How Niagara Specialty Metals CFO Uses Finance to Power Operational Excellence
Sep 25th 2025
In high-precision manufacturing, financial leadership plays a vital role in ensuring quality, agility, and customer satisfaction. At Niagara Specialty Metals, CFO Jeffrey Marshall combines strong financial systems with people-first leadership to keep the company competitive and growing.
Turning Data Into Action
For Jeff, Niagara Specialty Metals CFO, finance isn’t just about balance sheets. It’s about building reliable systems that deliver accurate, usable data across the business. “With the influx of AI and new tools, you need to trust the data you rely on,” Jeff explains. At Niagara Specialty Metals, financial and operational data flow together, from production error rates to on-time delivery metrics — ensuring teams have the insight they need to prevent problems before they reach customers.
Customer-Focused Agility
One of Jeff’s priorities is making sure customers feel the impact of Niagara’s systems every day. Employees across the company can access ERP data to respond quickly to changing demand. Just as importantly, customers connect directly with real people — whether that’s the president, the VP, or Jeff himself. This accessibility, combined with strong financial planning, gives Niagara the agility to handle unexpected requests without sacrificing quality or timelines.
Measuring What Matters
Key performance indicators (KPIs) guide decision-making at Niagara. Jeff tracks financial metrics like margins and inventory turnover alongside sales and operational indicators such as backlog, on-time delivery, and error rates. These results are reviewed in monthly profit-sharing meetings, where every employee-owner can see how their work contributes to company performance. By sharing information openly, Niagara Specialty Metals ensures the entire team is aligned around customer success.
Balancing Risk and Innovation
As a 100% ESOP company, Niagara faces unique financial responsibilities such as managing repurchase obligations when employees retire. Jeff balances these commitments with strategic investments in new equipment and capabilities. Recent expansions include upgrades to sheet mill operations, laser cutting, and grinding capacity — all designed to improve consistency, reduce lead times, and strengthen customer service.
Investing in the Future
Beyond equipment, Jeff is leading Niagara’s digital growth. A redesigned website and new online store will make ordering specialty metals faster and more efficient, while warehouse upgrades will support higher volumes and streamlined shipping. These projects reflect Jeff’s vision: using finance as a strategic tool to support both operational excellence and customer experience.
Finance That Drives Performance
At Niagara Specialty Metals, financial strategy is more than managing costs — it’s about enabling growth, innovation, and customer success. Under Jeff’s leadership, the finance function has become a powerful engine for operational performance.
By combining strong data systems, open communication, and a culture of employee ownership, Jeffrey Marshall, Niagara Specialty Metals CFO, ensures that every decision strengthens both the company’s foundation and its ability to deliver for customers.
