ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGER:
ADAM GREENWALD
“It’s always going to be here. It’s not going away.”
ADAMS’s role at a Glance:
Role: Environmental Health & Safety Manager
Company: Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry
Career Start: 2005
Education: Associate’s Degree → Bachelor’s Degree (Emergency Management)
Path: Machine Operator → Molder/Core Maker → Layoff → College → Multiple Foundries → Foundry Manager → EHS Manager
Built a Career From the Shop Floor Up
“I started out on the floor as a molder and a core maker.”
Adam was working as a machine operator in a plastics factory when he moved to the Manitowoc area and started applying for jobs. Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry was the first place to offer him an opportunity, and he took it.
He started on the floor, learning the fundamentals of making and molds and cores, understanding how to make sure the finished part matches the design. Like many people in this industry, the trajectory of his career never had a roadmap. It was born out of necessity.
Adapted, Learned, and Kept Moving Forward
“During my layoff… I went to college and got my degree.”
A few years into his career, Adam was laid off during the housing market crash. Instead of waiting for things to turn around, he used that time to invest in himself. He went to school, earned an associate’s degree, and later completed a bachelor’s degree in emergency management.
From there, he continued building experience across multiple foundries, moving into leadership positions in operations management and environmental health and safety. Each step added to his skill set and opened new doors. And eventually, that experience brought him back to where he started.
A Place That Feels Like Home
“This place has always kind of felt like home.”
Adam saw an opportunity to return to Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, this time as the Environmental Health and Safety Manager. What stood out to him was that they really wanted to build a world class safety culture.
It was cool for him to come back and see coworkers he had started with decades earlier now in leadership positions. He saw a company investing in its people, recognizing and nurturing talent, and building strong leaders from within.
An Industry That Isn’t Going Anywhere
“Metalcasting is thousands of years old… and it’s still here.”
One of the biggest things Adam emphasizes is stability. Metalcasting has been around for thousands of years. And even with all the advances in technology, even now with artificial intelligence, it still relies on people.
It’s not something that’s going to disappear. For someone looking for a career with staying power, metalcasting certainly has that.
See It for Yourself
“There’s nothing like firsthand experience.”
If someone is curious about this kind of work, Adam’s advice is simple: go see it. Take a tour. Watch the process. Look it up. Ask questions.
There are plenty of resources online, but nothing compares to seeing it in person, watching metal being poured, parts being made, and people working together to make it happen.
