Meet Jason Lingenfelter

As seen in the Tried & True Winter 2025 issue

Since joining Fratco in January 2023, Jason Lingenfelter has embraced his role as Project Manager with a unique blend of humility, ingenuity and vision. Having spent 25 years in law enforcement and retiring as Chief of Police in Monticello, Indiana, Jason brings a wealth of experience managing evolving situations and streamlining processes–a skill set that has proven invaluable to Fratco’s continuous growth.

“In law enforcement, you learn to listen–to watch for what’s unspoken and figure out what’s needed,” Jason shares. This approach has helped him quickly gain the trust of his colleagues. By asking thoughtful questions and genuinely listening, he ensures that employee feedback and customer needs are at the forefront of every project.

Jason’s role didn’t exist before 2023 but is now pivotal to Fratco’s operations. One of his first major projects was overhauling the order and distribution process across all of Fratco’s plants. “Previously, a small team managed orders, yard operations and shipping–it was overwhelming. We knew the processes, not the people, were the bottleneck.” Jason helped separate customer account management from shipping logistics by implementing a streamlined software solution and reorganizing responsibilities, reducing stress on the team and improving accuracy. “This change allowed us to scale up without overloading our employees. It also improved plant communication and gave customers faster, more reliable service.”

Jason sees Fratco’s commitment to its employees as a building block of its success. “They’ve added new roles, updated systems and invested in training because they know that supporting their people ensures the best results.” Reflecting on his time at Fratco, Jason says he’s found more than a workplace–he’s found a family. “From day one, everyone made me feel welcome. There’s a sense of trust and collaboration here that’s rare.” His greatest reward is watching employees take ownership of new initiatives and seeing their ideas come to life.

Fratco’s motto is all about quality–quality in our products, processes and people. I’m proud to be part of a team that doesn’t just talk about improvement but makes it happen every day.

Jason and his wife of 30 years have a 23-year-old daughter, named Kelsey. They enjoy spending time on Lake Freeman and traveling in their spare time.