Serving with Excellence at Walker Lumber

What to Expect:

Walker Lumber is proving that a business can be both highly profitable and profoundly people-first. Recently honored as Dealer of the Year by LBM Journal (one of only three locations out of 35,000 nationwide) their hospitality-driven culture isn't a marketing line. It's how they hire, how they review performance, how they handle tough decisions, and how they show up for each other every day.

This Field Trip is a chance to learn directly from the Walker Lumber leadership team about building a workplace where "Serve with Excellence" is the operating system for both their employees and customers.

You might be thinking, "What could I learn from a lumber company if I'm not in that industry?" Fair question. But this day isn't about lumber. It's about treating people with dignity, fairness, and respect, and building a profitable business while doing it. From their Second Chance Program to the everyday ways they "love on people," Walker Lumber has practical stories that translate to any industry.

Join us for a day with the Walker Lumber team in Nashville if you're curious about:

• Building a hospitality-driven culture in an "unglamorous" industry

• The Second Chance Program and hiring for potential

• Making profitability and generosity work together

• Performance reviews, bonuses, and tough conversations that tie back to values

• Creating a workplace where people actually want to stay

• What it takes to become a "Dealer of the Year" operation

Schedule -

You'll kick things off with a welcome-to-town casual dinner with the Walker Lumber team. 

The day begins at Walker Lumber's facility for a firsthand look at how their culture shows up in the day-to-day. You'll see the operation, meet the team, and start to understand why this place feels different.

9:30 am - 12 pm - Conversations and Q&A 

This is the heart of the day. Expect it to be casual and interactive: light on slides, heavy on authentic anecdotes. The Walker Lumber leadership will share practical stories of how they've built a highly profitable operation while making their people feel essential and rewarded. Plenty of time for questions about what you see and hear.

12 pm - Lunch 

The Walker Lumber team will host lunch onsite. It's a chance to break bread together and hear more of their story before diving into the afternoon.

1 pm - Wrap up and Depart

We encourage you to continue the conversation and build relationships alongside fellow Main Street Summit attendees that you'll see in Columbia, MO come September!