Culture | Life at Leggett

L&P Celebrates Manufacturing Day

On October 7, L&P joined manufacturers across the United States to celebrate Manufacturing (MFG) Day.

MFG Day gives us a chance to celebrate our amazing employees who further our mission to produce quality products for our customers and allows us to showcase the opportunities in modern manufacturing.

To celebrate, our Carthage Spring branch hosted an in-person MFG Day event, inviting the local community and schools to tour the facility, check out one of our semi-trailer trucks, enjoy a cookout lunch, play cornhole, and win L&P merchandise. Some L&P employees invited their families to the branch so they could show them what they do while at work.

L&P also participated in the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Virtual MFG Day livestream. During the livestream, Randall Wood, VP of Manufacturing-Spring and Foam, gave a presentation and answered questions from students and teachers across Missouri. You can watch the Virtual MFG Day recording here.

We are proud to provide manufacturing jobs across the United States and we have many open positions! Join us today: Find Your Career at Leggett & Platt

Oct 17 2022

By Life@Leggett

United Way Spotlight: Carthage Crisis Center

Leggett & Platt fosters a culture of giving, encouraging our employees to Do Some Good. Throughout the course of our local United Way campaign, we will shine a spotlight on several of the incredible agencies that United Way serves in our community. Times may be difficult, but we have witnessed communities rising to meet these hard moments. If in a position to give this year, we encourage you to support your local agency, too.

In 1996, leaders of several local Carthage churches felt a calling to help feed the homeless. This group banded together to start the non-profit Carthage Crisis Center, a shelter that provides emergency transitional housing to those experiencing homelessness and hunger.

The center’s mission is faith-based. The Carthage Crisis Center addresses the long-term problem of homelessness through spiritual growth and community support.

“Transitional housing is our main focus,” said Jim Benton, Executive Director. “We provide counseling, a room, and an environment of accountability so that people can overcome life’s obstacles.”

Today, thanks to the partnership with United Way and community support, Carthage Crisis Center provides 45 beds for men, women, and families in a 44,000-square-foot facility.

“Because of the support of our community, we have seen lives changed,” said Benton. “People who were substance abusers are now contributing members of society—families torn apart by poverty are united and restored.”

To learn more or volunteer, visit Carthage Crisis Center online.

Oct 13 2022

By Life@Leggett

Ayudha Pooja: Honoring the Tools of Our Professions

L&P Automotive India recently celebrated Ayudha Pooja—meaning “worship of instruments”—as part of the Hindu festival Navaratri. The custom of pooja (Hindu prayer ritual) gives worshippers an opportunity to honor the tools and instruments used in their professions and to recognize the divine force behind these objects that provides prosperity.

This year, Navaratri was celebrated from September 26 to October 4, and Ayudha Pooja was commemorated on October 4. During the celebration, our teams decorated the entrances to the branch with fruit trees and colorful rangolis—art patterns created on the floor. Tools and machinery were deep cleaned, polished, and covered with turmeric and sandalwood paste. They were also adorned with floral garlands and fruits. To invite positive energy and protection, a Hindu priest performed homa rituals as offerings to the gods and sprayed holy water throughout the branch.

Following the celebration, a day of rest was given to the branch’s tools and machines as a sign of respect.

**The entrance to L&P Automotive India is decorated with fruit trees and *rangolis*.**

**Employees perform *pooja* near a Navaratri *Golu* display lined with dolls, figurines, gods, and goddesses. *Kalasam* pots are adorned with fruits and flowers for *pooja*.**

**Tools, machinery, and other objects used for work are adorned with flowers and fruits.**

**A woman lights an oil lamp to start the celebration. Offerings surround and sit on a brick altar for the *homa* rituals.**

Oct 12 2022

By Life@Leggett

United Way Mission

As we kick off our annual United Way campaign, we wanted to share the importance of giving to United Way and how its mission differs from other charities.

