Administrative Professionals Day was Wednesday, April 23! The administrative professionals at Leggett & Platt are some of the most hard-working, unsung heroes of our business. They keep our departments running smoothly while wearing many hats – from managing schedules, organizing events, or ensuring our teams get paid on time, their roles are unique and dynamic.
To show our appreciation and say thank you – we’d like to introduce you to a few of the administrative professionals who epitomize our value of putting people first.
Meet Carolyn Stolarski. Carolyn joined Leggett & Platt Automotive 2.5 years ago as the Human Resources Administrator for the Global Automotive HR Team in Troy, MI.
As an HR Administrator, Carolyn wishes others understood the attention to detail required to do her job well. She spends a significant amount of time refining processes and improving the workday of their teams.
“What I enjoy most about my role is contributing to the development of more efficient processes for our HR team. By enhancing our efficiency, we can extend the same level of efficiency to our employees.”
Thank you, Carolyn, for your dedication to L&P Automotive and Leggett & Platt!
Administrative Professionals Day was Wednesday, April 23! The administrative professionals at Leggett & Platt are some of the most hard-working, unsung heroes of our business. They keep our departments running smoothly while wearing many hats – from managing schedules, organizing events, or ensuring our teams get paid on time, their roles are unique and dynamic.
To show our appreciation and say thank you – we’d like to introduce you to a few of the administrative professionals who epitomize our value of putting people first.
Meet Fran Liu. Fran joined Leggett & Platt Hydraulics 1.5 years ago as Finance Manager at Pacoma in Ningbo, China.
As a Finance Manager, Fran enjoys data-driven decision-making and working with cross-functional teams to align financial plans with business objectives.
“Finance provides a numerical foundation for business department decision-making, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of these decisions.”
Fran believes that in today’s dynamic business environment, the role of finance extends beyond traditional boundaries.
“Finance is not merely a recorder and supervisor but a partner and supporter. The more finance is involved in the design and optimization of business processes, the greater the efficiency and higher the quality of decisions.”
Thank you, Fran, for your dedication to your team and Leggett & Platt!
Administrative Professionals Day was Wednesday, April 23! The administrative professionals at Leggett & Platt are some of the most hard-working, unsung heroes of our business. They keep our departments running smoothly while wearing many hats – from managing schedules, organizing events, or ensuring our teams get paid on time, their roles are unique and dynamic.
Mariana
To show our appreciation and say thank you – we’d like to introduce you to a few of the administrative professionals who epitomize our value of putting people first.
Meet Mariana Fermin Gomez. Mariana joined Leggett & Platt in September as a Routing Coordinator at Leggett & Platt Flooring Products – Aurora but soon transitioned to Payroll/Receptionist.
Initially, the transition and changes in responsibility scared Mariana, but with time and determination, she grew more confident and is proud of her accomplishments. She credits her supportive coworkers with helping her significantly improve her English, even though her primary language is Spanish.
“Working with people from different nationalities and cultures, all united by the same goal of personal and company growth makes me proud to be part of Leggett & Platt.”
Kim Dolder, Regional Human Resource Manager, calls Mariana “a rising star” of Aurora.
Thank you, Mariana, for all you do for Leggett & Platt!
Administrative Professionals Day is Wednesday, April 23! The administrative professionals at Leggett & Platt are some of the most hard-working, unsung heroes of our business. They keep our departments running smoothly while wearing many hats – from managing schedules, organizing events, or ensuring our teams get paid on time, their roles are unique and dynamic.
To show our appreciation and say thank you, we’d like to introduce you to a few of the administrative professionals who epitomize our value of putting people first.
Meet Vaishak Unnikrishnan! Vaishak joined Leggett & Platt Hydraulics 4.5 years ago as Senior Executive – Human Resources Generalist at Precision Hydraulic Cylinders in Chennai, India.
One of the most enjoyable parts of Vaishak’s role is the opportunity to interact with employees and understand their professional wants and needs.
Reflecting on his role, Vaishak shared, “Every day, I face new challenges that help me develop my problem-solving skills. I have learned more than I could have imagined. It’s been a great ride, and I’m excited for what the future holds.”
Thank you, Vaishak, for your dedication to Leggett & Platt. We appreciate you!
