Steve Maahs’s entrepreneurial story is deeply ingrained in the company’s history and legacy. As the second child of Jerry Maahs, the late founder and chief executive officer of Alto-Shaam, Steve’s journey to becoming chief executive officer himself was far from easy, and it began at a very young age. Growing up, Maahs witnessed his father’s dedication to building Alto-Shaam into a global brand and learned lessons in entrepreneurship and business.
Joining Alto-Shaam at 16, Maahs began his journey in the family business in manufacturing and after gaining experience in the industry in Florida, he returned to work in customer service and now serves as the chief executive officer.
“Carrying on the legacy to me meant ensuring that the true entrepreneurial story of my dad would never fade away or disappear,” said Maahs. “He created the opportunity and built Alto-Shaam into the global leader it is today – I took it as my responsibility to continue it.”
Alto-Shaam is an industry-leading commercial foodservice equipment manufacturer. As a pioneer of cutting-edge, award-winning products, Alto-Shaam continues to revolutionize the industry with cooking, holding, and chilling systems that drive kitchen efficiencies and food quality while reducing waste and costs.
Maahs’s rise into leadership was marked by his ability to focus on evolving the domestic business as the distribution model changed. He also transformed Alto-Shaam’s dealer partnerships, becoming the first manufacturer partner in a newly established buying group. He championed the enhancement of the representative model by establishing enhanced commission programs and demo kitchen standards.
Under Maahs’ guidance, Alto-Shaam experienced crucial growth with the acquisition of Vector® multi-cook ovens and Structured Air Technology® in 2017. He also led the company to take it further by inventing the groundbreaking Converge® multi-cook oven, providing up to three independent combis in one. Throughout the 2010s, Maahs’ transformative growth strategies led Alto-Shaam to break $100 million in sales in 2012, a milestone his father dreamed of but never achieved. He also led Alto-Shaam to more than double sales to over $250 million just 10 years later.
As a result, in 2024 alone, the firm has been recognized as a 2024 top workplace by USA TODAY and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
As a leader, Maahs said he keeps the vision of the company in mind while empowering his team. “I have found that surrounding myself with passionate individuals inside and outside the organization further encourages me to think outside the box so that we can continue to evolve,” he said. “I strongly encourage creativity and innovation within the team by fostering a culture where everyone feels empowered to share their ideas.”