Ohio Gratings : God, Grit & Gratings
Spend a little time with Shaun Eller and a pattern quickly emerges: measured language, clear standards & a consistent bias for action.
Over three decades, Ohio Gratings’ chief business officer has helped a family-owned business evolve from a small regional fabricator into a vertically integrated manufacturer serving water and wastewater plants, liquified natural gas facilities, electrical utilities, major municipalities, data centers and architectural projects worldwide.
Their story is more about consistency than grand pronouncements—how shared values, structure and product focus compounded over time to create a thriving, kingdom-class business. That philosophy, combined with steady, value-driven growth, has its roots in the personal story of one of its most consistent leaders.
““Your job as a leader is to remove obstacles so your people can shine,” - Shaun Eller”
Origins and Alignment
When Eller walked into his interview at Ohio Gratings in 1995, he wasn’t seeking a lifelong career. He just wanted stability—something more dependable than his long days outdoors as a land surveyor, while still accommodating his fluctuating hours as a youth pastor at his local church.
Two prospective employers viewed this same background in opposite ways. One saw endless scheduling conflicts; the other—Ohio Gratings, led at the time by Chairman David Bartley and President and CEO John Bartley—saw a broader opportunity: using business as a vehicle to improve lives.
Even though Eller lacked the advertised credentials, the Bartleys hired him for his mindset and potential. That moment launched a journey marked by growth, opportunity and a culture that made him want to stay.
“What kept me here is simple,” he says. “Life’s too short to do something you hate. If the work energizes you and the place aligns with your values, lean in and make an impact.”
Eller began as an entry-level drafter, moving through roles in sales, manufacturing and quality before leading Ohio Gratings’ Texas plant for eight years. After returning to their Ohio Headquarters as the company’s chief operating officer, he now serves as their chief business officer, guiding operations and translating leadership vision into reality.
Over time, his alignment with the Bartley family’s vision deepened. What began as one man’s search for meaningful work evolved into a shared mission—building a business that honors God through excellence.
A Kingdom-Class Company
Within the leadership team, John Bartley often talks about building a “kingdom-class company” a God-honoring business that strives to do the right thing, especially when decisions are difficult.
It’s not just a slogan; it shapes daily interactions and is reflected in a culture built on respect, trust and honoring one’s commitments. The company’s primary core value, Caring to Earn Trust, reinforces this: treat people with respect, keep your word and let performance follow.
“Everyone is expected to treat people respectfully—non-negotiable,” Eller says. “Performance matters; trust is doing what you’ll say you do, when you say you’ll do it”
Those values aren’t abstract; they’re visible in how leaders like Eller manage their teams—balancing high standards with genuine care.
Servant Leadership - With Accountability
“Servant leadership isn’t weak leadership,” Eller explains. “It’s strong, empathetic, and accountable.” Standards are documented, follow-through is real and accountability matters.
Associates know that if someone repeatedly misses expectations after receiving support, repercussions may follow—because the company is a steward of customer commitments. But true leadership also requires listening.
Eller recalls a shop associate who made an error shortly after returning to work from a family tragedy. Supervisors chose compassion over reprimand, later learning that he had lost multiple family members in a short span of time.
“Our first response isn’t to yell,” Eller says. “It’s to understand: do they know the standard, do they have the necessary tools? Sometimes the issue isn’t ability—it’s that life has knocked someone down. Sometimes they just need space and a listening ear before they can go back to delivering excellence.”
That balance—accountability paired with empathy—also shapes how Eller develops future leaders.
Building the Bench
As Ohio Gratings grew, one challenge became clear: too many associates reporting to too few supervisors, especially on second and third shifts. Eller worked with plant managers to identify high-potential associates who embodied company values and had a genuine desire to learn - creating a leadership pipeline that continues to yield results.
Some step directly into supervisory roles; others serve as area leads and rotate leadership duties for a month at a time to test their fit. Those who thrive become the backbone of the next generation. Those who step back are affirmed for self-awareness, not criticized.
“Your job as a leader is to remove obstacles so your people can shine,” Eller says. “Set the example. Listen before judging. Make our standards visible to all.”
For Eller and the Bartleys, growth doesn’t stop at professional skills. Supporting the whole person - financially, emotionally & spiritually - builds stronger teams.
