This past quarter was the best in the history of Winston Plywood & Veneer, by far, according to CEO Bruce Warren. He stated the quarter "just blew everything away." The news came during the WPV quarterly Town Hall.
Chasta Rauccio, WPV vice president of human resources, said the Town Hall is a celebration of the team members, as they are the ones who are carrying the company. Without them, WPV would not see great success and would not be able to give back to the community in the way the company does, she said.
The Town Hall is a time to let the team members know how they are doing in different areas, including financially, safety, new policies, and more.
Warren stated he is most excited about WPV's safety record, adding that incidents have been reduced by 80% year over year. He credits Safety Manager Kalvin Hackney and all team members who have bought into the culture and hold themselves accountable.
On display at the WPV mill is a mural painted by 17-year-old Aiden Risher, a senior student at Leake Academy. The mural features a depiction of the Nanih Mound on one end, a log truck on the other, and in between are depictions of rolling, pine-covered hills, Lake Tiak-O'Khata, logos of local high schools, and the Red Hills Festival, all things specifically significant to Winston County. Risher's mother, Joyce, is a WPV team member.
The celebration featured lots of good food catered by Taylor's Grocery and a sound system provided by Burnt Orange. Several thousands of dollars of prizes were given away. However, the highlight of the day was the drawing for a 2022 Massimo Buck 450x ATV. Team members who had been with the company for at least 90 days were eligible for this drawing, according to Rauccio. Their names were entered one time per each year they have been employed with the company. For instance, a team member who has been with the company for five years had five chances to win. And the winner was JeMarcus Woods. The drawing was another way for WPV to show their team how highly they are valued.
