Brevin Bennett’s story is the classic start-at-the-bottom-and-rise-to-the-top tale, with one key exception. Most of those stories take place over the course of decades; Bennett has shot to the top in a much shorter timeframe. Less than 10 years ago, he was fresh out of high school and entering the workforce as a tool grinder. Today, he’s CEO of a 44-year-old firm with more than 120 employees. And it’s not even his first stint leading a company.
As much as he enjoys telling that story, Bennett is quick to counsel that his path isn’t for everyone.
Eager to make the leap into the working world, Bennett bypassed college (“I was the first generation in my family not to go to college,” he says) and took an entry-level job with Angola-based Eva-Lution. His drive and passion landed him in the Eva-Lution president’s seat just four years after he started.
The qualities that shot Bennett to the top at Eva-Lution captured the attention of family-owned Triton Metal Products, which hired him to be its partner engagement manager in 2021. A little over a year later, Bennet was named director of business management of the Steuben County company, and less than a year after that, he took on the title of CEO.
While Bennett leads a metal fabrication firm, the Hamilton, Ind., native says his real passion is guiding the development of people and teams. In fact, that’s what led him into the advanced manufacturing world. A passionate high school baseball player, Bennett said mastering his game inspired him to find ways to help others become good at what they do, and the factory floor seemed like a great place to start.
Describing himself as a promoter of passionate people, Bennett says he would rather be the guy who brings the smartest people into the room than be the smartest guy in the room himself. At Triton, that attitude has helped him not only build a team and attract other top achievers but also to nurture talent and reshape processes. A recent “Aces in Places” initiative shot new energy into the Triton Metal team by knocking down silos and encouraging greater collaboration, clearing the runway for Bennett’s ongoing goal of making Triton Metal a leader in its sector. Adding to his accolades, Bennett was named to Conexus Indiana’s Rising 30 cohort last year for his accomplishments in the sector at a young age.
While this newly married fan of the outdoors and woodworking made quick work of the corporate ranks, he discourages young people from obsessing about quick success. Instead, the fan of Simon Sinek (author of Start with Why) encourages young people to enjoy their youth and figure out what really moves them.
“If you’re 19 years old, be 19 years old,” he says. “Allow yourself that time to grow.”
Bennett underscores that advice with wisdom he received from another of his mentors, his Great Uncle. “He told me, ‘If concrete hardens too fast, it cracks,’” Bennett says. “So, take it all in stride, and don’t go too fast.”
