MiTek’s Keller and Noltex’s Nolte Share EL Perspectives

SBCA’s Emerging Leaders Committee welcomed two new members as it closed out 2019, bringing the group to 25 members.

JD Nolte is a designer at Noltex Truss in Grandview, Texas. JD has worked in the industry for five years but grew up in component manufacturing watching his dad and brothers run their company for the past two decades. Being a part of the family business was what motivated JD to join the industry after earning his degree in accounting, and he says it’s what brings him the most satisfaction. “I enjoy being able to help the family business succeed,” he explains. “Being able to succeed and grow alongside other people is always very rewarding.”

Through their involvement with SBCA, JD says leaders in his company have “been able to meet and establish relationships with many people in the industry.” He says this has allowed them “to be on the same page” as others in the industry, which makes “everything better for everyone.” JD says he is looking forward to the opportunity to continue meeting new people in the industry and developing as a leader through his involvement with the Emerging Leaders Committee.

Stephen Keller, P.E., joins the committee as a representative from MiTek, based in Chesterfield, Missouri. Stephen is a product portfolio manager in advanced components systems and has been in the industry for six years. He says he discovered opportunity in the components industry while completing his engineering degree at the University of Missouri.

“I crossed paths with MiTek at a career fair,” he explains. “I was drawn to them due to their customer facing engineering department and industry leading software.”

Stephen also emphasizes the value of relationship building both in SBCA and the industry in general. “The most rewarding part of my position is certainly the relationships I have built throughout the industry. From component manufacturers to framers to engineers and architects, I have learned so much from each of them,” he says. “SBCA is a great forum to meet others in the industry. Through the quarterly meetings and committees, SBCA encourages members of different parts of the building cycle to have open conversations focused on both pain points and success stories that help everyone learn.”

Both JD and Stephen indicate that they are interested in being involved with the Emerging Leaders to help work on drawing more young people into the components industry and help them become strong leaders. “The younger generation wants to work with machinery, robotics, and computers,” says Stephen. “This is the direction the industry is going and we need the next wave of employees to help push the industry that way.”

For more details about SBCA’s Emerging Leaders Committee, to see a complete list of its members, or to learn more about how to get involved, visit sbcindustry.com/emerging-leaders.