Weaver Leather’s first employee reflects on experience
Myron Stutzman shows the similarities between natural cowhide, left, to natural kangaroo hide. Similar to deer in the midwest, kangaroo leather is often supplied as a result of roadkill.
Anyone looking for an in-depth tour of Weaver Leather should stop by when Myron Stutzman is on the clock. As the leather goods company’s first employee, Stutzman is passionate about his workplace and loves to show visitors around.
“People think the tours are wonderful, and I say, ‘Well, of course.’ It’s easy to do a wonderful tour if you have something wonderful to show,” Stutzman said.
Having worked 49 out of the company’s 50 years, Stutzman, 67, of Millersburg has a lot to say about the leather and nylon manufacturer’s beginnings and growth.
Weaver Leather started in 1973 as Fryburg Shoe Shop after its founder Harry Weaver left his job at Orrville Leather. Within a year he changed the name to Weaver Leather Goods with a focus on leather craft. It was then that Stutzman, Weaver’s next-door neighbor, asked him for a job.
“We worked in a three-bay truck garage, and the area we started in was 20 feet by 40 feet. There was no running water, no telephone in the building,” Stutzman said.
He remembers starting at $2 an hour, jumping to $3 by the time he married in 1977.
“And I make more money now, but my wife gets it,” he said.
The company continued to grow as Harry Weaver’s sons got involved, his son Paul Weaver becoming president in 1983. Then in 1987, a 12,000-square-foot space was built to house all the manufacturing, warehousing, shipping and customer service operations.
On his tours Stutzman likes to point out that the first expansion now holds the majority of the offices.
Today Weaver Leather spans over 350,000 square feet, with locations in Millersburg and New Bedford and nearly 400 employees. Its brand divisions specialize in equine, livestock, pet, leather supply, arborist, tool gear and custom manufacturing. The company founded several of its in-house brands, and the majority of its products are manufactured and warehoused onsite. Weaver also owns Rex Specs and Troxel Helmets, which were purchased in recent years.
“Harry always said don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” Stutzman said.
Beyond the expanding product divisions, Stutzman is proud of his company’s values. He can recite them from memory:
• Honor God in all we do.
• Value our team as our biggest asset.
• Ensure quality in every product.
• Be innovative and committed to growth.
• Exceed customer expectations.
• Lead with character.
Weaver Leather believes and invests in its employees, which is a big reason Stutzman is proud of his workplace.
“Paul Weaver always said if this place burns to the ground and he still has all his employees, he can start again,” Stutzman said. “He said if all the employees leave and he has this place intact, he’s done.”
Stutzman credits his career success to the Weaver family and remembers all the valuable lessons Harry Weaver taught him.
“He said, ‘Myron, never make decisions by yourself. You go so much farther in life and are so much more successful if you ask advice,’” Stutzman said. “And another was: ‘It’s not what you make. It’s what you do with what you make.’”
Stutzman has worn many hats including vice president of over 200 employees. He was responsible for manufacturing, maintenance and groundskeeping, the call center, the credit department, and the warehouse.
“I always believed in operating by Proverbs 3:5-6. ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths,’” Stutzman said.
Jason Weaver, president and CEO of Weaver Leather, appreciates Stutzman’s strategic leadership during the company’s early history.
“His passionate work ethic and loyal devotion to our customers and culture have helped shape Weaver into what it is today and continues to set a great example to all of our team members to follow,” Weaver said. “Myron is the ultimate company ambassador, and no one can tell our story better and communicate the essence of Weaver better than him.”
These days he starts work at 4 a.m., unlocking the buildings. He sweeps and makes coffee for the metal shop break room before employees arrive. He’ll check the morning report to see if everything is in stock for the livestock division and makes concentrates for animal care products. He offers a support role in leather and is available for any problem-solving.
Stutzman gives scheduled and impromptu tours every week to individuals, schools and potential customers. His busiest season is spring with end-of-year field trips, which he looks forward to.
Outside of work, Stutzman enjoys spending time with his wife Eileen, five children and 16 grandchildren. A lover of reading, he holds a personal library of nearly 3,000 books. Top of his list is “The Little House”series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, which took him out to visit the original homesteads of the characters in De Smet, South Dakota and Mansfield, Missouri.
This December Stutzman will have worked at Weaver for 50 years and hopes to continue until 70, then stick around part-time.
“It’s hard for me to think of retiring,” Stutzman said. “I assured the president of the company that I’ll continue to be a problem after I quit. I’ll be in here stirring things up. I love this place, and I love the people.”