What are you most proud of as your first year of president?
One of our prouder moments this year was selling a portion of our corporate office and warehouse. Our proactive rightsizing approach provided us with the opportunity for participation from every level, allowing all employees to bring their knowledge and skills to the discussion of how to be more efficient. It’s not an easy task to shrink a warehouse by 60% or relocate your corporate office down the street, but doing the work of resizing before it’s absolutely necessary allowed for productive involvement and feedback from all employees while achieving our business objectives. I greatly appreciate everyone involved in making these adjustments.
What were some of the motivations behind these changes?
COVID was a turning point for us to re-evaluate how we operate and to make necessary changes, so we are more resilient with longer-term sustainability in mind. It offered us an opportunity to change and pursue a future path of growth. As we emerged from the crisis, we needed to ensure our business does not slip back to status quo, but rather propel us into a new, improved business.
As we continue to adapt to this ever-changing world, we acknowledge that simplifying our offering and streamlining our processes will help eliminate inefficiencies. We hope to remove some of our extraneous offerings to further enhance our brand to customers that recognize us as experts in our field. We thank our loyal customers who share this belief and know that we are here for your growing needs, every step of the way.
What are you thankful for this year compared to other years at Hummert?
While there was no surprise, I was continually impressed with the genuine care and attention our team provided to our customers. It built stronger relationships with our customers, and they were able to take every challenge and change with grace. I am thankful for their patience and commitment to ensuring our level of customer satisfaction.
What was one favorite moment you shared with your father Sonny Hummert?
There are many moments I look back on that I cherish with my father. One memory that sticks out most is riding to work together during the summer months. We were always on the road before the sun was rising. My Dad told me repeatedly “you do everything to the best of your ability” and that is what he gave to this business and his family. His impact on my life and in our company is tough to measure, and I will always do everything I can to the best of my ability. I am very thankful and blessed that he was my Dad.
What are you looking forward to going into next year?
As I look to the future, I am excited for the new opportunities to grow. We have a few goals in mind for the short term, but we hope to find long-term success with these next steps. More than ever, we are committed to providing the customer care and experience they deserve, and I hope we can prove that to more this coming year!