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DEDICATED TO EXCELLENCE: SERVICE • QUALITY • INNOVATION
ESTABLISHED 1953
At All Metals Fabricating, we believe that strong manufacturing leadership has been key to our longevity and success. That’s why we take such care in selecting and supporting the right leaders at every level of our business. Whether promoting from within or finding outside candidates, we always look for people with the right combination of determination, expertise, and humility that will set both them and their team up for success.
One leader who embodies these qualities is our Plant Manager and Director of Continuous Improvement, Brian Hunt. In his position, Brian is responsible for all production and the 50+ people on our shop floor in departments like precision machining and metal fabrication. That means he has a critical impact on the results we deliver to our customers.
Learn why his success in this role comes not just from technical knowledge, but from a people-first philosophy.
Brian first arrived at All Metals two years ago after 16 years at McNICHOLS, a supplier of specialty metals and fiberglass. While McNICHOLS was not a manufacturer themselves, they partnered closely with a range of manufacturers as a supplier, including All Metals.
During his time there, Brian held several different positions, including Sales Manager, Procurement Manager, and Supply Quality Manager. He describes McNICHOLS as an excellent company where he gained valuable knowledge across many areas of business, and he still maintains strong relationships with many former colleagues.
Brian has known All Metals’ CEO Lance Thrailkill since childhood, and a few years ago, as former Plant Manager Rob Carraway neared retirement, Lance realized Brian would be perfect for the role. Though Brian hadn’t been actively looking to leave McNICHOLS, he felt the new position aligned with his strengths and goals.
“Ultimately, I felt called to come here,” Brian explains. “My passion has always been working closely with people and helping to steer an organization. When the opportunity arose to do exactly that at All Metals, I knew it was the right match.”
Brian initially joined as Director of Continuous Improvement, later stepping into the Plant Manager role as Rob transitioned into retirement. It was a change from his previous roles, but he credits Rob, Jimbo, Lance, and others for their mentorship and support.
As he’s grown into his duties at All Metals, his foundation has been his philosophy of leadership, one that fits perfectly with our core values:
“Ultimately, to me, leadership is about caring radically for your people,” Brian says. “That’s the prerequisite for being a leader. If you don’t care for your people, you won’t succeed.
“Every day I ask myself: am I caring for this person personally and professionally? Do they need coaching? Can I help them overcome a weakness? Leadership is about trust, compassion, and walking alongside your people.”
Brian points to his faith as the source of this philosophy:
“Jesus Christ is the greatest leader in history and the ultimate model of my leadership,” he says. “I always try to think ‘What would Jesus do in this situation?’ And one of his greatest character traits was his humility. He was humble, but never modest.”
Every single day provides new opportunities for Brian to lead, but one recent example shows how he tries to put his philosophy into practice. Last quarter, with a high number of jobs running through the shop, floor space became tight. Brian helped guide the team in a problem-solving effort, identifying root causes, brainstorming solutions, and dividing responsibilities.
One day, as his team met to track progress and discuss steady improvements, Brian realized that people needed to be celebrated for their success.
“We turned our meeting into a field trip,” he recalls. “We went area to area in the shop, let people present what they were working on, and gave kudos to those who helped. We got a lot out of it, but just as importantly, it was fun.
“At the end of the day, I may have the responsibility to solve the floor space issue, but the team collectively are the ones who executed. A big part of my job is to make sure they get the recognition they deserve.”
After his two years at All Metals, Brian feels at home in the shop. He says what sets the company apart is not just our capabilities, but our 5 core values:
“One that has always jumped out to me is, ‘We care more,’” Brian says. “When I came here, I immediately felt the strength of the partnerships. These relationships weren’t transactional; they were collaborative. That care and concern is what leads to so many deep-rooted partnerships that have lasted years or even decades.”
In his role as plant manager, Brian guides our teams to deliver the excellent results our customers expect. But his manufacturing leadership is just one example of how our values drive everything we do at All Metals. When you collaborate with us, you experience a culture of care, integrity, and relentless improvement in our precision manufacturing.
Request a quote today to see how our core values allow our Texas sheet metal shop to stand apart!
