Meet Richard Boyle, the Executive Vice President of Operations based out of our Arden, North Carolina facility. Since 2022, Richard has been responsible for the oversight and execution of manufacturing and supply activities within GWS Tool Group.

From Working On The Shop Floor To Overseeing Them All

Richard first started working in the automotive industry, covering die and mold, IT, and project management. He then went on to spend the next 17 years in various globalized roles in metal cutting and supply operations within Sandvik Machining Solutions. Then, once GWS Tool Group was acquired by Sandvik/Walter Tools, he first heard about GWS. He was attracted to GWS because of the rapid and continuous growth that we are known for, and the opportunities that came along with those were a challenge he knew he was up for.

When asked how his past experiences prepared him for his current role at GWS, he says that his past experiences have taught him that communication cannot be overdone, and a solution created by a group of people is always better than one he could develop alone. He loves new challenges, and working together as a team to develop solutions to meet the customers’ expectations.

The accomplishment that he is the most proud of is his ability to learn new things and take on new challenges, bringing him from the shop floor to where he is today. Richard believes that GWS is a unique company to work for because the company covers a wide range of products, sites, and capabilities combined with local cultures at each of the facilities. But most of all, he says the people he meets at every facility he visits tells it like it is, which he greatly appreciates while working on helping our facilities be the best they can be.

Keeping Busy In His Down Time

When Richard isn’t working with our facilities to improve production, he has a large list of personal interests, with most of them involving a desire to learn new things, problem-solve, and create something unique. For Richard, this has included things like woodworking, building 3D printers, and working with CNC machines. Strictly for fun though, he thoroughly enjoys bike riding and brewing his own beer.

Although Richard spends most of his time either at our Arden, North Carolina facility or visiting one of our many plants throughout North America, he loves traveling for fun as well. He has had the opportunity to do a fair amount of travel both domestic and internationally, where he has found there is something to like just about everywhere. He is quick to mention though that his best trips have always included his wife, children, and now grandchildren (see picture below).

Richard says his special talent is his ability to recall an impressive amount of song lyrics and bad dad jokes. So next time you see him, you’ll have to put him on the spot to tell his best joke! Lastly, when asked if he had any achievements that might surprise his fellow GWS employees, he says that he built his own house doing all the work himself, from the footers to the shingles! Never shying away from a challenge, he does admit that the one thing he learned by building a house by himself is to always pay somebody else to finish drywall!

Interested In A Career At GWS Tool Group?

If you enjoy working with dedicated people like Richard, consider applying to GWS Tool Group. We are always looking for talented and driven individuals to work at our facilities in Florida, California, Illinois, Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Canada. Browse open jobs here.