Administrative Professionals Day is Wednesday, April 23! The administrative professionals at Leggett & Platt are some of the most hard-working, unsung heroes of our business. They keep our departments running smoothly while wearing many hats – from managing schedules, organizing events, or ensuring our teams get paid on time, their roles are unique and dynamic.
To show our appreciation and say thank you – we’d like to introduce you to a few of the administrative professionals who epitomize our value of putting people first.
Meet Louetta Hanson. Louetta joined Leggett & Platt Hydraulics in 2023 as an Executive Administrative Assistant at Precision Hydraulic Cylinders in Wilmington, NC.
As an Executive Administrative Assistant, Louetta enjoys every aspect of her role but especially collaborating with and helping her colleagues.
“I wish everyone understood the dynamic nature of my role and how rewarding it is to assist my colleagues with a variety of tasks. It brings a great sense of accomplishment.”
Thank you, Louetta, for your dedication to Leggett & Platt. We appreciate you!
At L&P, our mission is to build businesses and a culture that are sustainable for generations to come, and Barry Haubner, Energy Manager, is helping us do just that!
After graduating college, Barry’s first job involved scheduling natural gas for one of the first deregulated natural gas suppliers. From there, he discovered energy consulting and focused on helping clients use less energy and spend less on energy.
Barry
Barry joined L&P in October of 2024 and has been helping our businesses with energy management since. We asked Barry to share about his role at L&P and how he incorporates sustainability into his personal life.
Tell us about your role.
I help our branches with all things energy – everything from helping our branches purchase their energy, reviewing renewable energy proposals, calculating energy efficiency savings, and working with local utilities to ensure our branches are on the lowest cost tariff rates.
Our Sustainability team is also working on a decarbonization plan. I am constantly surprised at how many different areas our team supports L&P’s operations. It seems like I learn about a new one every week.
What do you find most rewarding about your role?
Helping. It is so rewarding to have the experience and background to help our branches navigate the murky waters of energy management.
How do you incorporate sustainable practices in your own life?
I use a water bottle, buy local as much as possible, grow a garden, compost food waste, and we make our own cleaning products.
Thank you, Barry, for your dedication to sustainability in your personal life and Leggett & Platt!
Administrative Professionals Day is Wednesday, April 23! The administrative professionals at Leggett & Platt are some of the most hard-working, unsung heroes of our business. They keep our departments running smoothly while wearing many hats – from managing schedules, organizing events, or ensuring our teams get paid on time, their roles are unique and dynamic.
To show our appreciation and say thank you – we’d like to introduce you to a few of the administrative professionals who epitomize our value of putting people first.
Meet Deb Veronda. Deb joined Leggett & Platt Flooring Products – Sponge Cushion in Morris, Illinois, 17 years ago as a Human Resources Assistant.
As an HR Assistant, Deb has enjoyed playing an important and supportive role that has allowed her to work with people at all levels of the company. She’s enjoyed the collaboration, camaraderie, and problem-solving together as a team.
“In this role, you have to wear many different hats, and you never know which one you’ll need when you wake up in the morning. I love that every day brings a new adventure.”
Kim Dolder, Regional Human Resource Manager, calls Deb “the glue” of Sponge Cushion.
Thank you, Deb, for your dedication to your team and Leggett & Platt!
At L&P, our mission is to build businesses and a culture that are sustainable for generations to come, and Melanie Koenig, our ESG Governance Specialist, is helping us do just that.
Melanie
Melanie joined Leggett & Platt in September 2024, bringing over five years of experience in the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) industry. She began her career focusing on corporate philanthropy and the social aspects of ESG, before advancing into environmental and governance roles within manufacturing and B2B businesses. Melanie’s lifelong love of nature inspired her to pursue a career in Sustainability.
Tell us about your role.
I work closely with Legal Compliance and our individual branches to ensure L&P complies with ESG and sustainability regulations worldwide. I also manage our internal sustainability reporting software and support important projects such as our annual Sustainability Report and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory.
What do you find most rewarding about your job?
I enjoy supporting our branches and helping them achieve their sustainability goals, as well as celebrating the progress we make as a company moving forward and expanding our sustainability programming.
Can you share any of the team’s recent milestones?
