From a young age, Andrew Harris learned that failure is not an option. Working in a combat environment at just 20 years old, Harris was responsible for coordinating and carrying out logistics operations.
Now, Harris applies his leadership abilities toward his position as GM for Lodge Lumber.
"Mission accomplishment is vital," Harris said. "If you fail, someone else pays the price. While the stakes may not seem as high in the normal course of most business operations, bringing this level of commitment to your customers, and overall performance, is guaranteed to produce results."
Harris joined Lodge Lumber in 2019 as a sales manager. Since then, he has taken the lead in restructuring the organization to maintain the company’s 80 plus year-long reputation for superior customer service. On top of this, maintaining awareness of growth opportunities for both customers and the company is a priority for Harris.
"The most important part of my position is prioritizing the efforts of the organization to align with the long-term vision of our executive leadership group, led by our CEO and third-generation owner JW Lodge," Harris said. "Serving our customers comes first, and every department has their own key behaviors that contribute to that. To that end, I regularly evaluate the performance of the company and the individuals within to make sure that we are playing to our strengths and achieving the greatest results."
Lodge Lumber’s Harris prioritizes teamwork, promotes company growth
Andrew Harris, General Manager, Lodge Lumber
Harris said his primary goal is to identify the next generation of leaders throughout the company and challenge them to take more ownership in their respective areas. "Our company cannot continue to grow without more leaders stepping forward and bringing new ideas and energy to our efforts," Harris said. "We have a lot of talented people, and I want to help them by removing obstacles and encouraging them to perform at their highest level."
Harris explained that Lodge Lumber is always focused on organic growth, and the company’s executive leadership team regularly evaluates acquisition opportunities that would better serve customers and fit into the long-term vision of the Lodge Lumber family.
"If you’re not growing, you’re dying," Harris said. "We will always be looking at other growth opportunities for our company and, we intend to be deliberate in making sure they are of service to our customers and not our ego."
Recently, Lodge Lumber partnered with waterstop manufacturer JP Specialties to represent its line of products in the Texas market.
"We are now a master distributor of JP Specialties’ waterstop products. This allows us to offer additional products to the customers we already serve in the market while expanding our presence with resellers and contractors alike. By stocking these products at our facility in Houston, we can help our customers keep projects on time and on budget," Harris said.
"While the JP Specialties partnership could represent a new market for us, it’s really focused around offering more products to the markets we already serve."
For anyone considering a role at any level of company leadership, Harris explained that it’s important to remember that the organization exists to serve the customer, and the leaders make sure the organization delivers results to the customer.
"If you prioritize results, build a culture of accountability and treat people with respect and consideration, good things will happen," Harris said.
For more information, visit lodgelumber.com.
