We believe business can be the most powerful force for good in our society today.
 
OUR PHILOSOPHY

How we lead affects how we live.

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Regardless of the product or service, all organizations have two things in common: they employ and serve people. The majority of a person’s waking hours are spent in their place of employment. Yet according to a Harvard Business Review survey, 58% of people report they would trust a stranger more than they would trust their direct leader. Organizations have a significant opportunity to treat people in a different way; a way that energizes, provides purpose, and leads to personal growth. After over 110+ acquisitions in our parent company, Barry-Wehmiller, we’ve learned that building a great culture at work can happen without sacrificing profits. In fact, building a strong culture leads to an even stronger business. We can show you how.

OUR FOUNDER // BOB CHAPMAN

Why Chapman & Co.?

Bob Chapman is the Chairman and CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, a $3B global organization and our parent company. Bob Chapman’s leadership of Barry-Wehmiller is the inspiration behind the work we do. Launching Chapman & Co. was a direct reflection of Barry-Wehmiller’s guiding principle: “We measure success by the way we touch the lives of people.” Having integrated and sustained 110+ acquisitions in over 200 locations around the world, Chapman & Co. was founded to share what we’ve learned with organizations who place equal importance on people, purpose, and performance.

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Our Impact

Impact with global reach.

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lives impacted through leadership training and consulting.

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organizations influenced across a wide variety of industries.

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countries served. We travel the world to help companies grow and improve.

Our History

We believe experience matters.

Barry-Wehmiller was founded in 1885 by Thomas J. Barry and his brother-in-law Alfred Wehmiller in St. Louis, MO to provide conveying and transportation equipment to malt houses. Bob Chapman’s father, Bill Chapman, joined Barry-Wehmiller and quickly proved himself as a competent business leader, becoming president in 1953.

We believe in building a sound business model for all stakeholders.

Bob Chapman later joined his father in the business. Soon after, Bill Chapman suffered a tragic and sudden heart attack, leaving Bob Chapman as a young CEO and chairman of a failing business. Faced with limited options, he began to acquire companies to turn around. Barry-Wehmiller is now comprised of 110+ acquisitions worldwide with team members working in manufacturing, engineering and IT consulting, and professional services. Understanding that the number one way we touch the lives of people is through a sustainable business model, Barry-Wehmiller’s compound revenue growth rate has been 14.9% since 1987.

We believe in measuring success by the way we touch the lives of people.

While business success was evident, Bob Chapman embraced the realization that with team members who spend over a third of their week at work, he had an enormous responsibility as a leader to impact their lives. Thus began the implementation of Truly Human Leadership within Barry-Wehmiller which includes a holistic approach to continuous improvement, an internal university devoted to leadership development, and recognition and celebration programs across the organization. The result of these efforts is a thriving culture that exists in harmony with a thriving business.

We believe in sharing what we’ve learned.

Partnering with organizations to deliver customized training and events, assessments, and consulting services, we launched Chapman & Co. to build on and transfer the learnings of our parent company, Barry-Wehmiller, to yours. With head offices in St. Louis and Cape Town, we work with public and private companies, for-profit and nonprofit, large and small, around the world.