If 2020 taught us anything, it's that the people in our lives matter. Moreover, it proved how important it is to tell them so.
Clark Reed, president of Reed Rubber Inc., knows that. When the company was ranked among our 2020 Best Places to Work, he was quick to note Reed Rubber pulled through because of its employees. Their willingness to pull together and do what it took to keep each other safe and the company stable was invaluable.
When he spoke of his team, there was genuine affection in his voice. His gratitude was evident.
And the employees know this because he told them so.
"I made a point to write notes," Clark told me. "I mailed the notes to people at home. I wrote to their spouses to say what a wonderful person their (loved one) is."
I was thinking about Clark Reed and his hand-written notes when we chose to dedicate a portion of our 50th anniversary issue to the rubber industry's Unsung Heroes. The project is, at its core, akin to a hand-written note of thanks.
From now until July 9, we'll take nominations for our Unsung Heroes project. The goal is to spotlight men and women at the heart of the industry—the people our companies couldn't get by without.
We're honoring those who make work fun, who care for their co-workers, and who go above and beyond because their pride and passion will allow nothing less.
While there are many executives who exemplify these traits, we want to honor those typically not featured in the pages of Rubber & Plastics News—the administrative assistants, salespeople, shop floor employees, truck drivers, dock workers, warehouse crews and maintenance teams.
When you think of someone deserving of the honor, encourage them to visit rubbernews.com/heroes to fill out a short, biographical questionnaire that will allow them to be considered for inclusion in the project.
When the form is submitted, we'll follow-up to confirm its receipt and request a high-resolution photo to include with their bio in the 50th anniversary issue on Aug. 9.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or reach out to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected]. We're excited to meet your teams and look forward to sharing their stories.
Pustay Beaven is managing editor of Rubber & Plastics News. Follow her on Twitter @EBeavenCrain.