By Craig Ruppert, CEO
When we gather at an event like Management Development Days, it’s always wonderful to see the diversity that exists within our company. We are grateful to have so many talented and hardworking team members who make us better at every level of the company. As we grow, we will continue to look for more people just like you who help us stay true to our values and will be the next generation of leaders.
When we first were getting started in this industry, we were a company of mostly young, white men who were out there hustling to get work and to keep it. Our differences were perhaps less obvious—or at least to us they were, as we weren’t focused on much more than getting our next paycheck. Today, nearly 40 years later, we have a lot more data at our fingertips and we’ve evolved with the times, with much more awareness around our company’s demographics. I’m amazed at the how many different generations are here (half of our employees are millennials), the number of people who attended MDD for the first time this year (nearly ¼ of attendees), how many ethnicities, cultures and educational backgrounds are represented, and the increased representation of women in our organization. I’m so proud of how this company has grown together, embracing those “differences” and working together to keep our Ruppert family strong while moving our company forward. At the heart of that family are our values, which help guide and remind us just how many commonalities we have. For those who were in attendance, thank you for coming and taking time away from your busy schedules to attend, listen, and hopefully put what you learned to good use. For those who weren’t with us, you were missed; but we appreciate you holding down the fort and continuing to help us serving our customers.