The definition of dependability is ‘the quality of being trustworthy and reliable.’ The picture of dependability is that of our STAR employee in our Lavonia store, Kenneth Brown.
Kenneth began his 30-year career with Harbin Lumber working part-time at Harbin’s Toccoa location while he was attending high school. After high school, he joined the Toccoa yard as a full-time employee where he worked until Harbin consolidated locations, when he then transferred to the Lavonia branch. After a few years, Kenneth was tempted away to another lumber yard for two years, but they closed their doors. He came back to Harbin’s Lavonia lumber yard in 1997 and has never looked back.
Although he started in the yard, Kenneth quickly picked up new skills and earned his Class B CDL license and forklift certification. Though Kenneth tried driving full-time, he found he prefers the work on the forklift and in the yard the most. In typical Kenneth fashion, he will fill in when necessary if a driver is needed.
“Harbin is a good, family atmosphere to work in,” said Kenneth. “You spend more time with your coworkers than your family sometimes, so you need to be with people who you can treat like and enjoy as much as family.”
In his daily work, Kenneth is responsible for making sure the correct orders are placed on the trucks for delivery. “Everyone at Harbin Lumber has an important job when it comes to making sure a customer is taken care of. I like my role in the process because nothing gets to where it’s going without coming through me and my crew in the yard.”
Kenneth also enjoys the relationships he is able to build while working in the yard. “I know every Harbin driver, every vendor driver, and most of our regular customers,” he said. “I like working with them all, being able to call them by name, and helping them one-on-one.”
“Kenneth is one of those employees who is always ready to work and willing to come in early stay late or work on the weekends…whatever it takes to get the job done, “said Todd Irvin, General Manager of Harbin Lumber of Lavonia. “Having a team with that kind of dependability is critical to have in a customer-focused business like ours.”
When he’s not working, Kenneth enjoys watching NASCAR and college football, and is a huge fan of both Clemson and the University of Georgia. If you ever find yourself in the Lavonia yard, make sure to ask him who he pulls for if they ever play each other.
As for us, we’re pulling for Kenneth to hit the 40 year tenure mark and beyond. We are proud and humbled to have you on the team, Kenneth. Thank you for all you do for your team, our customers, and Harbin Lumber!
