The Family Business CEOs to Watch Class of 2024 comprises 20 exceptional business leaders who are charting the course for long-term success of their enterprises. They include members of the second through fifth generations of family ownership as well as non-family leaders.
Ryan Plotkin
President & CEO | Second generation | M-D Building Products, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Ryan Plotkin is the president and chief executive officer of M-D Building Products, a manufacturer and distributor of home weatherization, flooring, sealant and specialty extrusion products. Family founded in 1920, M-D was purchased in 2007 by his father, Loren Plotkin, who has worked at the company since 1983 and is chairman of the company.
Ryan Plotkin assumed the president role in 2021 and the CEO position in 2023. He previously served as chief operating officer. In that role, he oversaw a significant transformation of the company's operations, including the integration of multiple plants, the launch of new product lines and the optimization of manufacturing processes. Earlier, he held various operational leadership roles throughout the company.
Prior to joining M-D, Plotkin worked in sales at Grace Construction Products and participated in its sales development program. He holds an MBA from the Olin School at Washington University in St. Louis with a concentration in entrepreneurship. He earned his B.S. degree from the University of Miami, majoring in physics and history with minors in marketing, math and international business. He also spent a semester studying overseas business and culture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
“Ryan has been with the business since 2009 in a broad range of roles and responsibilities,” Loren Plotkin says. “Starting in operations, he made significant progress in instituting many best practices for improved operational efficiencies. Midway through his career, he took two years and completed his MBA. Upon his return he quickly assumed the role of president and most recently added the title of CEO.
“Ryan has been involved in a strategic reorganization to increase focus on customers and diverse business channels. The company is well positioned to continue to grow as a domestic manufacturer of aluminum and vinyl products for both the consumer and OEM markets. The family is committed to growth and remaining privately held. Ryan’s younger brother, Josh Plotkin, is a trusted partner for Ryan and serves in an executive VP role.”
“When I reflect on my career, it won't be defined by how many dollars we sold or how many units we produced, but by the relationships that we've built and shared experiences,” Ryan Plotkin says. “Our family business creates a healthy environment where we can build that internal team and partner with our outside stakeholders, which are not as conducive in other ownership structures.
“I love that my engagement in the business as an owner allows our team to expand relationships and react nimbly to create marketplace opportunities. I love solving the ongoing challenge in business of improving operations, structuring teams for success, developing people and creating value in novel commercial solutions. Our family business allows us to support our employees with resources to address these challenges while creating the intimate environment where each employee can truly see the fruits of their labor through our team's winning culture. I am passionate about our family business succeeding as a team, having the autonomy to be curious and enjoying the stability to support creativity and shared risk taking. These characteristics allow us to build lifelong friendships and memories that will be carried on to our future generations.”