Following an extensive national search, Central States Inc. is excited to announce Kurt Weaver as the incoming chief executive officer for the enterprise business, including Central States Manufacturing, Central States Building Works, and Elevate Structures.
The appointment comes more than two years after current CEO Jim Sliker was elected chairman of the board for Central States Inc. and will enable him to fully transition into his position leading the board of directors. Sliker will work closely with Weaver throughout 2026 to support his onboarding and ensure a smooth transition. Weaver assumes the role on June 1, 2026, at the Tontitown, Arkansas headquarters location, and will begin building relationships with the employee-owners, customers, and suppliers upon his arrival.
“Following a comprehensive and rigorous search process, the board is confident that Kurt is the right leader to guide Central States into its next phase of growth,” said Christopher Harrison, lead director on the Central States board. “His track record of scaling businesses, operational depth, and alignment with our values make him a strong fit for our employee-owned culture.”
Kurt Weaver
Weaver comes to Central States with more than 30 years of experience in the automotive and flooring sectors, bringing with him a foundation in operational excellence. In his most recent role, president of Mohawk Industries’ Resilient Flooring division, he successfully grew the business to more than $1 billion in annual revenue by focusing on product development, market expansion, and operational efficiency.
Weaver has a strong engineering and continuous improvement background, holding a Bachelor of Science degree from Ferris State University and an MBA from Michigan State University. In his previous roles at Toyoda Gosei, a multi-billion-dollar subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, Weaver held leadership positions in sales, engineering, and administration, before being named President of Toyoda’s truck business. Under his leadership, the business saw substantial growth in both the top and bottom lines. His tenure in the role was characterized by a focus on quality and innovation, as he fostered a culture of excellence within the organization.
He has also served in sales and engineering roles for both Ruecker Engineering and American Sunroof.
Weaver is known for his ability to rally his teams around a shared vision and consistently seeking opportunities to fix and enhance processes. He has earned the reputation in business of leading with humility, teamwork, and genuine care for people, while fostering a high-energy environment that actively pursues continuous improvement.
“I am excited to join the team at Central States – recognizing the alignment of the company culture with my team-based leadership style made the decision to join the company easy,” Weaver said. “That decision was further supported by meeting a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic team. I'm also looking forward to moving to the area and enjoying all the outdoor activities Arkansas has to offer. I would like to thank Jim and the Central States board of directors for making the rigorous recruitment process valuable for everyone.”
Jim Sliker
Sliker has served as Central States CEO since 2013, joining the company after a 20-year career in the automotive industry. Under Sliker’s leadership, Central States entered a period of unprecedented growth, including new manufacturing plant openings in South Dakota, Kentucky, Texas, Pennsylvania, Missouri, South Carolina, and Utah. During this period, Central States also expanded its Pre-Engineered Metal Building (PEMB) offering with the opening of a new metal frame plant in Springdale, AR, and added construction capabilities and the patented Alpha Framing System™ with the acquisition of longtime customer Storage Structures, later rebranding the company Elevate Structures.
As chairman of the board for Central States Inc., Sliker will continue to provide leadership for the seven-member board to ensure effective governance, strategic oversight, and accountability of executive leadership in collaboration with the third-party trustee to represent the interests of the 1,300 employee owners of the company.
Sliker will continue to reside in Northwest Arkansas and serve the community and business as needed.
“Serving as CEO has been a blessing and the highlight of my career,” Sliker said. “I am proud of what the collective Central States team has built together over the years. As I move more fully into this next chapter, I have full confidence in Kurt as our new CEO. He brings a deep background and a strong alignment with our purpose, values, and culture. I look forward to supporting him and the leadership team as we continue to innovate to better serve our customers.
About Central States
Central States, Inc. is a 100% employee-owned company founded in 1988. With more than 1,300 employee-owners and 13 manufacturing facilities across the United States, Central States serves thousands of commercial, architectural, post-frame, and residential customers through three operating business units – Central States Manufacturing, a nationwide manufacturer of metal roofing, siding, walls, doors, and other components, Central States Building Works, an all-inclusive solution for material only metal building packages, including self-storage and PEMB, and Elevate Structures, a leader in mid-rise, multi-story construction, and the developers of the proprietary Alpha Framing System™.