Joe Dudenhoeffer is president of Klein Plating Works in Erie, PA, the fourth-generation family owner who took over the company in 2013. The company is 106 years old in 2021.
How did you get your start in the finishing industry?
Plating is in my blood since I am the fourth-generation owner of Klein Plating Works. I originally wanted to a doctor but changed fields in college in order to make sure all my father’s hard work continued.
What do you enjoy best about the industry?
I find it fascinating that we are such a niche and relatively unknown industry, yet without us, the world stops. There would be no smartphones, no automobiles, no power generation, and so on without the hard work and dedication of metal finishers.
If money was no object, what would you do all day?
I would like to think I would do the same thing I am doing now. There is more to life than money, and I strongly desire to show my children that working hard can give an individual a sense of purpose, pride, and satisfaction. I think this is true no matter what job you are doing. Oh, and I’d probably travel more!
If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
Tough question. I’d probably travel back to around 0 A.D. and follow Jesus Christ. Getting a firsthand experience of who I choose to believe is my Lord and Savior would be rather enlightening.
How would your friends describe you?
They might answer this differently, but I’d like to think they would say I am generous, funny, sincere, thought-provoking, and probably a little stubborn.
What are your hobbies?
I enjoy spending as much time with my wife and children as possible. I also am into fitness and powerlifting. I love setting goals and getting stronger in the process.
What is the best gift you have been given?
The best gift is a custom calendar that my wife makes for me every Christmas. It has pictures of my family that correspond to that month. It sits right on my desk and has turned a bad day into a smile on more than one occasion.
Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without?
I consider caffeine a necessity. If it isn’t, then it should be.
Two pet peeves?
People who do not learn from their mistakes and not challenging the status quo. It’s impossible to grow or better oneself without those two.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I am hopefully doing the exact same thing, only with a little less stress.
If you were a super-hero, what powers would you have?
I’m a bit of a geek, so I’ve debated this question a lot. I’d have to go with elemental control. Being able to control the weather and all the elements has many benefits, none the least being, no matter where I was, there would always be a white Christmas.
What would you do if you won the lottery?
Depending on the amount, I would give a lot to charity, make sure my children were set for life, and give my employees a very large raise.
What's your favorite zoo animal?
A capybara. So ugly, yet oh so cute. I just want to honk their noses.
If you could go back in time to change one thing, what would it be?
I don’t know if I would. Who am I to change the world from my revisionist viewpoint? I can’t even imagine the butterfly effect it would have. Also, everything I have ever done (good, bad, and ugly) has made me who I am today, and I would not change that either.
Would you rather trade intelligence for looks or looks for intelligence?
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to look like Brad Pitt? However, looks are fleeting and can become meaningless. In all honesty, I’d rather trade both for a little more wisdom.
What's your favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving. I love the idea of a holiday where it is all about giving thanks and being with those you love: no presents, no materialism, just gratefulness.
What's the most daring thing you've ever done?
Hike the Grand Canyon with my wife and father-in-law from top to bottom and back up again in one day, all before our train left. Let’s just say we made the train, but my father-in-law lost a few toenails along the way!
What was the last thing you watched on TV?
WandaVision
What was the last book you read?
Dan Crenshaw’s Fortitude: American Resilience in the Era of Outrage. We can all learn a little something from this.
What's your favorite type of foreign food?
My wife’s cooking. Most of the time, I don’t know what the heck I’m eating, so it’s pretty foreign. Please don’t print this one! lol
Are you a clean or messy person?
I lean more towards a clean person. I like organization and tidiness, but I must admit that I have made a mess or two in my time (and I don’t regret it).
Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life?
Rodney Dangerfield. Then maybe I’d get some respect.
What's your favorite fast-food chain?
McDonald's. I don’t eat much fast food, but McDonald's is always consistently good at what they do.
What's your favorite family recipe?
Homemade banana cupcakes. The recipe was passed on from my grandmother to my mother, then to my wife, and now to my eight-year-old daughter.
What's your favorite family tradition?
I’m not sure if it is a tradition, but the past few years, my wife, children, and I get together and make a summer bucket list of all the things we want to do as a family. Then we do our best to make sure we check them all off. Many good times and memories have come from those lists.
What is your favorite childhood memory?
There are so many, but since I can only pick one, I’ll say the Christmas parties my family had. These were a great time of year where my relatives got together and celebrated the Holiday. Everything just seemed so perfect, personal, and fun. I miss those days.
What's your favorite movie?
Without a doubt, James Cameron’s Aliens is the greatest movie of all time. It perfectly combined horror with slick sci-fi and touched upon a number of topics such as loss, second chances, romance, corporate greed, finding inner strength, and so on. This movie is ahead of its time in that it casts a strong female lead and does so seamlessly with no eye-rolling agenda.
