Destination: FlexCold-Jacksonville. Craig Turner, president of FlexCold, answers questions about our FlexCold is paving a new road for its employees.
It’s often said, “people are our most valued asset.” What does that mean at FlexCold?
Craig: People are people – not an asset, or a number, or a name on a box. We are building FlexCold around great people. We want to make sure we don’t just say it but walk it. We want an environment where people truly enjoy coming to work and where we are the employer of choice.
I’ve always said and believed,” it’s great people, coupled with a great culture, that equals great success.” Our people will be our most important component of success. Every other aspect of the business is secondary to having a great team and valuing the human effort.
How will FlexCold provide a different employee experience?
Craig: We aim to provide an environment where individuals can be successful and grow their careers. Most companies leave a tremendous amount of potential untapped because they don’t know how to engage employees. From a leadership standpoint, we have a servant leadership model where we invest in our team and we work, win, and make mistakes together.
It’s important to me that we develop a performance culture that is based on great people, great processes, and sharing our success.
What are you most excited about when FlexCold opens this summer?
Craig: This will be a grand day because of all the work that’s been happening over the past year to lead up to our doors opening and having our team and customers finally be a part of our organization.
I’m especially excited about the careers that will be launched. Bringing our customers and team together will lead to many milestones that we’ll celebrate. So many wonderful things are going to happen as we lead in a different way – a way that a way that engages the employee as they think like owners and have input into the operations.
What is one thing that people would be surprised to learn about you?
Craig: Well, I’ll tell you, I’ve done a lot over the last 35 years that I’ve spent in the food supply chain. Interestingly, I started the second day out of high school in a warehouse distribution center as a janitor. I worked my way up from a janitor to being the president of FlexCold today.
Having touched and worked on nearly every aspect of a distribution center, I genuinely appreciate the industrial athletes that work within our warehouses.
Listen to a portion of the interview on the FlexCold YouTube channel.