I have long been impressed by Cheryl Sment. She is the very definition of leader. She boldly went into a male-dominated industry and is kicking butt! Cheryl’s experience as an entrepreneur, CEO and genuinely caring person makes her an amazing asset to our group. I’m proud to have her on our team. Below is our conversation.
Cheryl Sment is President & CEO of Interstate Sealant and Concrete, a certified woman-owned business through the SBA and Department of Transportation. She has been married to her husband, Jeff, for 26 years. Their daughter, Abby, has worked in the business since 2015, after graduating from UW-Whitewater in Business & Marketing. Their son, Steven, is a Shop Asset Manager and Diesel Mechanic. He and his wife have two wonderful children, who give Cheryl and Jeff great joy as grandparents.
Me: Tell me about your leadership journey. How did you get here?
Cheryl: My journey and career started out as an ER Nurse and State Injury Prevention Specialist, after 15 yrs as a nurse my husband and I decided to purchase a failing construction business in May 1998. Being a Firefighter, he had some spare time on his hands and always wanted to have a construction business. I had just been accepted to Marquette’s Nurse Practitioner Program in 1999 and that was my path…. I thought. We had a house fire in August of 99’ that prevented me from starting my NP program, so I took a leave of absence from my nursing career to be the General Contractor and rebuild our home and then dove into the construction business. It was federal and state contracting on airports and military bases and as I began to help out with those duties, a contracting officer started to mentor me on the value of being a certified women-owned business, as goals for federal contracting for woman businesses were never met and I was proving to be a good candidate for this program.
In 1999, I told my husband to, “step aside, I have a vision” and he gladly went back to his career and let me roll with my vibe.
I have always been one to champion Servant Leadership. I learn and get inspired the most from our field employees and enjoy seeing their successes. By providing them the tools and development needed to be successful, the Company also is rewarded in its successes and growth. In 23 years, we had grown from 12 to 70 employees and $13.5 mil in sales. Company culture is very important to me, and with many of our Leaders being with our company for over 16 years, it helps cultivate new leaders. Every leader and field employee in our company is tasked with reading a book called, GUNG Ho! By Ken Blanchard, its an easy read but gets them all thinking Teamwork!!
Me: What is the favorite part of your work?
Cheryl: I have many favorites. I love my staff! I love watching them grow in their careers and succeed. I love the Project & Operations Managers, they fight fires daily, sometimes hourly. I love and respect all the field supervisors and laborers, they are out there every day in some of the coldest and hottest conditions on roads and airports. Their safety is key for everyone’s success.
Me: What do you value most about your Vistage membership?
Cheryl: To be in a peer group that has some great CEO’s that are willing to share their challenges and successes, be it different industries. The ability to talk, process and bounce ideas and issues confidentially with a caring group that will hold me accountable on follow through. The One-on-one meetings with the Vistage Chair are really valuable.
Me: What book are you currently reading?
Cheryl: I’m a reader so have several books in every corner. Professional Development: Servant Leadership Roadmap, and What Got you here, Won’t get you there! by Marshall Goldsmith. Fiction: 9 book series called EMP Dark New World by Henry Gene Foster & JJ Holden.
Me: What do you like to do for fun?
Cheryl: Many things! Spending time with my hubby and my Dad hunting & fishing, watching football and baseball. Having a glass of wine and spending time with my Mom. Gardening, hiking, reading, enjoying my grandchildren…
Me: If you could have lunch with any one person, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Cheryl: My great-grandmother. She died when I was 11 yrs old and I really never got to know her like I would have liked to. She was so much fun and I spent almost every weekend with her at her lake house doing crafts. She also enjoyed hunting so I was the benefactor to her hunting clothes and shotgun. I just wish I got to know her as an adult, not only as a child of 11.
If I had 2 choices, it would also be Susan B Anthony, I have been inspired by her ever since I was in high school and feel she paved the way for women!!