A Change Leader

Megan Multanen grew up around composites and the leaders who shaped the industry. Her father, Gary Multanen, began his composites career more than 50 years ago and served as president of ACMA’s two predecessors, the Fiberglass Fabricators Association from 1982 to 1983 and the Composites Fabricators Association from 1999 to 2001.

“Sometimes it felt like the only vacations I got as a kid were around association board meetings,” she recalls. Now those board meetings are business for Multanen, who began a two-year stint as chair of ACMA’s Board of Directors in July.

“I genuinely love the work we do because the board is something special,” says Multanen. “It’s made up of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and researchers who passionately believe in composites.”

Gaining Outside Experience

Multanen is co-CEO of Bestbath, a manufacturer of FRP bathing products based in Caldwell, Idaho, alongside her brother, Jay. Their father began working at the company – then called Component Structures – as plant manager in 1971 before purchasing the firm and changing its name a decade later. But Multanen wasn’t handed the keys to the family business. She didn’t even work at the company full time until 10 years after graduating from Boise State University with degrees in economics and sociology.

“Occasionally while I was growing up our parents would pay us to pull weeds in the parking lot,” she says. “While I went to Boise State, I worked part time organizing travel for the sales reps and scheduling appointments in the showroom we owned at the time.”

Multanen moved to Arizona in 2002 to attend graduate school. She earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Arizona and worked for six years as a technical assistance provider at the Pima Prevention Partnership, a non-profit organization that supports underserved adolescents and their families.

“I fundamentally believe that it’s imperative to get outside experience if you grow up in a family business,” says Multanen. “It’s beneficial to expose yourself to other methods of management and business practices. It was really important for me to work in an entirely different industry – and to prove I could do it.”

Growing the Second-Generation Business

In 2010, Multanen moved back to Caldwell, approximately 28 miles from Boise on the western edge of Treasure Valley, and interviewed for a position in Bestbath’s marketing department.

“They sure gave me the impression I was just one candidate among many!” she says. “I took a pay cut to come home and go to work.” She reported to Tammy Harris, now president of Bestbath.

“Megan came in without ego and was ready to learn,” says Harris. “Through the years she has worked in many different departments.” Multanen has served as a salesperson and senior sales leader in the company’s dealer network, general manager of the Oasis Seated Shower product and national sales manager. When Gary Multanen retired from day-to-day business and became chairman of the board in 2018, Harris was named president and the Multanen siblings were appointed co-CEOs.

Approximately 70% of family-owned businesses fail or get sold before the second generation takes over, according to the Harvard Business Review. The Multanens wanted to beat the odds, so they sought outside expertise to help with the transition, consulting with the company’s bank and accounting firm, as well as a therapist to help with communication. Even so, the changeover was challenging.

“I think back to how tumultuous the transition was going from my father to Megan and me. It would have been easy to give up or adopt a ‘this isn’t worth it’ attitude,” says Jay Multanen. “But Megan stayed in the fire, and when we came out of the other side, we were all the better for it.”

Gary Multanen had built a thriving business, but Jay and Megan had to forge their own path – grounded in their business philosophies – to ensure its continued success. One of the ways they have done so is by leaning on their individual strengths in the shared CEO role. Megan excels at sales and marketing, while Jay has moved through the ranks on the factory floor and understands composite materials, science and chemistry.

“The three of us are a strong team,” says Harris. “We are the Coaches Club.” Under their leadership, the company achieved two milestones last year – the acquisition of family-owned RANE Bathing Systems in Sparta, Tenn., and hitting $50 million in revenue. Bestbath is currently negotiating a second acquisition.

“We have found a niche where we understand family business, specifically composites family businesses,” says Multanen.

Getting Involved in ACMA

Some people may view involvement in ACMA – and the extra commitment of serving on the board of directors – as a distraction from running their businesses. But the team at Bestbath believes that membership in the association is vital to the company.

“ACMA is part of our success,” says Harris. “Megan brings back so much to our team about what’s going on in the industry and what we need to focus on. I see her involvement and leadership in the association continuing to be a huge value to the company.”

Multanen first got involved with ACMA approximately 12 years ago when she joined the Green Composites Council (now the Composites Sustainability Council). Through the years, she has also participated in the Architectural Division and on the Marketing & Communications Committee. She became a member of the board of directors in 2019, committed to bringing value to industry peers and pushing for innovation.

“ACMA allows anyone in this industry to come and learn how they can be innovative, whether that’s developing new chemistries or products, finding and hiring employees or seeking out new markets,” she says. “It allows you to say, ‘Here’s how I can continue to grow in this industry.’ ACMA is the place to do that.”

Embracing a Changing Industry

Multanen plans to focus on a handful of areas during her tenure as ACMA chair. The first is to ensure that the value of membership is clearly defined and shared.

“That’s different for big companies than small companies. It’s different for suppliers and manufacturers. Let’s be crystal clear and really thoughtful about who ACMA is helping and what we are doing to help them,” says Multanen.

Her second objective dovetails with the association’s new Climate Impact Project.

“We need to be thoughtful about our impact on this world and how we address the concerns people have about our materials,” she says. “How can we as an industry get ahead of it by saying, ‘This is what we do, how we do it and why composites are a better choice than other materials.’”

Her dedication to sustainability is genuine. One of the steps taken by Bestbath as part of its commitment to be carbon neutral was to install more than 750 Hyundai Green Energy solar panels on its factory roof in 2021.

Multanen also wants to bring a more diverse group of people into the industry and the association. “She will be a champion of encouraging, developing and furthering diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives,” says Jay Multanen.

He and Harris assert that Multanen has the right attributes to lead ACMA. She is open to new perspectives, promotes honest dialogue and takes action after thoughtful consideration.

“Megan represents the next generation of great leaders,” says Harris. “She grew up in the industry, so she respects everything ACMA has done to this point. But she will embrace the changes that lie ahead.”

Susan Keen Flynn is managing editor of Composites Manufacturing magazine. Email comments to sflynn@keenconcepts.net.