The Inside Scoop with Ian Scates – The Longest Summer Job

Ian Scates, President of Central Smith, Businessman Extraordinaire, and Jack of All Trades. These are a few ways to describe the leader of our team at Central Smith. He would describe his time at Central Smith as the “longest summer job ever.”

Central Smith is currently in its third generation of the Scates family. The company was purchased from the Andrews family back in 1978 by Ian’s father, Jim Scates, when the Scates family came to Peterborough. Ian started by helping out his family in 1979, and hasn’t looked back! Now in its third generation, Ian’s daughter Jillian Scates is currently working as a Project Manager. Central Smith has been in the Scates family for over 40 years, celebrating its 125th anniversary this year!

Ian has worked in almost every role at Central Smith. He knows the business through and through. Ian started his career at Central Smith by helping his father out for the Summer of 1979 as a millwright. That summer job turns into the longest summer job of his life! Ian has always been a fan of small business and was happy to get involved and work closely with his father. Ian has taken the time to learn each aspect of the business, he’s made ice cream mix, fixed machinery, organized business planning, driven trucks, inventory system planning, ordering systems, and much more!

Ian saw the potential in growing his family business, building the company to where it is today. Ian has grown what started as a small family business into a national manufacturer and distributor of high-quality premium ice cream and frozen dessert products. Central Smith maintains the family values that has made the company so great, even 40 years later!

Ian Scates is a dedicated member of his community and valued leader of Central Smith, earning the title of Business Citizen of the Year in 2020.