Trojan Steel Hires New President to Lead Expansion

The appointment signals a move to scale manufacturing capacity for national competition in steel joists and deck.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in People

Isometric editorial illustration showing a neat, organized stack of structural steel joists in an industrial warehouse setting.
Fort Worth-based Trojan Steel LLC has named John Pritchett as president to oversee the company's manufacturing expansion for national steel joist production. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Fort Worth-based Trojan Steel LLC has appointed John Pritchett as president to oversee the company's manufacturing expansion. The move aims to scale the firm's production of steel joists and deck for national competition.

Why it matters

Trojan Steel is shifting its operational focus toward national market share, requiring leadership with a track record of scaling businesses from the local to the regional or national level.

During a 12-year tenure at Ben E. Keith Beverages, Pritchett grew divisional sales from $125 million to $198 million. The company is now applying this leadership model to its national expansion in steel joists and deck.

The players

John Pritchett

An operator with a history of building and exiting local businesses and a track record of driving regional sales growth in the beverage industry.

Trojan Steel LLC

A Fort Worth-based manufacturing firm currently expanding its production of steel joists and deck to compete in the national market.

Jason Ormsby

A company leader who continues to oversee the long-term strategic direction of Trojan Steel LLC.

The details

Pritchett joins the team to manage the scaling of manufacturing operations, while Jason Ormsby remains responsible for company strategy and long-term direction. This management split allows the company to separate strategic vision from the day-to-day execution required to ramp up production of steel joists and deck for a national customer base.

Timeline

  1. 2014: Pritchett founded Wild Acre Brewing Company.

  2. 2022: Pritchett sold Wild Acre Brewing Company.

  3. October 27, 2026: Trojan Steel announced the appointment of John Pritchett as president.

Market Landscape

Pritchett moves into this role following the 2022 sale of Wild Acre Brewing Company, marking a shift from independent entrepreneurship to structured corporate management. This appointment follows a pattern of local manufacturing firms tapping experienced managers to handle complex operational scaling.

Local operators should watch how Trojan Steel adjusts its supply chain to support national expansion. Hiring an executive with a background in beverage distribution suggests the firm may prioritize logistics and scale in its effort to penetrate the national steel joists and deck market.

The takeaway

When scaling manufacturing, the divide between long-term strategy and daily operational execution often requires dedicated leadership roles. Operators looking to scale should evaluate if their current management structure allows for a division of labor between vision-setting and production efficiency.

Further reading

For more on local leadership changes, visit People.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Fort Worth Inc..

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