Whole-Person Development
Supporting people beyond the workplace has long been part of the company’s culture. Ohio Gratings employs a full-time chaplain, offers free monthly financial wellness sessions and sponsors on-site personal development programs like TOPUCU—The Only Person You Cheat Is You—a voluntary, paid-time course that helps team members set goals in areas like finances, relationships and family.
“When people have purpose and support, performance follows,” Eller says.
More for you
This belief extends to Ohio Gratings’ student workforce program. Last year, 40 high school students gained real-world experience through structured, safety-conscious roles paired with intentional mentorship. Younger leaders—like a 20-year-old welding lead supervising eight students this year—model responsibility for their peers.
Eller also serves as President of the Stark County Manufacturing Workforce Development Partnership and is active in the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association’s Workforce Committee, helping schools and career centers build a stronger regional talent pipeline.
“Start early, set expectations and mentor well—that’s how capability compounds,” he says.
At every level—from the shop floor to the executive suite—the same principles guide Ohio Gratings’ decisions.
Complementary Styles at the Top
At the executive level, Eller’s methodical, disciplined approach complements John Bartley’s decisive, visionary style.
“My strength is structure; my weakness is being less flexible than I should be,” Eller admits. “John’s strength is being fully present and responsive; the risk is missing some benefits of intentional preparation. Together, though, it works.”
Karen Bartley, chief transformation officer and co-owner, focuses on associate wellbeing and operational improvements—upgraded facilities, enhanced benefits like an on-site medical clinic, and the overall associate experience. Together, the leadership team invests in its people and their environment, trusting that associates will deliver on their high standards in return.
That blend of vision and structure has fueled Ohio Gratings’ operational expansion—particularly its move toward vertical integration.
Vertical Integration & Innovation
When Eller first joined the team, the company often purchased ready-made grating and materials from external suppliers. Today, much of that sourcing happens in-house—purchasing coils directly from steel mills, slitting them on-site, producing its own bar and manufacturing a broader set of grating and metal flooring products. The result: improved cost, quality and lead times for their customers.
Innovation follows this same principle. Signature products like Grater Balance™, Wheels n’ Heels®, OnGrip® and ALGRIP® solve practical challenges—creating safer sidewalks, easier vault access, ADA-compliant surfaces, and enhanced traction—while staying true to the company’s expertise in grating.
“We didn’t chase every market—we got better at what we already do. When you do that, customers will demand you get bigger” Eller says, echoing Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy’s maxim that growth comes from doing the right things consistently.
As operations matured, so did the company’s approach to serving its markets.
Focused Market Coverage
Staying focused doesn’t mean thinking small. For Ohio Gratings, it means mastering a product family that solves recurring problems—airflow, drainage, strength and safety—across a wide range of industries.
To serve each market well, the company structures dedicated teams around its major segments, including bridge and transportation, environmental and military, architectural, commercial and industrial projects. Each group understands the standards, challenges and decision-makers unique to its field. “The same portfolio can meet very different needs when you understand the end user,” Eller says. “That’s why we organize by market instead of product line.”
For Eller, that same discipline—focus with flexibility—guides his personal leadership approach as well.
Pausing to Say ‘Good’
Eller admits that rigor can harden into rigidity if unchecked. To counterbalance it, he’s adopted a daily discipline—acknowledging progress along the way.
He points to the book of Genesis as his inspiration: God surveyed His work each day during biblical Creation and called it “good.” Eller sees that as his reminder to also pause before moving on to solve the next challenge.
In practice, it might mean opening a production meeting by celebrating a team’s success before tackling issues—a rhythm that builds momentum without ignoring problems.
This balance of progress and perspective also shapes how Eller approaches the future.
Staying a Step Ahead
When asked what he values most about his work, Eller doesn’t hesitate. “I love the variety, I love solving problems, and I love watching people grow.”
Faith provides the foundation; discipline delivers results. Ohio Gratings’ success stems not from a single innovation but from consistent execution: hiring for values and potential, building leaders deliberately, enforcing standards with clarity and respect, integrating where it matters most, innovating where users feel the impact and investing in the whole person as an employer who cares.
Three decades in, Eller still approaches each day with the same conviction that brought him through the door in 1995: do the right things, the right way, for the right reasons.
For Ohio Gratings, that’s what it means to be kingdom-class—measured by people, purpose and performance that endure.
