It’s been a fast and furious September for our employees at L&P Transportation (although some might say the world of transportation never slows down!). During the last few months, they have been working to add to the team of company truck drivers. Because L&P Transportation is a for-hire transportation provider, our drivers play a critical role in moving goods across the country.
Christine Kost, Driver Recruiter, with one of our drivers, Mike Allen, at a recent job expo for veterans.
Christine Kost has been with L&P Transportation since June and was hired specifically to engage and recruit new drivers. “I love my job,” Christine said. “I have the gift of gab, which serves me well in this role because I get to talk with so diverse types of people during recruiting events. Drivers come from all walks of life, and I get to know them pretty well.”
To meet new candidates and promote L&P, Christine and the Transportation team have attended numerous recruiting events over the past few weeks. Christine has been eager to showcase L&P since we have a lot to offer potential drivers. “We’re not a traditional trucking company,” she said. “We’re a corporation, so our benefits outweigh what other companies can offer.” Continue reading
Manufacturing Day is a celebration meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers by opening branches to students and the public to tour. Leggett & Platt is committed to educating future manufacturers, and the past couple years, we’ve increased our participation in Manufacturing Day.
The following Leggett & Platt branches will be hosting events for Manufacturing Day. Come out and join us!
Earlier this summer, our Environmental team spent 8 days in Europe for an Environmental, Health, & Safety conference. Theresa Block, Randi Parmley, and Drinda Smith of Corporate Environmental Affairs. [Piccadilly Train Station, Manchester, UK]
“We were in awe of gorgeous architecture like this cathedral!” Drinda Smith, Corporate Environmental Auditor. [Manchester Cathedral, Manchester, UK]
“Take risks! Dive in! If you see a project of interest, volunteer for it. This marks you as a go-getter and someone who can be trusted with even more.”
Griselda Ramos has excellent insights for people early in their careers. She started her own career with Leggett 18 years ago as a Staff Accountant. “One of the things which really attracted me to Leggett straight out of school was handling several different kinds of accounting. There’s always a different flavor to what I’m doing!”
Griselda has worked in several roles during her tenure with Leggett. “I slowly moved my way up to Senior Accountant, Assistant Controller, and then Controller.” She currently serves as Regional Controller for our Fashion Bed Group (FBG).
Griselda Ramos (left) pictured with a few of her colleagues. From left to right are Wanda Bonilla (Customer Support Manager), Linda Hickey (Sr. VP of Operations for FBG), Debbie Choate (Customer Service Manager), and Julie Kee (HR Manager).
Her dedication and consistent performance are precisely why her manager nominated her for the Emerging Leader Academy, a Leggett program that provides training and development for our emerging leaders. “The Academy has been extremely beneficial,” she said. “It has really forced me to ask, ‘What can I do better in my role?’ and ‘What could I do differently for the company?’” Continue reading
Ennis, Texas is a town of about 20,000 people just south of Dallas, and it’s here you’ll find Ennis Spring, one of our bedding operations that employs about 300 people. At the very heart of this operation are many long-term employees who love what they do, and it’s modeled from the top down. Kevin Fincher and Steve Prokop, Branch Manager and Manufacturing Manager respectively, have both been with Leggett for over 30 years! It’s this culture of dedication, hard work, and camaraderie that truly makes Ennis Spring unique.
But don’t take it from us. Here are five employees to describe, in their own words, what working at Ennis Spring has meant to them personally and professionally:
Clarence Butcher
Clarence claims the unofficial title of Ennis Spring’s longest tenured employee. He started as a Material Handler on July 30, 1969 – and let me do that math for you… that’s 48 years! He has continued in that position through his entire employment. “I like what I do and the people I work with,” Clarence said. “I hope to be with Leggett for another 20 years!”
Angie Moya
Angie started her career with Leggett as Chop Saw Operator in 2008. After a year, she moved into her current position as a Tag Control Clerk. Angie loves the company and said the managers and supervisors are great, and that’s why she stays. Even though retirement age is upon her, she still plans to remain with Leggett for another 10 or even 15 years!
Gary Farmer
Gary is the Safety Director at Ennis Spring and has been with the company since 1982. He started in the shop and worked there for 5 years before moving on to other positions. “I’ve done a little bit of everything, but I’ve been in my current position for 25 years. I love coming to work!” Gary has appreciated the flexibility Leggett provides, especially while his kids were growing up. Now, he appreciates the family-like feel at Ennis. “Everyone here cares for one another and each other’s families. That’s rare.”
Santiago Hernandez
Santiago started as a Helical Die Maker in 1985. Later that year, Leggett introduced clipping machines into the manufacturing process. Santiago was the first employee at Ennis Spring to learn how to operate the clipping machine and is still doing it today! He’s turned down opportunities to move up, simply because he loves what he’s doing – and he excels at it. His coworkers appreciate his keen ability to train new hires to run the machines. He says he appreciates being treated well by everyone and feels valued as an employee.
Melissa McAskill
Melissa joined Ennis Spring in 2015. With 10 years of prior experience in Human Resources, she serves as HR Manager at Ennis. Melissa seeks out employees who will make an impact and who aren’t afraid to work hard. “We are proud to promote from within and provide our employees opportunities for growth,” she said. “Many have spent most of their lives working with us. Over 34% of our employees have worked with us for more than 15 years and 12% for more than 30! You just don’t see that anymore!” The culture fostered at Ennis is truly special.
