Meet the People Behind the Steel
Welcome to our Team
At Niagara Specialty Metals, our team isn’t just our workforce — we’re 100% employee-owned, and every person here has a stake in delivering precision, quality, and reliability. Get to know the skilled individuals who roll, cut, flatten, and finish the metals that power aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial applications. Learn what makes Niagara a unique workplace and discover the stories, hobbies, and favorite tools of the people who make it all happen.
Bob Shabala is President and CEO of Niagara Specialty Metals. He has been with Niagara full-time since 1994,
beginning as the plant engineer after graduating from the University at Buffalo with a degree in mechanical engineering.
Prior to that, he started working part-time in 1993, taking on various jobs on the shop floor.
Tim Gelnett is the Vice President of Operations at Niagara Specialty Metals. In his role, he helps manage
multiple departments and supports inventory control, sales and quoting, order entry, customer service,
and the hiring of production staff—while continually working to meet the company’s goals, mission,
values, and beliefs.
Andy Sharp is the Quality Manager at Niagara Specialty Metals and has been part of the team for 31 years.
He began working at Niagara part-time at just 18 years old, covering night shifts after school before
transitioning to full-time work following high school graduation.
Jeffrey Marshall is the first Chief Financial Officer in the history of Niagara Specialty Metals and has been
with the company for the past two and a half years, a role he says he is incredibly proud to hold.
Carl Stroud is the Sales Manager at Niagara Specialty Metals and has been part of the team for nine months.
Carl believes ownership drives performance and cooperation across the company.
Diana Orr is the Office Manager at Niagara Specialty Metals and has proudly been part of the team for nearly
15 years. Diana values the shared sense of responsibility that comes with employee ownership.
For the past five years, Stefan has worked in the office as the Purchasing and Facilities Manager. In this role, he is grateful for the opportunity to lead renovations
and upgrades to breakrooms, bathrooms, offices, production areas, and the overall property, helping create a clean, updated, and positive workplace environment for
both employees and visitors.
Nick Brooks is a Production Supervisor at Niagara Specialty Metals and has been part of the team for nine years,
including two years as a temp and seven years full time.
Jay Etheridge is a Maintenance Supervisor and Electrician at Niagara Specialty Metals, being on the team for 30 years.
For Jay, the best part of working in an employee-owned company is the atmosphere.
Erick Stein is the Sheet Mill Supervisor at Niagara Specialty Metals and has been in the role since 2018.
He oversees day-to-day sheet mill operations and will be stepping into the Nights Supervisor role in 2026.
Hank Baes serves Niagara Specialty Metals with a simple mindset: do whatever is needed to grow capabilities and help
get quality steel out the door. His technical role is Sandblast Operator, but he takes pride in stepping up wherever
the team needs him to support consistent, high-quality product.
Will Nelson is a CNC Operator at Niagara Specialty Metals and has been part of the team for 22 years.
What Will values most about working in an employee-owned company is knowing exactly who benefits from
the hard work put in every day. That direct connection reinforces accountability and pride in the work.
Bill Meior works at Niagara Specialty Metals in a maintenance role, serving as a machinist, welder, and mechanic.
Bill appreciates working in an employee-owned company because people genuinely care about the work.
He sees teammates putting in extra effort, helping one another, and sharing in the company’s success.
Justin Thomas is part of Niagara Specialty Metals’ production team and has been growing with the company for the past nine years.
Justin enjoys working in an employee-owned company because the effort you put in directly affects the people around you.