John Steckel

President & CEO, AMERICAN SYSTEMS

John Steckel’s most significant recent achievement was his appointment as president and CEO of AMERICAN SYSTEMS last September. He’s honored and humbled by this role and the opportunity to work alongside his fellow employee-owners. The company is known for its commitment to employee ownership, being veteran-friendly, and as a preferred contractor. Steckel aims to build on these foundations as the company moves into its next growth phase.

“Be flexible. So, be like Gumby,” he said. “My Marine friends have told me, ‘Semper Gumby.’ And in stressful situations, be more flexible … like Pokey. I actually have small Gumby and Pokey figures in my office to remind me every day.”

Why Watch

This year is shaping up to be exciting for AMERICAN SYSTEMS. The company has restructured its business units to improve synergy and agility and is developing strategies to reinforce its status as a top mission essential and information engineering firm. It aims to achieve this by adopting emerging technologies, capitalizing on its strong culture of personal accountability, and further empowering its employee-owners to take ownership because they truly are owner-employees.

Fun Fact: Steckel is an avid road cyclist and tries to get in a few miles as often as he can, sometimes on a Peloton when the temperature dips. “I’ve ridden in the Armed Forces Cycling Classic’s Corporate Challenge Ride for the last five years, and this June, I hope to be joined by more of our employee-owners and make this an annual company event,” he said.