03/30/2026
Family legacy and trust drove JR Machine deal with Schneider Resources Holding
March 17, 2026
JR MachineSchneider Resources HoldingParker TumanicPaul SchneiderTim Tumanic
BizTimes Media
By Ashley Smart
March 13, 2026
BizTimes managing editor Arthur Thomas (center) moderated the keynote discussion with Paul Schneider (left) of Schneider Resources Holding and Parker Tumanic, former owner and president of JR Machine, on how their 2024 transaction came together. Photo credit: Maredithe Meyer/BizTimes
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The annual M&A Forum was held at the Brookfield Conference Center. Photo credit: Maredithe Meyer/BizTimes
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Parker Tumanic, limited partner and prior owner and president of JR Machine. Photo credit: Maredithe Meyer/BizTimes
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Paul Schneider, principal of Schneider Resources Holding. Photo credit: Maredithe Meyer/ BizTimes
A desire to keep growing his family’s legacy business led Parker Tumanic, limited partner and prior owner and president at Shawano-based JR Machine, to strike a deal with an unlikely partner — Schneider Resources Holding.
In May 2024, Schneider Resources Holding acquired a majority ownership stake in JR Machine, a contract manufacturer specializing in complex machined parts. That deal was the subject of a keynote discussion at BizTimes Media’s annual M&A Forum held Thursday.
Schneider Resources Holding is a family-owned private investment company headquartered in Green Bay. The family office was launched shortly after Green Bay-based trucking company Schneider National, Inc. went public in 2017.
“As part of our IPO, we decided that we would make a commitment to the Wisconsin economy and we also decided we would make a bet on Wisconsin businesses,” said Paul Schneider, principal at Schneider Resources Holding.
JR Machine has experienced substantial growth by pivoting to the precision machining of complex parts from nickel-based superalloys, such as Inconel. These alloys are in high demand among companies in space exploration and other emerging markets.
JR Machine was started in the ’90s by Parker’s father, Tim Tumanic. Together, the duo always strived to make better, more complex parts. This landed the company in the gas and oil industries from 2014 through 2019. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, JR Machine lost nearly half of its sales. The need to reinvent the business was apparent.
“We saw what was going on with the space exploration market. In 2020, we spent time getting additional certifications and learning how to cut Inconel,” said Tumanic. “We put together a marketing program, went to the West Coast, and started working that. That was our entry into the space exploration programs.”
From 2021 through 2023, JR Machine experienced exponential growth.
“You only have so many resources that you can do skillfully running the company and also financially,” said Tumanic. “You take the risk off the table when you see all the things coming up, especially if you need to support a program as big as the space program.”
Initially, Parker and Tim were working with a private equity firm to bring the business to market. After reaching the “ninth inning of closing,” they decided to step away from a deal.
“I think if it doesn’t feel right, especially if you’ve got a family legacy, you got to be bold enough to say that, you know this isn’t the great deal, but there’ll be another deal,” said Tumanic.
Closing the deal
Schneider learned about JR Machine though an executive who used to work at his family’s business. That executive was considering taking on a job at JR Machine, but they were concerned about having a long-term owner in place to lead the business.
“He called me and said, ‘I don’t think these guys are all in on owning this business long term, but I wouldn’t work there unless I knew the owner would be a long-term, committed owner.’ He said we’d be perfect for this opportunity,” said Schneider.
He started talking with Parker and Tim on a Friday and by Monday, the initial framework for a deal began to emerge. Even though the father and son team walked away from an initial deal, Schneider said the pair was able to reassure any concerns he had.
“I think, because they had the right team, and then the way they talked me through the situation, I would have done the same thing,” said Schneider. “It felt like it would be the type of decision that I would make. I actually felt comfortable about it.”
Trust was instrumental in closing the deal, especially with JR Machine working in a newly emerging industry and not yet having a long track record of success in aerospace.
“There’s times in business when something feels right,” said Schneider. “I know the president of SpaceX through a board, and she was obviously growing a company like hotcakes, and so I trusted them.”
From Tumanic’s point of view, building trust between his family and Schneider’s team was easy. Every person involved in the deal could relate to working for their family’s legacy company.
“If I’m in the grocery store and I run in to one of my employees, I want to feel comfortable with who I handed my business to,” said Tumanic. “I think everybody here can relate to that.”
Schneider added that the ease at which he could reach Parker and Tim at any time further reassured him.
“At times when you’re negotiating, you just have get things done. One Saturday, I called them to say let’s split the difference on this one — let’s get this done. I had that access, which I thought was important,” said Schneider.
Both parties also used representation and warranty insurance throughout the process of negotiating the deal, providing further reassurance to everyone involved.
Once a deal was finalized, Parker, Tim and Paul all approached the JR Machine team together to “tell the news as it was.”
The company hosted a town hall for all JR Machine employees and then hosted one-on-ones with anyone who had additional questions. Showing employees that both ownership parties were on the same page and forging a true partnership was critical to making them feel comfortable.
“We assured everybody that this was for the greater good of the company. Looking back, it’s been almost two years, and we’ve had employees come up to us and say we were right,” said Tumanic.
Since the deal has closed, he’s remained with the business, getting to choose his path. Tumanic said he loves the technology and pricing components of the business. Getting to provide input there continues to give him joy, he said. Tim has since reached retirement age.
“Without Parker and Tim, you know, we wouldn’t be nearly where we are right now,” said Schneider.
