"People are the center of the organization" - Larry Cassesa of ABICOR BINZEL
In this episode of the Land and Lead Podcast, Dr. Josh Elmore speaks with Larry Cassesa, President of ABICOR BINZEL, about leading through sustained change, expanding scope, and the complexities of integrating people, functions, and organizations over time. Larry shares his journey from field sales into senior leadership, including navigating the 2008 recession, rebuilding sales organizations, and ultimately ascending to the presidency after nearly a decade of steadily expanding responsibility.
Larry reflects on what it means to enter long-tenured organizations as an “agent of change,” where fresh perspective is needed but trust must be earned. He describes the discipline of slowing down to learn the business, prioritizing high-impact areas, and making difficult people decisions while balancing performance with empathy. As his scope grew beyond sales into marketing, engineering, manufacturing, and cross-company integration, Larry emphasizes the importance of strong managerial conduits, cross-functional communication, and macro-level clarity around strategy and economics.
The conversation also explores leadership during mergers and organizational convergence, where roles, structures, and responsibilities remain in flux. Larry shares candid insights on resistance to change, managing high-performing but misaligned leaders, and the emotional weight of long-term decision-making.
The episode closes with advice for leaders entering high-stakes roles: take time to understand the system you’re inheriting, separate emotion from analysis, and stay anchored in the long-term health of both the business and its people.
Listen to the full episode:
