Calumet Brass and Talent Pipeline Program: Success Story

From Profile to Performance:
How Calumet Brass Foundry Found the Right Hire

A core component of the NFFS Talent Pipeline Program is the monthly check-in between cohort members and the NFFS Network Coach. These sessions are designed to keep companies moving forward, sharing progress, and learning from one another. And every so often, a story comes up that reinforces exactly why the program works.

It is always powerful to hear real examples from foundries that have taken the tools, applied them, and seen measurable results.

During a recent check-in, Cathy Dolan and Hannah Bauer of Calumet Brass Foundry shared one of those moments. Their team had successfully used the Best Athlete Profile to recruit and hire a new production worker. What stood out was not just the hire itself, but how clearly the process worked from start to finish.

Instead of starting with a generic job description, the team at Calumet Brass took a step back and defined what success actually looks like in the role. They built a Best Athlete Profile that prioritized real-world requirements of the job. Industrial experience mattered. Familiarity with equipment like forklifts and bobcats mattered. The ability to work in a high-heat environment mattered. Just as important, they looked for something many hiring processes overlook: a track record of staying power.

With that clarity, everything else became more effective.

They took the profile and used it to build a targeted job posting and a set of behavioral interview questions aligned to the role. The difference was immediate. Within two days, they had 115 applicants. Not just volume, but relevance. The candidate pool looked different because the message was different.

From there, the process stayed disciplined. Candidates were screened against the profile. Phone interviews were used to validate fit. Reference checks added another layer of confidence. Finalists were brought in for in-person conversations. At each step, the question remained the same: does this person match what success requires in this role?

The answer became clear.

The candidate they ultimately selected had held just three jobs since 2009. In an industry where turnover can quietly erode productivity, that kind of consistency stood out. It wasn’t just a hire. It was a decision grounded in data, alignment, and intention.

What made the moment during the cohort call stand out wasn’t just the outcome. It was the realization that this process is repeatable.

This is where the Talent Pipeline Program changes the game. It gives foundries a framework to hire for fit, train for skill, and build systems that drive long-term performance. When hiring improves, everything downstream improves. Onboarding becomes more effective. Supervisors spend less time reacting and more time leading. Teams stabilize. Productivity follows.

The broader challenge facing the metalcasting industry is not simply a shortage of people. It is the need for better systems to attract, select, and retain the right people. The supply chain will not be strengthened without it. Programs like TPP exist to address that gap directly, giving foundries the tools and structure to compete in a tight labor market.

Calumet Brass Foundry’s experience is one example, but it reflects what is happening across the NFFS cohort. Foundries are moving away from “post and hope” and toward intentional, repeatable workforce strategies. They are building processes that work not just once, but every time.

For those looking at their own hiring challenges and wondering what a better approach could look like, this is it.

The next NFFS Talent Pipeline Program cohort begins July 1, 2026. Foundries that join will step into an active network, gain access to proven tools like the Best Athlete Profile, and begin improving their recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and retention systems immediately.

Join a network of foundries committed to building and retaining a world-class workforce. Contact Bill Padnos, NFFS Director Workforce Development, at bill@nffs.org to get started.