May 3, 2026
Sukup Manufacturing Co. is proud of the people who help move the company forward every day. One of those people is Margaret Standish-Bruce, our Corporate Counsel, who was recently recognized as an Emerging Leader through the STEP Ahead Awards from The Manufacturing Institute.
Margaret’s journey with Sukup began in 2019 as an intern. Early in her career, she stepped into a leadership role within Sukup’s human resources function—helping shape initiatives that continue to define the company’s culture, strengthen employee engagement, and support long-term retention.
One of her most impactful contributions was helping implement Sukup’s pay-for-performance review system. By directly tying recognition and advancement to individual effort and results, the program reinforced a clear message to employees: your work matters, and it will be recognized. The result has been stronger morale, greater accountability, and a workplace culture where high performance is both expected and rewarded. It’s been an important differentiator in attracting and retaining top talent.
Margaret also played a key role in advancing Sukup’s commitment to supporting working families. She helped launch the company’s parental leave policy, which provides four weeks of paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child. This investment in employees’ lives outside of work reflects Sukup’s belief that supporting families is essential to building a strong, stable workforce. That commitment has helped earn Sukup recognition as a Best Place for Working Parents® for two consecutive years.
In addition, Margaret was instrumental in bringing the Colts Corner Bin Town Daycare Center in Sheffield, Iowa, to life. Developed in partnership with the local school district, community businesses, and the Future Ready Iowa initiative, the center addressed a critical childcare shortage that had impacted more than 90 families in the area. By helping navigate the legal and operational framework for the project, Margaret played a direct role in removing a major barrier to employment for working parents—making it easier for families to join Sukup, stay with Sukup, and grow their careers here.
Today, Margaret leads Sukup’s legal department and continues to work across teams to align legal, operational, and strategic goals. She has also supported three company acquisitions, helping position Sukup for continued growth while maintaining the people-first culture that sets the company apart.
“I’m really honored by the recognition, but it reflects on the people I get to work with every day at Sukup,” Margaret said. “I’ve been lucky to learn from great leaders and collaborate with teams across the company.”
“Sukup is a place where you’re encouraged to keep learning and find ways to make things better,” she added. “That’s what makes it such a great place to build a career.”
We’re proud to see Margaret recognized as an Emerging Leader and even more proud of the impact she’s made in shaping a workplace where people want to join, grow, and stay. She joins a growing group of Sukup leaders recognized through the STEP Ahead Program, including Emily Schmitt (2019) and Samantha Petersburg (2023).
