The Next Chapter of Craftsman with Character

12 years ago, our family business, Edgerton Gear, Inc., was in a crisis that was about to get much worse. The older generation of skilled machinists were retiring in masse with few younger employees to replace them. Enrollment in Tech Colleges and high school tech-ed classes had been declining for years with no end in sight.

As the 2nd generation owner, I wanted my father’s legacy to continue but how could it if there weren’t quality, skilled machinists? Although I never saw myself as an academic, at the prodding of a mentor, I had enrolled in a doctoral program of Transformational Leadership in 2010, to explore who I was to become, and what Edgerton Gear was to be in the coming years. Drawing on my roots as a blue-collar kid, I came to realize the younger generation needed exactly what I needed as a young man: Purpose, strong character, and a supportive community to mold me. Thus, Craftsman with Character® was born.

Over the next 8 years, CWC turned Edgerton Gear into a mentoring culture with a pipeline of young talent. We realized we stumbled on to something almost magical. There was no shortage of young people who wanted to work. There was simply a shortage of mentoring to guide them into meaningful careers. So we shared CWC with other businesses and communities, funding CWC  ourselves as a worthwhile cause. And the magic continued.

In 2022, a shocking thing happened. We somehow got the attention of the U.S. Navy and they gave us a 3-year grant to grow CWC. Soon there were numerous CWC classes not only in Wisconsin but in several other states. Those 3 years allowed us to figure out how to make CWC available on a broader basis. We developed a series of videos and processes to help other communities implement CWC. We learned a ton and are very thankful for the Navy’s support, as well as other corporate sponsors and donors.

However, at this stage of life, it was never my ambition to lead and grow a non-profit organization, as much as I believed in CWC. After leading Edgerton Gear for over 30 years, it was time for me to let go of the reins and hand them over to my sons. I also needed to deeply consider what life was to look like for the last third of life.

It has always been our hope that CWC could help as many young people as possible find a meaningful life path, while helping as many businesses as possible become mentoring cultures to bless and guide the next generation. However, over the past 3 ½ years, we’ve realized our current CWC model is not one size that fits all. Every school and business has their own needs and circumstances. Customizing CWC for every situation became daunting and required more time, energy, and staff. As the Navy’s grant ended this past December, CWC would require substantial fundraising and resources to move forward. And frankly, I never wanted to get on the fundraising treadmill.

And then one night, I believed God whispered to my mind, “Give CWC away.” It was a rather shocking thought, but one that made sense. If we truly want to remove all barriers for businesses and schools to be the heroes of their own stories by blessing the next generation, why not give them the tools and concepts of CWC free of charge to do with it as it fits their circumstances?

So, as a family, we have decided to offer all of the resources we have developed over the past 12 years and make them available to the world as a gift from our family. We have reduced our staff to just our family, none of us drawing a salary but working as volunteers on a part-time basis, as needed and as our schedules allow.  We will continue to fund CWC ourselves but are open to others joining us to pay it forward in helping other communities implement the vision of CWC, as additional resources are needed.

To gain access to the curriculum, videos, and training, we will simply ask you sign up as a member of the CWC community. And, of course, we are here for any questions and support.

Dave Hataj
July 2026