In this powerful episode, Beyond the Blend heads to St. Louis, Missouri, to meet Jim Carroll - Executive VP at Schaeffer Manufacturing and current President of the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association (ILMA).

Jim’s story spans decades of service - in both the U.S. Army, where he served for 30 years and rose to the rank of Colonel, and in the lubricant industry, where he’s spent over 25 years helping one of America’s oldest lubricant companies thrive through change.

From rebuilding engines to leading global advocacy, Jim’s career is proof that discipline and curiosity can coexist beautifully and that leadership, at its best, means never standing still.

Key Takeaways

1. From Steel to Schaeffer:

Jim began his career on the factory floor at National Steel, where curiosity for “how things work” turned into a lifelong technical fascination. A customer-turned-colleague, he joined Schaeffer in 1998 - and never looked back.

2. The Fixer Mindset:

As a child taking apart broken appliances, Jim learned a simple truth: If it’s stupid and it works, it wasn’t stupid. That mindset shaped his leadership style - pragmatic, creative, and unafraid of failure in pursuit of improvement.

3. Service and Structure:

Three decades in the U.S. Army instilled discipline, courage, and the conviction that “an 80 percent plan executed today beats a 100 percent plan that never starts.” Those lessons now guide how Jim builds teams, makes decisions, and handles complexity in business.

4. Leading Through Advocacy:

As ILMA President, Jim is passionate about advocacy and common-sense regulation. His mission: ensure that small, independent lubricant manufacturers have a seat at the table when shaping the policies that define their future.

5. Sustainability Is Our Story:

Jim argues that the lubricant industry is already one of the biggest sustainability success stories - reducing friction, saving energy, and extending equipment life — but not telling that story loudly enough.

6. Always Learning:

Whether through Stanford’s strategic-planning courses or back-of-the-bus “nerd chats” with industry peers, Jim’s commitment to continuous learning is unwavering. His advice to the next generation: Learn both the chemistry and the mechanics - innovation happens where they meet.

7. The Next Chapter:

Far from slowing down, Jim’s focus is now on strategy, value creation, and mentorship -ensuring the next generation of leaders inherits both knowledge and purpose.

🔗 Connect with Jim

• Jim Carroll on LinkedIn

• Schaeffer Manufacturing

• ILMA

Why Listen

This episode goes far beyond lubricants - it’s about character, curiosity, and commitment. Jim Carroll’s story shows how a sense of duty, whether on the battlefield or in business, can shape not only a career but an entire industry.

For anyone navigating leadership, legacy, or the next chapter of their career, this one’s full of insight, humour, and heart.