Case Study: How American Pan Successfully Transitioned from Decades of Institutional Knowledge to Professional Operations Leadership

When the leader of American Pan, a key division of Bundy Baking Solutions, neared retirement with no clear successor, the owners assessed their options and determined that an external search would best support the company’s long-term growth. 

With only two leaders over four decades, American Pan had built a strong, knowledgeable internal team; however, the owners identified an opportunity to complement that strength with an external executive bringing extensive experience in industrial manufacturing and organizational leadership. 

The Company: Market Dominance in Commercial Baking Equipment

Based outside Columbus, Ohio, Bundy Baking Solutions is a global industry leader supplying (baking pans, coatings, pan cleaning services, and release agents and spraying equipment to) many of the world's largest and most successful bakeries and most popular restaurant chains.  From fast-food hamburger buns to your favorite loaf of bread, cakes and cupcakes, if you live in North America there is a very good chance the products are baked using their pans.

The business, owned equally by four brothers, had grown through strategic acquisitions across multiple continents. But this rapid expansion created unanticipated challenges.

Mark Eckert, who would eventually join as Vice President of Operations at American Pan, observed the family's genuine commitment to their values: "There's engagement from the four brothers and their leading by example. The company has a creed, which explains the values we uphold within the business, but it's their engagement and demonstration through actions that makes the difference.”

The Problem: Undocumented Excellence and Imminent Retirement

The challenge facing American Pan was complex. The division's longtime leaders had built extraordinary success, but in a way that lacked formalization:

• Much of the organization’s institutional knowledge existed in employees’ heads - processes weren't documented.

• No succession planning – the business had grown organically without formal systems.

• Need for modernization – the company required systems and processes for managing global operations while preserving what made it special.

  
  

The brothers needed someone who could:

• Maintain excellence while modernizing operations.

• Build systems and processes for the future.

• Document institutional knowledge.

• Continue the growth trajectory while maintaining company culture 

(Note: Stranberg was also conducting an executive search for the company's HR leadership role during this same period. See here for details on that successful placement.)

The Solution: Finding Excellence in an Unexpected Place

Engaging the Right Partner

The family selected Stranberg for their specialized expertise in family business transitions and their commitment to understanding company culture.

Deep Cultural Immersion

Rather than rushing into the search, Stranberg invested time working with the Bundy brothers to understand what made their company unique and what they truly needed in American Pan's next leader. This thorough approach helped refine the job description and translate the family's vision into language that would resonate with external candidates while ensuring cultural alignment.

Identifying an Unexpected Candidate

The search yielded an unexpected candidate: Mark Eckert from the aerospace industry. While many might not see this as an obvious choice for a baking equipment company, Stranberg recognized that aerospace engineering's technical demands aligned well with the precision needed in designing commercial baking equipment.

Honest Vetting and Preparation

Eckert found the vetting process particularly valuable: "Stranberg didn’t wax over the imperfections in the system. They made it clear to provide you guidance as a candidate on things that you want to look at to make sure that it will be a good fit."

Stranberg asked probing questions that went beyond standard interview topics, focusing on personal history and cultural fit rather than just credentials.

Structured Onboarding and Integration

Once hired, Eckert worked with Stranberg to develop a plan that aligned with the brothers' expectations. This approach was crucial for building trust and ensuring alignment on priorities and the pace of change.

The Results: Modernization Without Disruption

The leadership transition has proven successful, with Eckert bringing the professional operations expertise needed while honoring the company's culture and excellence.

Under Mark's leadership, American Pan has:

• Successfully hosted its first-ever manufacturing conference, bringing together various global sites to share best practices – a significant step toward improving communication across the organization

• Begun documenting critical processes that had previously existed only in institutional knowledge

• Maintained market dominance while implementing needed operational improvements

• Preserved the family's values-driven culture while bringing professional structure to operations

  
  

Eckert credits Stranberg's thorough process and ongoing support for his successful transition. As he notes, "That whole process of identifying the candidate, vetting, making sure that it's going to work, and then following up with support to make sure it does work after the fact is what sets him apart from other recruiters."

The successful integration has given the brothers confidence in American Pan's future while allowing them to maintain their values-driven approach during this critical transition.

About Stranberg

Family-owned and founder-led businesses trust Stranberg to ensure leadership continuity by identifying what is needed for the next generation of CEOs and executives and who is best qualified to fill those roles. Grounded in the values that define your family and business, Stranberg's succession planning services, which include leadership consulting, executive search, and executive integration, help you get leadership-level hiring right the first time.

Whether the right fit is a family member, an internal candidate, or an external placement, we focus on aligning leadership decisions with your business's unique culture and vision. By thoroughly understanding your organization and assessing candidates holistically, Stranberg places leaders who embody your values, are prepared to fulfill their responsibilities, and ensure your business's continuity.