Culture of care: Stecker Machine Co. quietly supports communities

Lori Kaye Lodes

Contributor

January 26, 2026

NEWTON – At Stecker Machine Co., Shannon Rozmarynowski – human resources generalist – said, community involvement is not a program layered onto the business, it is a part of the company’s identity.

From highway cleanups and school supply drives to youth apprenticeships, Rozmarynowski said the family-owned manufacturer has built a culture where showing up for others is simply how things are done.

“We are a family-owned machine shop that has a small shop culture even though we’re not small [in size],” she said.

Since the company’s establishment in 1973, Rozmarynowski said it has grown to two plant locations located across the street from each other in the Town of Newton, employing more than 200 employees.

Rozmarynowski said Stecker Machine has called the Town of Newton home since 2001, having moved from a location just south of Manitowoc. 

Situated roughly 10 minutes outside the city, Rozmarynowski said the company works with major customers to produce agricultural and industrial components so large they often need cranes to handle them.

Yet even with such massive projects, she said Stecker maintains a tight-knit, collaborative workplace.

“Everyone knows everyone,” she said. “Our owners are here every single day, on the floor, interacting with employees. We are on a first-name basis, and the culture of family first resonates because we are family.”

Rozmarynowski said Stecker’s culture is evident in the long tenures of its employees, with one team member celebrating 40 years with the company this year.

That retention, she said, is closely tied to the company’s commitment to internal growth, emphasizing promotions from within and opportunities for employees to advance their careers.

“People stick around because they are always learning, and they can start at the bottom and move up,” she said. “Almost all of our engineers started on the floor as a machine operator, getting to know all aspects of the job. We promote from within.”

Turning generosity into action

Though Stecker has long supported local schools, picnics and police departments through donations and other support – sometimes anonymously – Rozmarynowski said the company became more intentional about community involvement about five years ago.

“For the past five years, we have really wanted to get our name out more – help the community more,” she said.

One of Stecker’s most visible initiatives, Rozmarynowski said, is its participation in WisDOT’s Adopt-a-Highway program, where employees maintain a two-mile stretch of County Road CR just outside the company’s plants.

Initially, she said cleanups were held after work, bringing employees together in volunteer efforts.

Over time, however, Rozmarynowski said the program evolved to include an extended “volunteer lunch,” making it easier for employees with family or evening commitments to participate.

Cleanups, she said, usually take place twice a year from May through October, with employees timing their efforts around local events when litter on the roadside is more prevalent.

“Typically, 10-20 employees volunteer, and we make it fun by talking about the craziest things we found when we do,” she said. 

Giving led by employees

Rozmarynowski said employee engagement is a cornerstone of Stecker’s approach to giving.

For the past five years, she said the company has supported Manitowoc nonprofit KAN Cool for School by hosting a school supply drive to make sure local children have what they need for the year.

Rozmarynowski said Stecker’s holiday giving has also become more expansive over time.

Initially partnering with Incourage, a domestic abuse center, she said the company later added Hope House of Manitowoc County, adopting multiple families annually.

Rozmarynowski said employees purchase gifts, while Stecker covers the cost of the families’ Christmas meals, ensuring each household enjoys a festive holiday.

Though employees never meet the recipients of their gifts, Rozmarynowski said she posts thank-you notes on monitors throughout the plant, letting staff see the real-world difference their giving makes.

In recent years, she said employees have asked for a greater role in deciding where Stecker gives.

A suggestion box showed strong support for the Lakeshore Humane Society – with the company introducing raffles, scratch-off tickets and donated prizes to boost participation.

“Shop floor employees may not necessarily want to shop, but they will give money to support the cause,” she said. “Every year, we’ve had more than $1,000 of donations and bought quite a few things off the lists.”

Giving without recognition – even during hardship

Rozmarynowski said Stecker’s generosity is largely quiet by design.

“We’re not really big on ‘look what we did,’” she said. “We don’t need the recognition. We want [recipients] to know they’re being thought of.”

That mindset, Rozmarynowski said, was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Even during COVID, we were still able to donate and even though employees were struggling personally with not working full 40-hour weeks,” she said. “We had some layoffs for a while, but employees still wanted to give. That says a lot about our crew.”

Since 2020, Rozmarynowski said Stecker has donated more than $50,000 to the community through company-funded contributions alone, with employee out-of-pocket giving pushing the total even higher.

Adding to its broad giving initiatives, she said the company also supports the Newton Volunteer Firefighters Picnic each year, supplying employees with tokens for food and drinks and reimbursing the event.

Rozmarynowski said Stecker also regularly donates to local schools, such as Manitowoc Lutheran High School’s gym fundraising efforts.

Investing in people – inside and outside the shop

Rozmarynowski said Stecker’s commitment to the community also includes workforce development.

As part of the local chamber’s Heavy Metal Bus Tour, Rozmarynowski said students get a firsthand look at Plant 2, where advanced machinery and robotics demonstrate the company’s modern manufacturing capabilities.

“That’s where the kids are – they want to see the robotics and the fun stuff,” she said.

Rozmarynowski said Stecker also offers youth apprenticeships, with numerous participants going on to become full-time employees.

“We have hired more than one apprentice, and we have some who started on the floor as youth apprentices who are now engineers,” she said. “Even our now-owner – he worked on the floor, and now his son is on the floor and his daughter is doing a youth apprenticeship with us.”

A family that shows up

Rozmarynowski said the same generosity that guides Stecker’s community efforts is reflected in how employees support one another. 

When employees or their loved ones confront cancer or other serious illnesses, Rozmarynowski said the company and their colleagues come together to offer support.

“One employee was [no longer able to work], but the company and fellow employees helped to pay for his COBRA health insurance premiums,” she said. “We look after our people, too.”

Coordinating these initiatives, Rozmarynowski said, holds deep personal meaning for her.

“Doing this stuff is 100% of what I stand for,” she said. “I’m a true believer in showing kindness and appreciation, no matter how big or small. And it always seems that we come together.”

For more information on Stecker Machine Co., navigate to steckermachine.com.