Meet the 2021 Most Admired CEO winners
Category
Private (501+ employees)
JobTitle
President and CEO
Company
RJ Young
chip.crunk@rjyoung.com
What I do
I am responsible for setting the vision and direction of the company. I oversee our operation, which covers nine states, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia, North Carolina, Louisiana and Tennessee, and employs more than 600 people in 30 locations.
Q&A
What are your company’s biggest opportunities in 2022? RJ Young’s biggest opportunity for 2022 is continuing to provide our customers with technologies that give them the office of the future, which we call the modern office. … Today’s office requirements are vastly different than they were when the office was invented. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t know where to start to modernize their office. Or, they’ve piecemealed disparate technological solutions together and are missing critical pieces to the puzzle. … While we’re still your premier partner for copiers and printers, we want to be your one-stop for all your business’s technology needs.
What was your most impactful book (or read) of 2021? “The Leadership Pipeline” by Ram Charan. This past year at RJ Young, we’ve invested in leadership training for our team members that was centered around this book.
What is one unique thing we’ll always find in/on your office desk? I have a quote in my office that reads, “Success is a series of little daily victories.” It has been my favorite quote for a while now, as it is something I truly believe. To be successful, you must set a goal every day. It’s easy to get overwhelmed in business and feel like there’s too much to accomplish. If you ask yourself, “What do I need to do today to move things forward?” and follow through with those things daily, you will be successful. Also, I always have an extra pair of glasses in my drawer in case I lose mine.
Where has recruiting and retention ranked on your list of challenges in the past year, and how has that changed from five years ago? Our team members are essential to the success of RJ Young, so recruiting top talent is critical. Hiring and staffing in today’s office environment has proven to be far more challenging than it was five years ago. Many companies are trying to refill positions that were cut during Covid, as well as combating enhanced unemployment benefits that for some positions are an incentive not to seek employment. As we continue to grow, many of our divisions are seeking new team members and recruiting has been a struggle.
Where is the best place in Nashville to have a coffee meeting, and what do you order? My office. RJ Young has the best and most affordable black coffee in town. Plus, I’m proud of our office, our team and our culture. I love bringing folks into the RJY universe whenever I have the opportunity.
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