Once the New Year came and went, American RENOLIT Corporation had a new president in place. Previous President Renaat Demeulemeester returned home to Belgium to continue working with the RENOLIT group in a different division. The person who filled Demeulemeester’s shoes was a familiar face. Nils Dietz, who had been the Chief Financial Officer for the past 11 years, was internally promoted to be the new president effective January 1, 2021.
Dietz, who has been at American RENOLIT since 2009, cited the cultural differences between the German workforce and the American workforce.
“In German work environments, there is more open criticism,” Dietz said. “Where in the USA it is not as direct. The Germans see more problems, where in the USA, we look more for solutions. On the other hand, in the USA, decisions are challenged more often by team members.”
The cultural changes did not phase him. He enjoys the wide array of environments that the USA has to offer.
“I love being in America,” Dietz said. “I love the convenient lifestyle and big size of the country. There are so many options to travel year-round. Everyone is so positive and friendly. I also enjoy the stores having more flexible opening times compared to Europe.”
American RENOLIT’s commitment to research and development has made him and his colleagues look forward to the coming years. The diversity of products American RENOLIT produces on a regular basis has intrigued Dietz since he joined the company in 2009.
“The biggest aspect of American RENOLIT that interested me when I joined in 2009 was the diversity of our product line,” Dietz said. “We are paving the way for the future by supplying different industries with our various product applications.”
Dietz’s leadership style is built on strong communication skills, a high level of knowledge on the products American RENOLIT produces, and listening to the ideas of his co-workers.
“I am a very good listener,” Dietz said. “In all my years at American RENOLIT, if someone brings an idea to the table, I listen to everything they have to say. I want to give everyone an opportunity to have their voices heard. I attribute my success to my honesty, integrity, being open-minded, learning every day, and learning from past experiences.”
“With all the great people we have, we will continue to innovate and maintain the high level of quality American RENOLIT is known for and I look forward to further growth and expansion," Dietz said. He sees the future of American RENOLIT as a wealth of opportunity.
During his formative years in Germany, Dietz spent quite a bit of time along the beaches of the North Sea.
“I grew up around the North Sea in Germany,” he said. “Thus, spending time at the beach was great once we had good weather. I liked going fishing with friends after getting the worms ourselves from the sea ground when there was a tide. I also went to car races (F1) with my dad throughout Europe, now I enjoy going to races with my son here in the U.S. during Indy Car race weekends."
Here, he enjoys watching F1 races and supporting Chip Ganassi Racing along with drivers Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon. He also enjoys camping with his son. Dietz is an avid runner and cyclist.
“I like to run and have already finished four marathons in the U.S.,” he said. “I’ve also finished several races with shorter distances. Normally, I participate in the Tour de La Porte.”
Community involvement is very important for American RENOLIT. As a leader, he plans to continue expanding the team’s involvement with the local school corporations and different local organizations. Currently, he is a board member of Housing Opportunities in Valparaiso and a board member of La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP). He plans to join the board of the La Porte County Family YMCA in the near future.
Dietz would like to thank his family for their support during this change over the last few months and their understanding of all the long hours. He would also like to thank his team for the smooth transition and is committed to continue being a successful leader.
To learn more about American RENOLIT and future job opportunities, visit https://www.renolit.com/laporte.
