News

It is hard for Rob Ernesti to hear people praise him for the successful business he and his partner Doug Swanson founded in 1997. He had to do just that when he was awarded the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award for the Milford Campus on Tuesday, July 22, surrounded by his family and MetalWorks employees.  

“I certainly wouldn’t be here today without all of our team members,” Ernesti said. “That is what makes MetalWorks so special. We created a culture where people feel respected and had a voice. It is very difficult for me to talk about myself but I will talk about MetalWorks all day.”

When Ernesti enrolled at Southeast Community College, he debated whether to study manufacturing or psychology. He ultimately graduated with a manufacturing degree but applied psychology principles to create an exceptional work culture. In an industry often dominated by bottom-line thinking and cost-cutting measures, MetalWorks proves that taking care of people isn't just the right thing to do, it's the profitable thing to do.

“Funny thing is I was going to go into either psychology or manufacturing engineering and I found out in manufacturing you are both,” he said. “Work culture is as important as the quality of our product going out the door. We want our people to want to be here. Having grown like we have and maintained the culture, that’s the thing I’m most proud of.”

Today, MetalWorks employs more than 150 people and generates over $35 million in annual sales, specializing in metal fabrication and machining services. Ernesti attributes his success to the education he received at SCC.

“You can do very well in manufacturing,” Ernesti explained. “I direct anyone I can to SCC as my education certainly served me well and gave me the confidence to enter the workforce. I wanted to be able to design it and make it and that is what we do here. MetalWorks is way more than I could have ever dreamt.”

As MetalWorks continues to grow and evolve, Ernesti's legacy is clear. He proved that in manufacturing, as in life, how you treat people matters more than anything else. In building a culture of respect, he forged something stronger than any metal.

Jennifer Snyder
Communications Specialist
402-323-3393
jsnyder@southeast.edu