Page 93 - Rukert - 100th Anniversary

the company’s formula for success as “hire dedicated employees, work hard and reinvest the profits in
the business.” This sentiment was not new, but a multi-generational business philosophy.
From the time they could walk, Norm’s
son Shaun Rukert and Bud’s son Andy Nixon accompanied their fathers to Rukert Terminals. Both men had always planned on pursuing full- time work at the family business. However, unlike previous generations, the fourth generation would be required to work outside the company in a business-related job for a minimum of two years before applying for full-time employment at Rukert Terminals. The goal was to give Shaun and Andy the practical experience of working somewhere other than the family business. After earning a degree in business from New England College, Shaun worked for two years as a manager at a
local automotive repair and tire company before joining Rukert Terminals in 1996. Andy joined the company in 1997 after earning a business degree from Susquehanna University and working as a production scheduler for two years at a local steel company. Shaun and Andy’s period of outside employment was more than a stepping stone to Rukert Terminals. Both men gained valuable knowledge and management skills that they still use 25 years later.
Despite their qualifications, Shaun and Andy did not begin their careers in management. In fact, the cousins were put through a six-year training program intentionally designed to help them learn every aspect of an increasingly complex business.
The training schedule included one year in Vessel Operations, one year in the Warehouse, and one year discharging cargo alongside Beacon Stevedoring employees. The other three years included rotations through Trucking, Shipping and Receiving, Billing
PART II BRINGING THE WORLD TO BALTIMORE
“Hire dedicated employees, work hard and reinvest the profits in the business.”
— Norman Rukert Jr.
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