About ION Strategy
R. Bruce McAdams
Fueled by growth. Rust Belt born. Operator at heart. I thrive in entrepreneurial organizations at inflection points where vision, experience, and deal-making are the path to scale.
I’m a growth-focused operator, investor, and board member who has built and scaled businesses from $100 million to over $1 billion in revenue. Raised in the Rust Belt and shaped by the work ethic that defines it, I bring strategic clarity, financial discipline, and people-first leadership to every organization I touch.
My background spans from the Big Four to the boardroom to the shop floor. I’ve served some of the most dynamic companies tackling transformative events internationally and domestically. As CEO, Executive Chairman, and M&A lead I succeed in building cultures and unlocking scale in complex, high-intensity businesses. I’ve guided teams through ownership transitions, economic crises, cybersecurity events, and explosive growth, always with a steady hand and a long-term view.
What defines my work today is what has always motivated me: getting in the trenches, making sense of what’s possible, and helping teams realize it. I created ION STRATEGY as the name behind this leadership philosophy - strategic energy for businesses at an inflection point.
If you are a founder, founder family, or investor in an industrial services business operating within a highly fragmented market - and you're ready for what's next - let's talk.