Andrew Kroncke, 32
Director of operations
Chicago, Illinois
For Andrew Kroncke, what started as a college summer job on the factory floor at Midwest Canvas grew into a full-fledged career. His first tasks were making solar covers, boxing products and loading trucks. Over the years, his responsibilities expanded to include managing production facilities, purchasing raw materials and overseeing trucking. That wide-ranging exposure taught him how to navigate nearly every aspect of the business.
Following his early leadership roles in manufacturing, Kroncke moved into outside sales while still helping manage Midwest Canvas’s main production plant. His progression didn’t stop there. He eventually took over operations at Horizon Ventures, where his role spanned production oversight and raw materials purchasing, as well as handling sales alongside then–vice president Jim Karnath. When Midwest Canvas purchased Pool Boy Products, Kroncke added responsibility for running that brand as well. Today, with Karnath retired, he manages U.S. sales for Horizon, Feherguard and Pool Boy Products, in addition to leading production and purchasing across multiple companies.
What keeps him motivated is the culture he’s grown up in. “I love working with the Midwest Canvas [group] of companies because it is its own little family,” he says. “No one has just one title, and we all work in lots of different departments for multiple companies. It really helps you learn how a business is run as you get to experience different departments from sales to purchasing to production to customer service and even accounting.” The longevity of employees — many who have been with the company since their teens — reinforces that sense of community.
When Karnath retired, Kroncke had to prove to himself that he could succeed on his own. “Jim was really the greatest mentor to me, and being able to fall back on him or pick his brain with questions was something I really relied on,” Kroncke says. “When he retired and I took over his position, it was very nerve-racking for me not to have him around. I was extremely proud of myself that I was able to take over.”
While sales proved his steepest challenge, Kroncke learned to lean on honesty as the key to building lasting customer relationships. “People really appreciate honesty and gravitate towards you as someone they can trust,” he says.
Now a new father, his priorities extend beyond the business. Kroncke’s biggest goal is to model for his son both a strong work ethic and a balanced home life. “Working hard is extremely important, but being a dad to him is just as important,” he says.
Kroncke is excited about the role younger leaders will play in shaping the industry, particularly by embracing new technologies that make pool ownership easier. In his free time, he enjoys golf, catching a ball game and traveling with his wife and young son.
