Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1250358
wbjournal.com | May 25, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 17 Lavon Winkler President and CEO of FLEXcon NA Congratulations! FLEXcon is proud to celebrate the recognition of Lavon Winkler as a Power 50 leader in central Massachusetts. Thank you for being the catalyst for positive change throughout the organization and helping to bring FLEXcon to the next level for our employees and our customers. Shacey Petrovic DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT & CEO INSULET CORP., ACTON Residence: Concord College: University of Wisconsin For a company with a market cap of more than $12 billion and more than 1,100 employees spread over 11 countries, Insulet is surprisingly local, having been a member of the Middlesex West Chamber of Commerce since the company moved into a $100-million Acton facility in 2018, winning the chamber's Business of the Year award. A medical device manufacturer focused almost entirely on insulin delivery systems for diabetes patients, Insulet has sponsored local arts and sciences programs such as the Indian Hill Music Center in Littleton, the Acton-Boxborough PIP STEM Program, and the Discovery Museum in Acton. Petrovic, the only female CEO of a public company in Central Mass., has been the steady hand on the wheel since the 2018 move, and the company's stock price has grown more than 150% since she took over. As the coronavirus pandemic hit, Petrovic made sure Insulet expanded the benefits of its financial assistance program for current customers and donated 3,000 disposable gowns, 37,500 pairs of gloves, and 2,500 face masks to frontline workers throughout Massachusetts. What makes Central Mass. unique? Central Massachusetts has a diverse economy with remarkable strengths in a variety of industries, including healthcare and manufacturing, and that offers Insulet a valuable resource, namely talent, from which to hire and grow. I'm proud to say even during a pandemic, Insulet has continued to hire and onboard outstanding candidates attracted to our mission and goal of providing life-changing products to customers. A real page turner: I am a voracious reader! It's not unusual to find me in the middle of reading two books at any given time – one fiction and one non- fiction. Right now, I am reading "One Day" by Gene Weingarten and "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro. M A N U F A C T U R I N G P O W E R 5 0 Lavon R. Winkler CEO FLEXCON, SPENCER Residence: West Brookfield Colleges: University of Missouri & Birmingham-Southern University FLEXcon, whose revenue now totals near $300 million annually, was founded in 1956 by Myles McDonough, who was succeeded by his son Neil McDonough in 1992. Winkler is the first non-family member to lead the company, having come to the adhesive film manufacturer already having served as CEO of Milbank Manufacturing in Kansas City and the president and CEO of Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center in Kansas. His leadership at FLEXcon was on full display during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic in Massachusetts, when the company innovated to make much-needed face masks, despite never having manufactured the product before. With 55% of its 750-employee workforce living in Central Massachusetts and the largest employer in Spencer, FLEXcon has a unique role in the community, including a special partnership with the Spencer-East Brookfield School District. What makes Central Mass. unique? The amazing cultural and ethnic diversity. Central Massachusetts is a living breathing collection of people from various corners of this amazing world. My wife Lora and I celebrate this each and every day. Farming & fishing: Having grown up in a small community, I have always enjoyed spending time in a more rural setting. This led to my wife Lora and me owning two farms in Northern Missouri. As a part of my love for the outdoors, I enjoy being on the water and fishing. Combining my love of the land and water resulted in me designing and building my own fishing lake. I learned so much about building, stocking, and managing what can be a very complex ecosystem. That was a very rewarding experience and created memories I will always cherish. I must admit, I would love to do it again!