Hello Everyone,

I hope this message finds you ready to make the last stretch of the year count. As we move through the fourth quarter, I want to shift our focus to a core value that is essential to our success as a company: TEAM PLAYER. In the spirit of unity, let’s take a moment to reflect on what it means to truly embody this value—and how it strengthens our workplace culture and our progress as a whole.

To me, being a TEAM PLAYER is about more than just working alongside one another. It’s about genuinely collaborating to create something greater than what any one person could accomplish alone. It's the willingness to step in, lend a hand, or share a fresh perspective for the betterment of the entire team. In this newsletter you’ll find a link to the third quarter state of the company video. In it, you’ll find a snapshot of our third-quarter achievements and insights, but I’d like to take a few minutes here to explore a little deeper what TEAM PLAYER means to me and how we can each bring it to life every day.

We all know our four core values—DRIVEN, TEAM PLAYER, LEARNER, and KIND—are more than just words. They’re a roadmap to building the kind of culture that sets us apart in the industry. Imagine a team that is DRIVEN and LEARNER-focused but lacks the TEAM PLAYER value. While they may be skilled and motivated, without a cooperative spirit, there’s a missing link that prevents the team from achieving its full potential. As TEAM PLAYERS, we create an environment that encourages people to rely on each other’s strengths, communicate openly, and celebrate shared successes.

Our industry moves fast, and there are challenges that require us to be agile and resourceful. When everyone pulls together as a TEAM PLAYER, those challenges become opportunities. This is what allows us to stay innovative and efficient, ultimately delivering exceptional results for our customers and helping to maximize the value of our ESOP.

So, how do we, as leaders and team members, encourage the TEAM PLAYER spirit? It begins with the conversations we have, the feedback we give, and the expectations we set. When we’re bringing new people onto our teams, are we showing them the importance of collaboration in our culture? During the interview, are we asking questions like: Can you share a time when you helped a teammate achieve a challenging goal? What strengths do you bring to a team setting, and how do you use them to support others? How do you handle situations where you need to pivot or adjust your role to support team priorities? These questions allow us to see if a potential teammate is prepared to embrace collaboration and mutual support.

Being a TEAM PLAYER isn’t just about carrying out your own responsibilities. It’s about doing so in a way that lifts the entire team, so every win is a shared victory. When we each embody this value, we don’t just grow as a company; we build connections and make our work more rewarding.

Let’s embrace the TEAM PLAYER spirit, support each other, and finish 2024 strong—together!

JEFF NIESEN, PRESIDENT & CEO