As a young kid cutting grass and pulling weeds outside his family’s business, little could Henry Siemon know then that one day he’d be enjoying the view of those neatly-manicured grounds from the company’s corner office.That’s exactly what happened for Siemon, now 35, who was recently named president and CEO of Watertown-based The Siemon Co.Producing […]
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As a young kid cutting grass and pulling weeds outside his family’s business, little could Henry Siemon know then that one day he’d be enjoying the view of those neatly-manicured grounds from the company’s corner office.
That’s exactly what happened for Siemon, now 35, who was recently named president and CEO of Watertown-based The Siemon Co.
Producing high-performance copper and fiber optic cable that today’s high-tech world relies on for connectivity has been a family affair for 118 years. The Siemon Co. serves a wide range of clients, from hospitals, airports and school campuses to banks, office buildings and data centers in 150 countries.
The busy father of three young sons (all under age 5) and married to wife Ashley, officially began his new role Jan. 1. He took over for his uncle, Carl Siemon, who served as president/CEO since 1982. Carl Siemon will continue to serve on the board of directors and work as a strategic advisor.
“We are fortunate to have a fifth generation Siemon family member willing and able to chart a clear course and steer the company into the future,” said Carl Siemon. “I know that the commitment to quality and innovation will be embraced and advanced by Henry. The company will be in good hands, and I look forward to going where Henry leads us.”
Developing a passion for how technology connects the world came during his college years at the University of Richmond where Henry Siemon worked part time, installing the family products at area hospitals. Siemon continued his education at MIT Sloan School of Management, earning his MBA. He took that newly-earned degree not to the family business, but to Deloitte Consulting and then to Apple Inc., where he headed up the supply chain. He gained experience at Apple that eventually brought him home to the family business in 2017.
“Growing up just a mile away from the family business … it was inevitable that I would work here,” said Siemon. “There’s always been a willingness to be part of the company.”
When an opportunity presented itself a couple years ago to lead the company, Siemon worked with another one of his uncle’s, John Siemon, the company’s vice president, learning the ins and outs of the business. John Siemon played a major role in leading a succession-planning team to ensure a smooth transition of company leadership.
“I’m very fortunate to take the reins of a very strong and healthy company,” he said. “My focus is on continually learning and spending more time on the teams and with our end users.”
Siemon declined to disclose any company financial information.
Homegrown values
Siemon said the company’s products, while found virtually everywhere across the globe, shine behind the scenes.
“Our products are installed behind the walls … you can’t see us, but we connect you to every device you use,” he said. “We design and manufacture the physical infrastructure that connects the world. Anytime someone is consuming, sharing or processing data, that activity requires connectivity and we are manufacturing that connectivity.”
Siemon’s products helped telecommunications giant AT&T establish its market in the early 1900s to today becoming one of the world’s largest end-to-end network solution manufacturers.
Homegrown values and treating customers like family have remained a priority for more than a century, and Siemon is happy to continue that tradition.
“I believe in the concept of servant leadership, … it’s a leader’s responsibility to serve the company and our team members, customers and other partners,” he said. “I intend to steer our company’s growth and continued improvement by asking questions, listening and empowering our people to take ownership in what they do every day.”
As far as the COVID-19 pandemic, Siemon is meeting the moment.
“When hospitals were running short on PPE, we helped make face shields, using our 3D-printing technology,” Siemon said. “As an essential business that supports the physical infrastructure for hospitals, pharma companies, labs, etc., we remained operational throughout and were proud to support urgent requirements throughout the year in response to the pandemic.”
Siemon said he’s learning just how “fun and anything but routine” the job is.
“Every day is different, and in the industry we’re in, there’s a lot of rapid change, a lot of learning, understanding where the market is going and how our products fit into the equation,” Siemon said.
Over the next few years, Siemon plans to build on the company’s strengths and develop a growth plan to increase its global market share.
Keeping the company’s global footprint running smooth is something this soccer dad aims to do. In between connecting the world’s infrastructure, Siemon coaches his son’s soccer and hockey teams, and enjoys taking the family on hikes.