“When someone gives to United Way, they invest in a holistic approach to community impact,” said Duane Dreiling, the Executive Director of United Way Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas. “Because we fund programs that address education, health, and financial stability, their donation helps us support a variety of programs that can impact lives in many ways.”

United Way supports agencies that provide immediate needs to the community. “The impact is tangible,” said Barbara Wright, Executive Director of the Carthage Area United Way. “You are supporting the neighbor across the street trying to stretch their paycheck, the single mother who needs diapers or food due to rising inflation and gas prices, or the children caught in the crosshairs of divorce.”

United Way chooses its agencies annually through a thorough application process. “We want to ensure the agencies we fund provide high-quality service,” said Dreiling. “We also look for duplication of services. With limited community resources, we must assure donors that we are efficient with every dollar donated.”

United Way shares our value of putting people first. Annually, UW of Southwest Missouri/Southeast Kansas and Carthage UW serve over 76,000 members of the community. Wright said, “We talk about the hard problems communities face and ways to combat them, improve them, and live united together.”

Together, we can give hope where it’s needed most.

Care Partner Network

Our giving has an even greater impact. United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas has partnered with Freeman Health System and Mercy Hospital to coordinate the Care Partner Network.

The Care Partner Network is a collaboration of over 60 non-profits that use a tool called the “Unite Us Platform” to create a referral system. Hospitals and non-profits can make a referral for a service to someone in need, and the system can track the referral and see it to completion.

“We know we don’t solve community issues in a vacuum,” said Dreiling. “It takes collaboration, and now we have a tool to see it through.”

Oct 11 2022

By Life@Leggett

Walking to Save Lives

On October 1, Leggett & Platt helped sponsor the American Heart Association’s Four States Heart Walk.

Many L&P team members walked to raise money to support life-saving research and programs to aid in the fight against heart disease, the number one killer of all Americans.

Our “Leggett & Platt has Heart” team raised nearly $3,000, and L&P donated $2,500 as a corporate sponsor. Emily Studer, a team member in Human Resources, raised almost $400 individually.

Thank you to our team members who embody our value of putting people first and walked for the health of others!

Oct 05 2022

By Life@Leggett

L&P Celebrates Mexican Independence Day

Each year, Mexican Independence Day, which commemorates Mexico’s independence from Spain, is celebrated on September 16. This year, L&P employees at Sponge Cushion celebrated the holiday together for the first time with many employees enjoying conchas (Mexican sweet bread) and marking their roots on a map of Mexico. Information on the Mexican War of Independence and famous people from Mexico was displayed for employees to read at their leisure.

Barbara Bushey, Human Resource and Safety Manager, coordinated the event after a colleague suggested celebrating Mexican Independence Day. After doing some research, she began to understand why September 16 is important: “The Mexican people have much to celebrate. I wanted to honor their strength, perseverance, and contribution to Leggett & Platt.”

“A sense of pride”

We asked a few of our employees who celebrated at Sponge Cushion to share their impressions:

“I like to celebrate the independence of my country, and I am proud of my roots and my country.”
Manuel Aguilera

“I was so happy to see the board with the map and the banner. In my 30 years of working, I have never seen an employer recognize my country. It made me feel good.”
Gregoria Guerrero

“I enjoy celebrating this day with my family and friends at Sponge Cushion. I like the map so I can see where my coworkers are from, and having my name listed on the map gave me a sense of pride.”
Adrian Aguilera

“I enjoyed the Mexican sweet bread, and having my picture taken with my coworkers was fun, too.”
Rick DeVore

Pictured from left to right: Manuel Aguilera, Gregoria Guerrero, Adrian Aguilera, and Rick DeVore

Sep 26 2022

By Life@Leggett

Meet Maria Saucedo

During Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re inviting L&P employees to share about themselves and their Hispanic heritage.

Meet Maria Saucedo. She is a Conveyor Operator at Ennis Spring in Ennis, Texas, and has worked for Leggett & Platt for 29 years.

