At Bender Lumber, we like having fun! When our work environment is fun and light, it creates a pleasant culture in which to work. Our newest Extra Mile Club member is fun-loving without sacrificing safety. Mike Thatcher, one of our drivers from our Linton, IN store, might be seen with his “girlfriend” riding shotgun as he makes deliveries.

This “girlfriend” is an old manikin that he has repurposed to keep him company during the day. Whenever people ask and with a serious face, Mike will apologize for her not being more accommodating.

In all actuality, Mike is rock solid as an employee and driver for Bender Lumber. Mike is known as someone who exemplifies our third Core Value – “Commitment” and will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Coming in early or working late are both common to Mike. Whenever a mistake is made, Mike is the first to step up to resolve the issue.

One day this spring, Mike had two similar deliveries of barn metal on his truck going to different jobsites. As luck would have it, Mike reversed the order of the shipments placing each one at the wrong jobsite. Oops, mistakes happen but what we do to rectify tells a story about a person’s character.

In this case, both contractors were understanding and willing to wait until the next day, but Mike would have none of it. It was his mistake, and he needed to fix it. That very night on his own time, Mike made the trip back to switch the loads. Problem solved.

You can bet with commitment like this Bender Lumber has a bright future. Mike Thatcher is leading the way as younger associates can see how a man of character reacts to problems. No pointing fingers or placing the blame, just solving problems. We know at Bender Lumber that “actions speak louder than words.”

Congratulations, Mike, we are so proud you are on our team!