Mark Lasky, chief executive officer of Sadoff Iron and Metal Company, began his journey with the third-generation family business 25 years ago, serving as a management trainee, buyer, president and now chief executive officer.
“Less than 12% of family businesses (in any industry) make it to the 3rd generation,” said Lasky. “My father, brothers, and I have put in the time, effort, blood, sweat and tears to preserve the legacy that my grandfather created.”
Sadoff Iron and Metal, the largest privately held scrap metal recycling, electronics scrap, and data destruction company based in Wisconsin, is headquartered on a 30-acre site in Fond du Lac. Sadoff conducts business in 46 states, as well as China, Mexico, India and Canada. The company employs 250 in 10 locations – six in Wisconsin, two in Nebraska, and one facility each in Maryland and Texas.
During his 18 years as chief executive officer, Lasky led the company through COVID-19 without business interruption, achieved record profitability for a four-year stretch from 2020 – 2023, and acquired SunCoast Communications in January 2024. Within the past three years, the company has also been recertified for its quality, environmental, and health certifications, which include ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and R2 designations.
“I have personally evolved from working in the business to working on the business and while trite, having the right team in place makes all the difference,” said Lasky. “As my role has changed, I have sought out more relationship-building opportunities to sharpen my sword as well as benefit our company.”
Lasky’s success has led to recognition with the JR Vette friend of youth award from the Boys and Girls Club of Oshkosh in 2024, and he has been a 20-year member of TEC 12 in Northeast Wisconsin. Lasky serves as a mentor for the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen through Lourdes Academy, is a past president of the Boys and Girls Club of Oshkosh, and a past president of the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance.
Recognizing the adage, “What got you here, won’t get you there,” Lasky consciously works not to have his demeanor or work habits become stale. “I believe in and have been trained on the servant leadership model and endeavor to remove obstacles for our team and support everyone in our organization to allow them to achieve their goals which in turn becomes mutually beneficial,” he said. “I consider myself a pragmatic optimist and am aware that how I present myself to our staff is important.”