As my interview with Suzanne Hall wrapped up, I asked her one final question: “What is the one thing you’d like our readers to know about you?”
“I want them to understand how passionate I am about my job. And that I truly care.”
For the past 20 years, Suzanne has proven how passionate she is, pouring her heart and soul into her role as Staff Vice President of Finance and Payments. I recently sat down with Suzanne to hear her story of working at Leggett & Platt: Continue reading
What would it take for you to move 5,179 miles across the globe?
For Jamil Sabbag, it took an exciting career change and a strong desire for “something different” in life. In February of 2014, Jamil moved from Sorocaba, Brazil to Carthage, Missouri, U.S.A. to work as an Internal Auditor for Leggett & Platt.
Jamil is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
When Jamil noticed the opening at Corporate Headquarters, he thought the opportunity promised a challenging new career for him along with valuable experiences abroad for his wife Maria and their 11-year-old son Gustavo (neither of whom, by the way, spoke English prior to the move). If a relocation of this magnitude sounds adventurous to you, then you’re just beginning to scratch the surface with Jamil.
Third Thursday is Joplin’s trademark cultural event when thousands of people fill Main Street Joplin to enjoy local art, music, entertainment, and food.
On June 19th, Leggett & Platt sponsored the festivities and joined the fun. One of our very own 18-wheelers parked on the 500 block of Main Street and became a “mini museum” for visitors to walk through and learn more about our products, people, and culture. Our space also featured four mattresses as blank canvases — we encouraged visitors to let their creativity shine and paint them!
Look inside Leggett & Platt and you’ll find employees who are committed to protecting and preserving the environment. On May 16, our Corporate Office kicked off participation in the Eco Initiative, joining over 50 other Leggett & Platt branches who have registered for or implemented the program.
The Eco Initiative provides a system to improve environmental performance in our operations which adds to our track record of environmental stewardship. To date, some of our efforts include energy savings through high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs and condensing units, as well as paper, plastic, aluminum, and cardboard recycling. In 2013, on average, the Corporate Office recycled approximately 30,000 lbs. of paper, 600 lbs. of plastic, and 7,000 lbs. of cardboard each month!
For more information, contact Theresa Block, Director of Environmental Affairs.
In 2013, Schukra Berndorf, a Leggett & Platt company, was named one of Austria’s leading employers for a second consecutive year. Founded in 1980 and located about 20 miles southwest of Vienna, the branch is comprised of long-tenured Berndorf locals. They continue to produce outstanding financial results and quality products.
Gunnar Seen, Plant Manager of Schukra Berndorf, attributes much of the branch’s recent success to their 205 employees. “There are two significant pieces to our company culture,” he states. “The first is the dedication and devotion of our people; the second, their pride to carry on the Schukra name.”
Rising stars, over-achievers, go getters, true believers. You know who I’m talking about—the people who have their plates full of projects, their to-do lists packed with checkmarks, their workdays crammed with appointments. These high performers are talented individuals who share a common desire to significantly impact the success of the company. They genuinely want to make a difference and take ownership of their work, but they are only able to do so if given the means by which to do it. This falls on the shoulders of managers.
I spoke with three leaders at Leggett & Platt who have spent the majority of their careers managing high-caliber teams: Michelle Crockett, Eric Rhea, and Randall Wood. They ensure their people are continually challenged and have the necessary tools to do their jobs and do them well. Here are the top five tips they shared for managing high performers:
Folding Guard’s Pat McMahon (left) and Jason Wynne shown with Saf-T-Fence®.
Last December, Leggett & Platt acquired Folding Guard, a leading manufacturer of safety, security, and storage products. The transition with Leggett has been a smooth process overall according to Folding Guard President, Jason Wynne. Becoming part of Leggett has created more stability and resources for the branch’s 110 employees.
Founded in 1962 and located just a few blocks from Chicago’s Midway Airport, Folding Guard is best known for machine perimeter guarding. These systems protect the manufacturing equipment they enclose, but, more importantly, they protect the people that work on or near those machines. Folding Guard also sells wire partitions and lockers for access control and loss prevention.