This year, we launched our first Water, Waste, and Scope 3 Inventories and increased our score on the 2024 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA).
How do you incorporate sustainable practices in your own life?
I love shopping at my local farmer’s market, planting native flowers and plants in my yard, and washing my clothes with cold water and air-drying them, when possible, to conserve electricity.
Thank you, Melanie, for your dedication to sustainability in your personal life and Leggett & Platt!
Administrative Professionals Day is Wednesday, April 23! The administrative professionals at Leggett & Platt are some of the most hard-working, unsung heroes of our business. They keep our departments running smoothly while wearing many hats – from managing schedules, organizing events, or ensuring our teams get paid on time, their roles are unique and dynamic.
Diane
To show our appreciation and say thank you – we’d like to introduce you to a few of the administrative professionals who epitomize our value of putting people first.
Meet Diane Fourmentin. Diane joined Leggett & Platt Aerospace in March 2023 as an Executive Assistant at Specitubes in Samer, France.
As an Executive Assistant, Diane enjoys working alongside management and providing support on a daily basis. However, what truly drives her is a passion for internal communication.
“A large part of my role is about creating connections between employees – whether it’s creating an internal magazine, organizing events, or designing communication materials. I love to make messages more attractive and reinforce the feeling of belonging within the company.”
The role of an Executive Assistant is often misunderstood. This is especially true for Diane, whose responsibilities extend beyond traditional duties to ensuring unified messaging across the branch.
“I’m involved in various tasks that, even if sometimes unnoticed, are essential to the company’s daily operations and support the management team. My role is unique because, unlike a traditional Executive Assistant, I also handle internal communications.”
“Since my arrival, I’ve ensured that Leggett is more present in our communications, proudly reflecting our belonging to a large group while retaining our French heritage. This fosters cohesion and unites employees around shared values. I’m delighted that my work has been recognized during internal audits and appreciated by our customers, as it reflects a dynamic and reliable image of the company.”
Thank you, Diane, for your dedication to Specitubes and Leggett & Platt. We appreciate you!
At L&P, we’re inspired by our colleagues who go above and beyond to enhance our businesses. In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re sharing stories of women at L&P who have improved our products and processes with their creativity and leadership.
We’d like to recognize Roseann Chester, Production Manager for L&P Flooring Products – Sponge Cushion in Morris, Illinois!
Early Determination and Career Growth
Roseann began her career with Leggett & Platt 36 years ago. Prior to joining Leggett, she was a single teenage mom working three jobs trying to provide for her children. Her mother, an employee at Sponge Cushion, encouraged her to apply for a position. Despite not having any job experience, Roseann was persistent and called Human Resources every day for two months, requesting an interview. Her persistence paid off.
“I am a very determined individual and when I put my mind to something – I’m going to make it happen.”
Over the years, Roseann has worked every position on the production line and was promoted to Production Manager last month, overseeing all three shifts of employees at Sponge Cushion. She takes great pride in her role, always prioritizing customer satisfaction.
“I am old school and appreciate my job every day. I wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have our customers, so making them happy is my priority.”
Leadership and Teamwork
In her new leadership role, Roseann has already demonstrated her problem-solving skills. When faced with recent machine issues, she and her team successfully manufactured 14 different products that previously couldn’t run on the line. She credits her management team for fostering an environment where she can be creative and experiment without fear of failure.
“With the support of my current management team, I feel confident in my abilities and know that I can tackle any challenge and figure it out.”
Roseann has always faced challenges head-on. During the pandemic, the branch was facing staffing issues. Roseann spearheaded a cross-training initiative to ensure the production line could continue running. Her ability to adapt has also helped the business meet tight deadlines. Faced with a surge in orders and tight deadlines, Roseann sped up the machine, enabling the team to output more rubber pad and complete the orders on time.
“I love a challenge. When things get tricky, we just roll up our sleeves and find a way to get it done for our customers.”
Beyond production goals, Roseann fosters a culture of teamwork and mutual respect.
“I never ask my team to do anything I wouldn’t do myself. By working alongside them, I’ve shown that we’re all in this together, and they’ve shown me the same commitment in return.”
Thank you, Roseann, for your commitment to your team and Leggett & Platt. We are better because of you!
