From family roots in the equipment industry to a hands-on role at Merlo America, Commercial Operations Associate Ian Roush is showing what future leadership looks like in practice.
When Ian Roush joined Merlo America in September last year, he stepped into a business prepared to give the next generation more than a seat at the table.
At 25, he belongs to a generation fluent in fast answers, but his real strength lies in asking better questions. Based at Merlo America’s headquarters in Rock Hill, South Carolina, he is close to the conversations shaping how the company grows, from customer needs and events to operational processes and practical next steps.
As Commercial Operations Associate, Ian refines processes, supports efficiencies and contributes to marketing, trade shows and special projects. “It’s perfect for me because I have both the technical side and the creative side,” he says. That blend has been years in the making.
An industry close to home
Ian describes himself as “second generation in the equipment industry.” His father worked across many equipment OEMs, while his mother built her career around people and relationships in the nonprofit sector. Together, those influences helped shape his balance of systems thinking and customer focus.
The industry was close to home from an early age. At around 10 years old, Ian came home from school to find his father working remotely on an old information system, its green text glowing against a black screen. “I remember asking what he was doing,” he laughs. His father let him input his first-ever sales order – an early glimpse into the practical detail behind the equipment world.
Still, his own route into the sector took shape gradually. He initially worked toward a future in architecture, inspired partly by his grandmother, an interior designer. At Kent State University, however, an internship with a paving and compaction OEM opened a new direction. Working on systems cleanup, ERP processes and operational improvements, he found the clarity he had been looking for.
Building future leaders in practice
Before being introduced to the team, Ian had not known Merlo America well. But after meeting Jennifer Brigman, Vice President of Strategy & Operations, and hearing about the company’s mission, the fit felt immediate. “Jennifer described an agile, close-knit business focused on making a real difference for customers, and I knew right away that I wanted to be part of it,” he explains. What appealed most was the pace and openness: a place where ideas could move quickly and individual contribution could be felt.
His first months quickly brought that pace to life. Dealer meetings and event season came almost immediately, including CONEXPO – North America’s largest construction trade show – which he describes as “drinking from a firehose in the best possible way.” It gave him an immediate view of the organization and a chance to contribute from the start.
That approach sits at the heart of Merlo America’s “Building Future Leaders” initiative. To Ian, the phrase goes beyond job titles or age. “It doesn’t matter what age you are – you can always become a leader,” he says.
In practice, building future leaders means giving people guidance, then trusting them with enough room to take ownership. For Ian, that support includes regular one-on-one time with Jennifer and an open-door culture across the wider team. New ideas are treated as a springboard – something to test, challenge and build on together. In a growing company, some processes are still being shaped, so Ian often begins with research and questions before turning information into a usable plan.
“This culture is very special and incresingly rare” he says. “It’s giving us the information, alongside the power to develop both on our own and together to enact changes.”
Fresh perspectives and practical answers
Construction and equipment, he believes, is an industry full of possibility. “Construction is the driver that leads the world,” he says. “There will always be construction, and there will always be opportunities for growth.” Those opportunities span corporate roles, rental, trades, technical service, marketing, sales and operations. “There is a plethora of openings,” he adds. “I don’t think people always realize how many different paths the industry can offer.”
Ian sees Gen Z’s value in its instinct to research, adapt and look at familiar problems with fresh eyes. Having grown up with fast access to information and entered adulthood during Covid, his generation is comfortable with change. In his own role, that shows up in a practical question: is this a people problem or a systems problem? Sometimes the answer is a better process. Other times, it is human judgment and conversation.
Try hard and care
The motivation to show up each day comes back to something his father used to say: “Try hard and care.” Simple and direct, the phrase captures what Ian recognized early at Merlo America: people who care about the business, its customers and each other.
He is already in the room where it happens – helping improve how the business works today, while building the skills to lead tomorrow.
