Family Business, Big Responsibility: Tom Mangan on Culture & Leadership

This episode features a rare and powerful perspective: what it takes to lead one of agriculture’s most respected family-owned companies — when you’re not part of the family name.

We sit down with Tom Mangan, Sukup Manufacturing’s incoming CEO and the first non-family executive to hold the role in the company’s history. Tom’s background spans Fareway Stores, Endicott Clay Products, Deloitte Tax, and, since 2020, serving as Sukup’s CFO. Beginning in October 2025, he’ll step into the CEO role with Hank Norem transitioning back into the CFO seat to support the change.

Tom shares his journey from Iowa State accounting major and CPA to guiding one of ag’s most innovative, global, family-rooted brands. We explore the challenges and advantages of stepping into leadership in a multi-generational family company — from building trust, honoring legacy, and collaborating with family stakeholders to introducing new systems, tech, and approaches.

Listeners will gain insight into how non-family leaders can thrive in family-owned operations, how to create alignment across teams, and how to balance culture, performance, and long-term vision. Tom breaks down his collaborative leadership philosophy, the lessons he’s learned, and the strategies he believes matter for both large manufacturers and family farms alike.

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