By Phil Key, CEO
As I reflect on our annual Management Development Days (MDD) conference, I am filled with gratitude for the valuable experiences shared and the connections made. This year’s event brought together over 650 employees from all 45 branch locations for two days of learning, growth, and camaraderie, culminating in our annual awards ceremony recognizing outstanding talent across the company. I always look forward to this time together with our managers as it gives me a chance to connect one-on-one and learn first-hand about the challenges and successes that are happening throughout our organization. I saw many of you taking advantage of the time together as well—making connections, sharing ideas, and strengthening the bonds with teammates.
As we celebrated the 21st year of hosting Management Development Day, we were excited to welcome team members from our new partners Scott’s Landscaping, Tree Amigos Outdoor Services, and The Greenery of Charleston. They added valuable insight to our discussions and are a great reminder of the talent and new ideas that will help us continue to grow.
This year’s MDD theme, Inspire * Integrate * Innovate emphasized the importance of collaboration, creativity, and shared purpose. These two days away from our normal work routines are always a significant investment in both our individual development and our growth and evolution as a company. We took an in-depth look at our financials, goals, successes, and challenges, and we explored strategies for enhancing customer communication, refining time management skills, and elevating our attention to detail on job sites. Additionally, we took time to reflect on our company’s journey, celebrating past achievements and envisioning future successes. This time we spend together—focused on developing our leaders and celebrating our team members—is a good reminder that our Ruppert values remain strong. We continue to put people first and are arming our front-line leaders and the teams they lead with the information and skills they’ll need for future success as we grow.
For all of those who attended, thank you for making the most of your time there and for being the ambassadors who will share what you learned with your teams. For our internal and external customers, we hope you’re able to see the effects of this training investment in the form of elevated customer service and operational efficiency.
On behalf of the leadership team, I want to express my appreciation to everyone who contributed to MDD 2024. Your enthusiasm and commitment made this event a resounding success, and I am honored to lead such a remarkable team. Go forth and Inspire, Integrate, and Innovate!