Below is Wright Service Corp. Chairman and CEO Scott Packard’s speech for Wright Service Corp.’s Annual Awards Banquet that took place on March 9, 2019 in West Des Moines, Iowa. 

Last year, I wrote about our milestones. Little did I know at that time how many more we would accomplish by year’s end.

A few of those milestones I touched on last year – our staying power. Plus one to that, making it 86 years. In 2017 we grew our company valuation more than 35 percent. Well, in 2018, not only did we surpass that mark, we crushed, trounced, pounded and smashed it to 68%. Yes, you read that right. 68%. And we added to our years of consecutive revenue growth to 16 years.

It’s never been so much about what was accomplished but more so about the people who made it happen. Our people are at the heart of all the decisions we make. With more than 4,700 employees, we have a duty to each one and their families.

With this growth, I’ve always asked myself at the end of the day…Do these decisions positively impact their lives? Does it allow them to go home safe? Will it help them put bread on their table? Can they start saving so they can get the home they’ve always dreamed of? And maybe put a little away for retirement?

It’s my hope that we continue to make decisions that positively impact our employees. We’ve grown a lot over the years and you’re the thread that keeps
it together.

As I have said before, put your people first, take smart risks and don’t be afraid of failure because it’s only an opportunity to try again, only smarter. Because without you, none of this exists.

And in whatever you do, put our highest value safety, first.