebuild a dugout.”

Looking Ahead

Eikenhout is positioned for continued growth with plans to open additional locations in Michigan over the next decade while maintaining its core values of promoting from within and supporting the local community. For the Schierbeek family, Eikenhout is not just a legacy; it’s a way of life. Through generations of leadership, they’ve proven that a family-owned business can thrive in a competitive landscape by staying true to its values and embracing change. As the company heads into its next chapter, it does so with the strength of its history and the promise of a bright future.

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Email fba@fbagr.org if you are interested in exploring feature opportunities.

Family Business Alliance strives to help family businesses with the tools, resources, and connections to help businesses succeed. Learn more about our resources including Leading Forward, Succeeding in Succession, and Navigating Governance that help to advance family business in our community.