In
Michael Show
Profile
Coming to WVU was a last minute decision for Mike Show. “I was an average student in high school and unprepared for college,” Mike says. In fact Mike had to drop calculus and go back to take Algebra and Trig. He also struggled with Chemistry.
Mike thought he would be a Civil Engineer, but transferred to Industrial Engineering in his second year. “I wanted an engineering career with more of a business focus,” Mike comments.
What shaped Mike’s career was an internship with Rockwell in a facility in Uniontown, PA. The facility which made water meters had a full range of manufacturing processes. “It was a great environment to learn about manufacturing,” Mike says.
When Mike graduated, he had an offer to return to the Uniontown facility. He also had an offer from Rockwell in its management training program. He took the management training offer. Mike returned to Uniontown after spending time in two other Rockwell facilities.
Upon return to Uniontown, Mike quickly moved up. He was named Supervisor of the Plastics operation when he was 25 years old. A few years later Mike earned an MBA from WVU. Rockwell eventually sold its meter unit to BTR which changed the name to Sensus Metering Systems. Mike become Vice President of Operations for Sensus when he was in his early 40’s. He had responsibility for all of North America manufacturing.
Sensus was bought by a private equity firm who changed much of the company direction along with it’s management team. As a result, Mike needed to look for another position. Mike had kept in touch with his first boss at Uniontown who had tried to recruit him to join Kane Innovations, a company that manufactures commercial railing and fencing, ornamental metal, security screens, and detention systems for prison use. In 2007, Mike began as Operations Manager for Kane’s 3 manufacturing plants and became President of Kane in 2014.
One of the things that Mike looks fondly on is the turnaround of a Sensus facility in Mexico. Within 6 months, the facility was transformed into a profitable operation.
Looking back on his career, Mike wishes he would have had more sales experience at a younger age. The lack of sales experience almost held him back from getting the senior leadership experience at Kane. “You can pick up the financial aspects of senior leadership throughout your career, but you need to have actual experiences in sales,” Mike advises students.
Bio
Michael Show is the President of Kane Innovations, Inc., an architectural metal products manufacturer with annual revenues exceeding $20 million. The company, founded in 1890, operates out of two western Pennsylvania locations and employs over 125 skilled office and shop workers. Kane Innovations, Inc. is comprised of four product brands: Sterling Dula Railings, Kane Security Screens, Kane Detention and Kane Fabrications.
Show joined Kane Innovations in June, 2007. He served as Operations Manager on a senior level for over seven years before transitioning to his current position. As President of Kane Innovations, Inc., he directs a wide range of strategic initiatives in production, sales, marketing, project management and engineering.
Michael Show’s extensive experience in manufacturing leadership prepared him for his present role. Prior to his time at Kane, Show, a Uniontown, PA native, worked as the Vice President of Operations for Sensus Metering Systems (formerly Rockwell International), a water, electric and gas meter manufacturing company, for 22 years.
Show graduated from West Virginia University with a BS in Industrial Engineering, and also holds an MBA. He and his wife, Linda, reside in Erie, PA and are the proud parents of two daughters and a son.
