Since joining Christy Catalytics full-time more than 30 years ago, Brian Osborne has worked in all areas of the business, which led him to become president in 2004 and CEO in 2011.
The Missouri University of Science and Technology alum worked for the Christy group in product testing and development while pursuing a degree in ceramic engineering.
Planning is critical for Brian Osborne of Christy Catalytics
Brian Osborne, CEO, Christy Catalytics
“This work led to sponsorship by Christy in graduate school and eventually a fulltime role as a research and development engineer,” said Osborne, whose company recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2022 and is one of the world’s largest suppliers of engineered inert catalyst bed support media.
As CEO, the most important part of the position, he said, is helping teams think beyond today’s needs; planning for tomorrow is critical to future success.
“In 2022, most organizations can take customer orders and ship them on time. Exceptional organizations work with their team members, customers and suppliers to plan for future needs and obtain the necessary resources to meet those requirements. While no one can know the future, the planning process ensures we will be better prepared no matter what comes our way,” he said.
Christy Catalytics, he added, has been steadily growing and expanding its products and markets for many years. Much of this growth, he said, occurred outside of the U.S. He cites available and affordable energy and overseas geopolitical realities as having made the U.S. an “even greater land of opportunity.”
“We have been weighing our investments back toward the U.S. in terms of warehouse capacity, inventory and of course, investment in our industrial ceramic manufacturing facility in Ohio,” Osborne said. “We are putting the final touches on a two-year investment plan to increase the efficiency and productivity of our Ohio facility and prepare it for the next era of growth.”
Osborne suggests that before taking a role like his, push harder to learn new soft skills and accept that the results of your labor may not always be easily recognized.
“When I was promoted to the CEO role, I had worked side by side with my predecessor for many years and thought I knew what the job entailed. It turned out that much of the job simply was not visible to the organization. For someone who has been a strong individual contributor, moving into a leadership role can be a difficult transition as your job is no longer to be the best technical resource, salesperson or problem solver. It means that what got you into your seat on the bus is no longer a path to your future success.”
Osborne believes his best management tactic is listening to and trusting Christy’s people, noting that they are on Christy’s team because they align with the company’s values.
“They are living through the same issues I am, whether it be COVID-19, inflation or whatever new problem life throws our way. They are also closer to our customers and vendors than I am.”
Once he has listened to his team, he strives to be decisive and move forward, adapting the company’s strategy as new information becomes available to keep it moving in the right direction.
Osborne said balancing work and home life is a significant challenge when serving 24/7 operations around the globe, citing holidays as a specific challenge since they are not celebrated universally. In addition, though not impossible, he said rarely does an individual achieve significant results in a 40-hour work week. In many ways, the technology and acceptance of work from home, or better, work from anywhere, can help.
“Even though I work from our corporate office in St. Louis, remote capabilities have allowed me to connect with our teams without having to be in-person from wherever I am, even if that is on the road visiting family, being on holiday or visiting customers and vendors,” he said. “The most important factor in balancing work and home is a supportive family who understands that working and traveling in the evening or on the weekend helps the entire family meet their goals.”
For more information, visit christycatalytics.com or call (314) 773-7500.
