2011 Leader Under 40: Jason Murphy, 37
Plant Manager, Zeller Plastik
Plant Engineering Staff
Jason Murphy, 37 
Plant Manager, Zeller Plastik
Years at Zeller Plastik: 1.5
Supervisor: Sharon Pierce
Education: Journeyman Tool and Die Maker, RJG Master Molder
Jason’s contributions: “Jason was brought into Zeller Plastik when the business was experiencing market challenges and volume decreases. He grasped the intricacies of the issues quickly, and adeptly assessed the talents of his employees in short order. He was able to reconstruct and streamline the company's operational structure, and through human capital redeployment and other cost-saving initiatives, reached and exceeded the goals. His management style was very creative yet concise, providing clear direction and expectations for his staff, and his business acumen was excellent. Jason has empowered his team and expects no less than he is willing to give. He is always available to mentor his team, and failure is accepted as a learning opportunity. He listens extremely well and is gifted with an ability to communicate well with all levels of plant personnel. Jason is the type of leader that inspires your best performance. As expected of someone in the position he holds, he is intelligent and diligent, but Jason is also blessed with good common sense. He is able to make the right decision quickly, especially important when business is challenging and we are besieged with issues, a vital trait in a leader. To me Jason’s greatest attribute is his integrity. Few people have earned the level of respect that I have for him.”
Why a career in manufacturing? “I chose a tool and die/injection molding career path for the fact that you can take a raw block of steel and make a high-precision mold out of it and in turn take that mold and produce millions of products that will improve the lives of others. I also enjoy the challenge of understanding customer needs while exceeding expectations by bringing innovation and entrepreneurial spirit to the shop floor. Manufacturing remains energizing to me daily to understand and adapt to the changing industry in order to deliver the expected business results.”
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2012 Salary Survey
In a year when manufacturing continued to lead the economic rebound, it makes sense that plant manager bonuses rebounded. Plant Engineering’s annual Salary Survey shows both wages and bonuses rose in 2012 after a retreat the year before.
Average salary across all job titles for plant floor management rose 3.5% to $95,446, and bonus compensation jumped to $15,162, a 4.2% increase from the 2010 level and double the 2011 total, which showed a sharp drop in bonus.