Maria and her team live out our value of doing great work together. “I enjoy working with my partner. I believe it’s important to have a partner, and you work well together,” says Maria. “It makes the job that much more enjoyable.”

I am very proud of my Hispanic heritage and the Hispanic people, and because of their hard work, this company has only improved.”

To learn more about the rich history, culture, and present-day stories of those that celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, check out the National Park Service for a comprehensive list of resources.

Sep 21 2022

By Life@Leggett

IT Professionals Day: Meet Aaron Carter

At L&P, our Information Technology (IT) professionals often work behind the scenes, providing around-the-clock support to keep us connected and protected against the latest cybersecurity threats. They also enhance our business systems and processes, making others’ jobs easier and our processes more efficient. On this IT Professionals Day, we want to spotlight some of our amazing colleagues in IT.

Meet Aaron Carter, Senior Help Desk Analyst.

Aaron recently celebrated his fourth year with L&P on September 4. Growing up, he enjoyed experimenting with technology and quickly learned the art of troubleshooting:

“Experimentation leads to breaking the family computer and frantically attempting to fix it before mom gets home. You eventually get good at it and turn a skill created from panic into a career path!

The best part of my job is getting to solve new problems. There is nothing more satisfying than running into a new issue, finding a resolution, and then seeing your fix used to quickly knock out similar problems in the future.”

When it comes to troubleshooting, Aaron’s approach is to not overthink it:

“My advice when working with a fresh issue is never skip the basics. Nine times out of 10, it’s going to be something simple that fixes the problem. There is truth behind the old question, ‘Have you tried restarting?‘”

L&P has many open IT positions! Join our dynamic and driven team of IT professionals today: Find Your Career at Leggett & Platt

Sep 20 2022

By Life@Leggett

IT Professionals Day: Meet Holly Miller

Meet Holly Miller, Software Engineer III – D365.

Holly joined L&P almost seven years ago. She chose to explore IT and software development because she originally knew nothing about these areas and was up for a challenge:

“I thrive on challenge, and taking on a completely new field was an opportunity to grow as a professional and expand my knowledge outside of its existing boundaries.

I do my job well by learning how others do theirs. I enjoy the challenge of troubleshooting issues and developing enhancements to our systems that help make others’ jobs at Leggett easier. I accept the challenge of understanding specific details and the big picture behind how our systems work in hopes to reduce complexity and increase productivity.“

To be successful in IT, Holly noted that being flexible and curious are helpful qualities to have:

“Be willing to adjust your focus and your priorities often. Make sure you have an interest in overcoming challenges and learning new things. IT software and systems change often, and to excel, it’s important to keep up.“

L&P has many open IT positions! Join our dynamic and driven team of IT professionals today: Find Your Career at Leggett & Platt

Sep 20 2022

By Life@Leggett

IT Professionals Day: Meet Dasin Peng

Meet Dasin Peng, Senior IT Manager.

Dasin has been with L&P for 21 years and currently leads our Global IT Support – China Team. While working, he aims to maintain “silence” while being “dynamic”:

“‘Silence’ means the IT infrastructure is well maintained with less disruption to business, and ‘Dynamic’ means we, the IT team, always manage to improve the business processes. I manage to keep the IT infrastructure running silently (smoothly) without users noticing and interact with the business teams on optimizing and improving their business processes through the iScala system.“

Dasin’s advice for IT professionals is to keep a service mindset and aim to deliver a more holistic solution:

“A service attitude means we not only serve the business but also “take the ownership”—we don’t simply do what the operations ask for, but instead, we try to understand it, think about it from more of an angle, and deliver a solution to fully address the demand and better integrate with other processes.“

L&P has many open IT positions! Join our dynamic and driven team of IT professionals today: Find Your Career at Leggett & Platt

Sep 20 2022

By Life@Leggett

Category Archives: Culture

Care Partner Network

“A sense of pride”