Jim Ponton

Jim Ponton is an experienced executive with a robust background in sales and management. As General Manager at Friedman Industries Inc since April 2022, Jim leads the Southwest division, focusing on strategy, customer relations, and high-performance sales. Prior to this role, Jim served as Vice President of Sales at Plateplus, Inc. from January 2018 to March 2022. Jim’s extensive career at Cargill spanned from January 1990 to January 2018, where various leadership roles included Sales Leader, Southern Region General Manager, and Southwest Regional General Manager, overseeing total P&L responsibilities across multiple locations. Jim began as an Outside Sales Representative, managing accounts in diverse regions. Jim holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin.