After two years of dedicated service founding the Women’s ERG, the Core Leadership Team – Suzanne Hall, Samantha Howell, and Julie Kampling – transitioned from their leadership roles earlier this month.

We are excited to welcome our new Core Leaders – Amber Jewett, Lauren McMahan, Jacque Sappington, and Cari Southern – who will lead the ERG through 2027.

Amber is the Senior Global Governance Manager for Leggett & Platt Automotive (LPA), responsible for governing master data, business processes, systems, and controls standardization across all LPA branches. Outside of Leggett, Amber participates in Greater Joplin Toastmasters, is an advocate for the National Eczema Association, and volunteers with her local church’s youth programs.

Lauren started her career at Leggett & Platt 12 years ago, supporting our Textile segment, Hanes Companies, in Sales and Operations. In 2017, Lauren joined Human Resources and now serves as the Director of Human Resources for Hanes Companies. When Lauren isn’t working, she is busy with her children’s activities, gardening, traveling to the Florida Gulf Beaches, and watching college football (Roll Tide!).

Jacque is a Senior Tax Manager in our Corporate Tax function responsible for sales and use tax for our North American Branches and Companies. Outside of Leggett, she enjoys watching the University of Arkansas football, doing diamond art, and volunteering with the Carthage Club of Soroptimists. 

Cari started at Leggett & Platt 26 years ago, and after various roles is now the Vice President of S&OP and Governance of Automotive. Her busiest and most important role is being a mom – if she isn’t working, you can find her transporting her two boys, Chapman and Colton, to their sporting events and cheering them from the sidelines.

The Women’s ERG will continue to be advised by Executive Champion, Sam Smith, Executive Vice President and President of Furniture Flooring and Textile Products. Sam will help provide overall strategic direction for the ERG based on Leggett & Platt’s ID&E objectives.

Congratulations to Amber, Lauren, Jacque, and Cari!

As we wrap up this year, we invited colleagues around the world to reflect on and share their achievements, challenges, and goals.

Denise Johnson, Branch Manager

As I reflect on 2024, it hit me how difficult this year was for me. My family faced unimaginable grief after the death of my 4-month-old grandson. My work team had to make extremely difficult personnel decisions to right-size the business. These were painful moments.

As a mother and leader, I tried to stay strong and continue to do what needed to be done. Women are conditioned to carry the heavy burdens of balancing work and home life, but we must lean on others, ask for help, and show our vulnerability. I was constantly impressed with how my family and coworkers pulled together to support each other. When someone was struggling, someone else stepped up to carry the heavy load. We learned, we grew, we adapted, and we are more resilient because of it.

This year, I learned to ask for help, to delegate more, and to let go of the things that can wait. More importantly, I also learned to accept support from my family, friends, and coworkers. Putting people first, and allowing yourself to be put first, is the most important thing we can do in our personal and professional life. Sometimes it is hard, but it is always worth it!

Travis Brown, Purchasing Manager

This year, I learned not to underestimate the value of a strong network. Over the years, I’ve strived to maintain healthy relationships with suppliers, regardless of business conditions. This proved beneficial while navigating volatile markets and challenging dynamics throughout the year.

I’ve tried to help others as much as I can, as the cries for help have been loud this year. Whether it be hurricane relief efforts for communities devastated by storms or giving an elderly neighbor a ride somewhere, we all have opportunities to help others. I’m both humbled and challenged to do more.

When it comes to recharging for the coming year, spending quality time with my family is always a blessing. I plan to do whatever allows me the most time with each of them. Bowling is a favorite for our group, but a weekend trip to the beach refreshes like no other.

As we wrap up this year, we invited colleagues around the world to reflect on and share their achievements, challenges, and goals.

Adony Huang, Director of Operations, Motor & Actuator LPA

This year, I was promoted from a branch manager to an operation director for motors and actuators in our Automotive business.

We strengthened and optimized our management team, added two new automatic production lines, and improved overall equipment effectiveness for existing lines. We also significantly reduced total scrap rate, lowered costs across the business with a ‘do-more-with-less’ spirit, and increased profit growth for three Automotive branches in Asia.

Facing challenges in the current market, I will continue to challenge the status quo within our Automotive branches in Asia, as well as build and implement an automation roadmap to improve our manufacturing cost competitiveness.

Chelsea Thomas, Shift Manager

I began my career on the shop floor as a production operative and have been with L&P for nine years. I’ve had many opportunities to grow, and most recently, I was delighted to be promoted to a shift manager!

I’ve had a lot of support through the years, and now, I am committed to supporting others and helping them achieve great results for the business and their career aspirations as well.

I hope 2025 is a successful year for everyone at L&P, and I am excited to see what the future holds.

As we wrap up this year, we invited colleagues around the world to reflect on and share their achievements, challenges, and goals.

Christalena Peña, Global Learning & Development Specialist

Personal and Professional Growth

This year has been a journey of significant growth for me. Professionally, I’ve expanded my skills in questioning techniques. Honing this skill has deepened my understanding of diverse learning needs and preferences, resulting in enhanced learning experiences. By staying curious and committed to growth, we can navigate change with confidence and resilience. 

On a personal level, I’ve focused on building resilience. Navigating this year’s challenges reminded me how important it is to maintain a positive mindset and be agile. This resilience helps me stay grounded and motivated.

Additionally, I’ve made a conscious effort to prioritize work-life balance. By setting clear boundaries and making time for self-care, I’ve maintained my well-being and brought my best self to both my professional and personal life.

Lessons Learned

One key lesson I’ve learned this year is the importance of embracing adaptability. Facing various challenges, I realized that adaptability isn’t just about reacting to change but also about being proactive and open to new ideas.

In our learning and development efforts at L&P, this meant shifting to a more flexible and personalized leadership development program. This approach helps us better meet the diverse needs of our partners, fostering a more inclusive learning environment. This is just the beginning of the work my team is doing.

Preparing for Next Year

Recharging and preparing for the coming year means spending quality time with those who energize me and engaging in activities that bring joy and relaxation. For me, this looks like doing all things that are festive, revisiting a few of my favorite books, spending time outdoors, and reflecting on the past year. Additionally, I’ll ensure that self-care remains a priority by incorporating regular exercise, mindfulness practices, and healthy habits into my routine.

To prepare for the upcoming year, I will focus on revisiting my personal and professional brand and setting goals that align with that. I like to start by asking myself, ‘what do I want to be known for and where am I in relation to achieving that?‘ I also like to break my goals down into manageable time frames, like quarterly.

By balancing rest and reflection with proactive planning, I aim to enter the new year with renewed energy and a clear sense of direction. I will be writing more about this in my LinkedIn newsletter: Conquer Your Career. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead and look forward to continuing our journey of growth and learning together.

As we wrap up this year, we invited colleagues around the world to reflect on and share their achievements, challenges, and goals.

Jerrick Williams, Director of Sales

Personal and Professional Growth

This year has been a time of significant personal and professional growth, as I got married and became a dad. These new roles have given me a fresh perspective on what truly matters—valuing time, living in the moment, and focusing on what’s important.

Every morning, I remind my daughter to be kind, confident, and be you. In today’s world, kindness can often be lost in the chaos, and it’s easy to compare ourselves to others or change who we are to fit in. This simple mantra has become a guiding principle in both my personal and professional life.

Professionally, these changes have shaped how I approach my career. As I’ve stepped into my new role as Director of Sales, managing my time effectively and balancing the demands of my team, our customers, and my family have been key priorities.

Ultimately, this year has taught me the importance of balance and flexibility. I’ve learned that growth comes from embracing new responsibilities with an open mind and that being truly present—whether at home or at work—requires continuous adjustment and mindfulness. I feel better prepared to tackle new challenges, both personally and professionally, as I continue to evolve in these new roles.

Lessons Learned

One lesson I learned this year is the importance of embracing uncertainty and flexibility.

At the start of this year, I had a very clear picture of what I wanted to accomplish and how things should unfold. But as the months went by, I realized that life doesn’t always follow a predictable path. Whether it was changes at work, unexpected personal events, or simply plans falling through, I had to learn to adapt and stay open to new possibilities.

I learned that resilience isn’t just about pushing through difficulties—it’s about being willing to pivot, adjust expectations, and find opportunities. I’ve become more comfortable with the unknown and less afraid of things not going as planned.

So, my takeaway this year is this: life is unpredictable and embracing unpredictability can open new paths you never imagined.

Preparing for Next Year

On a personal level, I’m looking forward to spending quality time with my family and friends, cherishing the simple moments that make life so special.

Professionally, I’m optimistic about what 2025 will bring—new opportunities for growth and success, both for our customers and L&P. I plan to take some time over the holidays to step back, relax, and reflect on the past year—what worked well, what didn’t, and what lessons I carry into 2025. I plan to review my personal and professional goals, reassess my priorities, and set clear attainable goals for 2025.

As we wrap up this year, we invited colleagues around the world to reflect on and share their achievements, challenges, and goals.

Jennifer Birch, Service Desk Analyst II

An important lesson I learned this year is that working remotely requires resilience and intentional communication!

I appreciate my network because it provides support to grow and adapt while working remotely. My role in the Service Desk gives me a unique opportunity to connect with most branches and departments, and our Women’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) utilizes a virtual platform to reinforce the value of community and open dialogue. These relationships have helped me connect to the L&P community and do my job even better.

T Raja Chidambaram, Assistant Manager

This year, I began working with a global team on machine building and improvement projects. We plan to manufacture machines for our global plant, and my goal is to install five machines worldwide next year.

This coming year, I aim to advance to the next level in my career and visit the United States for the first time!

A lesson I want to share is that success takes time, but with hard work and patience, we’ll always succeed!

Jodie Rudd, Project Group Manager

In 2024, I learned to lean into hard challenges and am encouraging others to do the same.

It’s hard to “grow” if we’re not challenging ourselves.