Company Culture: Walker-Clay Inc. (asi/354530) makes an effort to get its employees involved in many aspects of the promo products industry. The distributor maintains an open and supportive culture that encourages staff to branch out and find new ways to get involved, from regional associations to trade shows. “The various shows and vendor meetings are what make this business special,” says President William “Bill” L. Clay. “The relations we have with our supplier reps is essential and we do invest a lot of people and time in these meetings.” Transparency is crucial too: the company prioritizes keeping everyone updated on what’s happening in the industry and how the company is performing.

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Appearances on Best Places to Work

COVID Changes: Since everyone at Walker-Clay has their own office, the company never went fully remote. It operated on a hybrid system for most of 2021, but has been almost fully in person since September. “While working from home is a nice convenience when needed, we’re making every effort to staying in the office,” says Clay. The distributor lost three people to retirement with a combined 100 years-plus of service, and hired new staffers who had to get their feet wet during the busy fall season. “They learned under fire, and it was a very stressful time, but we made it through,” Clay says.  

Parting Tip: Clay cites the advice his father gave him. “Hire a ‘good’ person, and hire people that are smarter than you,” he says. “To retain employees, be transparent, allow them to get involved in the industry, and give them the tools and autonomy to do their job. Most importantly, remind them that while this is a job, we’re a family business, and a family takes care of each other.”