Leadership with an Itch
- Dave Hafenbrack
- Jun 19
- 2 min read
A.J. Rolling is not your average entrepreneur. He has a keen intellect, is smart and hard-working, has a Ph. D. in Aerospace Engineering, and is a retired LT. Col. U.S. Air Force.
Like most high school students ready to graduate, he contemplated what the future holds.
He applied to several colleges, including West Point. He was accepted at West Point, not an easy task for the world's preeminent leader development institution that lives by the motto "Duty, Honor, Country" and boasts a highly selective process focusing on strong academics, physical fitness, and leadership potential. But also academically elite, with an emphasis on math and science, not to mention securing a nomination from a member of Congress or a Senator.
A.J. followed many in his family into a career of service to our country. His grandfather was a pilot in WW2, and his uncles served in the Navy and Marines.
He also earned a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology and a PHD from Virginia Tech.
After 20 years of service to his country, A.J. started his next career at the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), where he stated, “I always had the itch to build stuff.”
That itch launched his entrepreneurial spirit. In June 2017, he acquired a fledgling machine shop that ultimately became Cat-Wood Metalworks, a full-service precision machine shop offering a wide range of services, from CNC machining to fabrication and assembly, a thriving and growing company located in Moraine, Ohio.
In 2018, A.J. founded Buckeye Metal Finishing, a veteran-owned company that provides quality metal finishing services to respected industry partners in diverse markets from aerospace to industrial and recreational sectors. We are a reliable supply chain partner with an unwavering commitment to quality and professional services. BMF specializes in NADCAP paint, chemical film, and passivation services. A rapidly growing company, BMF, is Ohio’s Premier Nadcap facility. Both companies are on an aggressive growth trajectory.
What is the secret to A.J, success? It is a mixture of his keen intellect, work ethic, desire to build things, and a broad base of military attributes that is always looking positively toward the future.
Key to success:
Focusing on high quality products delivered on time
Hands-on interaction and teaching for employees
Investing in technology, equipment, and, most importantly, their people
Creating a daily routine that includes time to exercise physically and mentally
Actively seeking input and ideas from others that elevates results
Tangibles embedded from his military learnings into his business philosophy
Being a resource allocator includes delegation of responsibility and giving employees authority and tools to do their job effectively and efficiently
Seeing around corners such as forecasting, resources, financials, ERP systems, right people, equipment, skills
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