Michael Gordon Sr.
President/CEO
As a founding father, Mike Sr. has over 35 years of industry experience. Along with Greg Tench, the two started Tendon Manufacturing together in July of 1988. As a graduate of John Carroll University and Case Western Reserve University, Mike Sr. started Tendon Manufacturing with two kids and a third on the way (Michael Jr.). He and his wife, Claudia have five children and three grandchildren. When he is not at Tendon, Mike enjoys boating and taking in Cleveland sports.
Greg Tench
Vice President/COO
As one of the founding fathers, Greg has been in the industry for over 50 years (he did not want us to publish that because in his words, “People will guess how old I am.”). Greg has three children and nine grandchildren. When Greg is not at Tendon you can find him on a golf course or watching his grandchildren play sports.
Eric Dedic
Plant Manager
As a graduate of Lakewood High School, Eric started with Tendon in 1997 in our assembly department. Since then he has become an integral part of our daily operation. He manages three shifts of employees and knows our business inside and out. Eric has two children and they reside on the west side of Cleveland. During football season, you can bet that Eric is watching his beloved Browns. Outside of football season, Eric enjoys playing with his cats and taking pictures of them for Instagram. In his words, he’s the #CatDad.
Cleveland Sheet Metal Fabrication Shop
Precision, Made in the USA, Metal Fabrication and Manufacturing
Over 30 Years in The Metal Fabrication Industry
Awarded 6 Consecutive Years
History - Tendon Manufacturing Inc.
Cleveland, Ohio Machine Shop
Tendon Manufacturing was founded in July of 1988 by Michael Gordon Sr. and Greg Tench. Greg and Mike worked together at Warner and Swasey until 1987 and while working together, they formed what would become, a lifelong friendship. Greg knew the manufacturing side of the metal fabrication business and Mike knew how to handle the fiscal side, so they started Tendon (Combined their last names “Ten” & “don” to form Tendon). The company started as a general machine shop with just 6 employees. Sheet metal fabrication was added shortly after inception, and now in 2016, Tendon employs over 75 highly skilled metal fabricators in our 50,000 square foot facility located in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. Tendon is unique in the metal fabrication & manufacturing industry because of the full service nature of the company. Whether it is laser cutting parts, welding, machining, forming, assembling, powder coating, prototype designing or 3D printing, Tendon offers everything in between for their clients and operates 24/7.
Growth of Tendon Manufacturing Inc.
Since 1988, Tendon has grown from being a small machine shop in Cleveland, Ohio to a national company conducting business across the world. Today, you can find Tendon manufactured parts in big box stores, hospitals, lighting stores, marinas, office buildings, professional stadiums, tanning salons, vehicles and many other places. Tendon Manufacturing has grown year over year since 1988 due to our constant effort in cross-training employees, expanding our sheet metal fabrication capabilities and by investing in our customers. At Tendon, we find great satisfaction in seeing our customers succeed and we continue to grow with each of our clients.
Tendon Manufacturing Inc.
Tendon Manufacturing
09.317.3 ISO 9001:2015 with design
ABOUT TENDON MANUFACTURING
6th year in a row Tendon Manufacturing (Cleveland, Ohio) has been awarded a 2022 Top Workplaces honor by The Plain Dealer. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by Workplace Dynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection, just to name a few.
“The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits.” says Doug Claffey, CEO of Workplace Dynamics. “But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together. Claffey adds, “Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn’t have a shot at being named a Top Workplace.”
Tendon Manufacturing Administrative Team
Kathy Thomas
Office Manager
Since 1996, Kathy has made it her mission to facilitate the needs of Tendon and its customers. She began as a customer service representative and has since worked her way up to Office Manager. Whether it is following orders through production, seeking resolutions with vendors or communicating directly with customers, Kathy can do it all! We assume Kathy obtained these skills by being married to Doug for over 30 years or by her two children: Hannah and David.
Royce LeMar
Quality Manager
An Army Veteran, Royce has over 28 years of experience in the sheet metal fabrication industry and has been with Tendon since 2008. Royce started at Tendon as a press brake operator and has since transitioned into being our Quality Manager. Royce has two quality supervisors on different shifts to help with inspections. Royce is the proud father to five children.
Tom Tench
Head of Engineering
Tom is a graduate of the University of Toledo and has been in the industry for over 25 years. He came to Tendon full-time in 1994. Tom does most of the programming and product development along with helping
clients improve their designs. If you want a lesson on "K Factors," give Tom a call. When he is not at Tendon, Tom can be found at a local lake fishing
with his son, Evan and his wife, Shawnda.
Michael Gordon Jr.
Sales Manager
Growing up, Michael worked his summer breaks at Tendon while attending St. Ignatius High School and in college at Xavier University. After working in sales for the past six years at a corporate company, Michael rejoined Tendon in January 2016. With his return came a promise that the ideals and values that were established in 1988 will be carried out for years to come. Michael, his wife Rachael and their four kids live on the South-side of Cleveland.
Wayne Coleman
Maintenance Manager
As an Army Veteran, Wayne Coleman has been with Tendon Manufacturing for over ten years. He started in our paint department and has worked in every department since. In 2014 Wayne was promoted to Maintenance Manager in which he manages and maintains all of Tendon’s equipment. From scheduling machine maintenance to performing the maintenance himself, Wayne is the true definition of a “gear head.” Do not ask him what is wrong with a machine unless you have a half hour to learn about how the machine functions! When he is not repairing machines, Wayne can be found on the nearest interstate riding his motorcycle (which he changes the powder coating color on his rims weekly).
Jerry Dent
Quality Supervisor
As a Marine Corps Veteran, Jerry has been in the industry since 1994 and with Tendon for five years. He started as a press brake operator and has
since transitioned into being a Second and Third Shift Supervisor. He has four kids (his son Miles is a press brake operator on our third shift) and has twelve grandchildren. When he is not at Tendon, Jerry is either playing with his
grandchildren or as he explains, "throwing weights around the gym." Only a few people know that Jerry is a licensed personal trainer.
Lahni Moore
Payables & Receivables
Lahni has been with Tendon since 2005. She started as a receptionist and has since taken over the AP/AR responsibilities. Lahni is the mother of one daughter and when she is not at Tendon you can find her watching Columbus Blue Jackets’ games.
Adam Gordon
H. R. & Purchasing
Like Michael, Adam grew up in the world of metal fabrication. However, he chose a different path as a special education teacher after graduating from Ohio State. The idea of working alongside his family grew too enticing after a while and he is happy to call Tendon home once again. Adam, his wife Carolyn and their son Lou, reside on the west side of Cleveland where they enjoy time on the lake and suffer through Browns’ season each year.
TEAMWORK...
together we achieve the extraordinary.
Tendon Manufacturing, Mike Gordon on the Cover of COSE Update
Excerpt from Article:
By KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE
"Everyone bemoans the death of manufacturing, but it's simply not true," notes Gordon. Today, the products churning out of these operations are highly engineered.
Cleveland is a right-sized city for business, with resources necessary for global competition.
Tendon Manufacturing, Inc.
CO-Founder / President /CEO
Mike Gordon Sr.
A Metal Fabrication, Machine Shop & Manufacturing Company
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