From Our CEO: Why Company Culture Matters

“When people join our company, they don’t come for a bus stop. This is a career.”

Barclay Simpson

That quote from our company founder is one of my favorites. I had the pleasure to work very closely with Barc when he was alive, and I can tell you that he truly believed and invested in people. I’m certainly a product of that belief.

I started out with the company as the second engineer in R&D; Simpson Strong-Tie was a much smaller place then. With the company’s support, I was able to design more than 25 major products, our initial prefabricated Strong-Wall® shearwall being the most prominent. Over the course of 14 years, I advanced in my career to Vice President of Engineering, where I was responsible for the design and testing of new products as well as code development. I then went on to manage one of our main US branches in Stockton, California, overseeing production, sales and operations for our Northwest region. After that, I served as the CFO for three years before taking on the CEO role in 2012 and being appointed to the Board in 2013.

Yet I’m only one among countless employees who have found in this company much more than a bus stop. Twenty-two percent of our employees have been with us between 10 to 20 years. That’s no accident.

What our employees value, and why they stay, is in large part due to our company’s culture. Barc Simpson created “Nine Principles of Business” that serve as our company Values and create our unique culture. Those Values include things like Long-Range View, Risk-Taking Innovation, Everybody Matters, and Give Back.

Our people fully embrace and live this culture every day. Here are a few comments from our employees:

“The most important thing is, if you work hard, you will have a career at Simpson Strong-Tie. It’s been proven time and time again. You might start as a receptionist and run a segment of the company’s business one day. If you work hard and do what’s right, the possibilities are endless.” — Francisco, Lab Testing, McKinney, TX

“Someone is always there to ask if you need a hand with anything. My manager is super-supportive of us and wants us to succeed. We all try and work together to get the most out of our days here. For me, it’s definitely the people. They’re like a second family to me, and it shows.” — Inside Sales employee, Canada

“We have this environment where we can take an idea and drive it. Even if it doesn’t work out — you still have the support to bring it forward. Risk-taking and innovation are not always going to work, but every idea doesn’t have to work. You keep trying until you get something that’s really good.” — Production employee, Stockton, CA

While Barc is no longer with us, the Values he established live on, and it’s my job and goal to continue to support those Values and spread our unique company culture to all employees.

This unique culture is what makes Simpson Strong-Tie the company it is today. And we’re always looking for people who want more than a bus stop.

— Karen Colonias

If you’re interested in a job with Simpson Strong-Tie, please visit our Careers page.