YEO Members were joined by Maverik employees in Provo, Utah to help frame a new house, build a new fence and lay thousands of pounds of concrete in team-building exercise (with photo slideshow and video below).
More than 25 of the convenience store industry’s young executives and next-generation leaders representing 13 convenience store chains, participated in the Young Executives Organization (YEO) Habit for Humanity team building project last week in Provo, Utah.
YEO members partnered with Maverik employees to work a full day of construction on the home in two, four-hour shifts just prior to the 2017 YEO Roundtable.
The home, which is being built for the Harter/Blackham family, is a two-story, four-bedroom, two-bathroom house, overlooking the scenic mountainside in Provo. The construction is scheduled to be completed in late October.
“To all we humbly say ‘thank you.’ This new home will provide safety, stability and many memories that we will never have to leave behind again,” said is Kimberly Harter, matriarch of the Harter Family. “My hope for our future has been restored.”
Harter, a single mom raising three kids, suffers from multiple sclerosis and needs a house that is ADA compliant. This house is being constructed to meet that need. She also has a special needs son, Denim, who was diagnosed three years ago with high functioning autism. Denim struggles with loud noises and bright lights. The house has a specially designed bedroom for him that will allow him to flourish. “He is ecstatic to the idea of having his own safe spot where he can close the door and have a place to quiet his thoughts,” Harter said.
Getting to Work
For the morning shift, YEO members split into two crews to help construct a fence along the east and west perimeter of the property. The crew showed its prowess with a host of power tools to build the fence, plus roll up its sleeves to dig fence post holes and lay new cement to secure additional fence posts.
The afternoon crew focused in on framing. The crew helped frame the second story of the house to prepare it to receive the roof truss, the structural wood framing designed to provide support for a roof. Plus, the afternoon crew worked on the home’s crawl space below the house to secure walls for any future construction.
“Our YEO members are the convenience store industry’s next generation of leaders. I am very proud that they are displaying their leadership skills and initiative outside of the c-store business for such a worthy cause,” said John Lofstock, executive director of NAG. “This is volunteer opportunity, but the response to participate has been extraordinary.”
LeAnn Hillam, the volunteer coordinator for the Provo Habitat for Humanity, met both YEO shifts and explained that the goal of Habitat is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness by working in partnership with people in need. Using volunteer labor and donated funds and materials, Habitat builds or rehabilitates simple, decent houses and sells them to low-income families at cost, but with no interest added.
“Many people think we give these houses away. That is not the case,” Hillam said. “Habitat is not a giveaway program, but a joint venture in which those who benefit from the housing ministry are involved in the work at various levels. They help with the construction of their own home, as well as the houses of their neighbors. They will also have a mortgage that they pay themselves. We hold the zero-interest mortgage and will not sell it off, but our homeowners have the same financial commitments as other homeowners. We are assisting them as they get on their feet, not giving handouts.”
Shaping Tomorrow’s Leaders
YEO’s mission is to cultivate young talent in the convenience store and petroleum industry through implementation of education and networking. I can’t think of a better way for the convenience store industry’s next generation of leadership to bond and network than joining together in the service of others for such an important cause.
“NAG’s YEO is extremely focused on bringing great young talent together from across the country and giving them a platform to discuss the successes and struggles facing next-generation leaders throughout the convenience store and petroleum industry,” said Jared Sturtevant, YEO board chairman and supervisor of digital marketing for CST Brands.
The National Advisory Group’s (NAG) fourth annual Young Executive Organization (YEO) Roundtable hosted by Maverik Convenience Stores welcomed more than 40 executives ages 40 and under to Salt Lake City on May 24.
During the two-day event, attendees have the opportunity to learn firsthand about Maverik’s operations. Maverik operates more than 275 c-stores across 10 Western states. Maverik was Convenience Store Decision’s Convenience Store Chain of the Year in 2013.
“YEO is extremely proud to be partnering with Maverik and our sponsors to learn more about how a great convenience store chain has created a world-class retail culture,” Lofstock said.
The roundtable, sponsored by Altria, Apter Industries, PDI and RJ Reynolds, was free to attend for NAG and YEO members.
See more of CSD’s coverage of the 2017 Roundtable at:
Day 1 Coverage
Day 2 Coverage
The following slideshow includes photos from the Habitat build as well as the YEO Roundtable event.
[slideshow_deploy id=’92952′]You can also view drone footage of the house and the morning construction crew courtesy of Andrew McIntosh, of McIntosh Energy in Indiana at Drone Video.
Don’t forget to join the YEO Facebook page for updates on YEO and membership by visiting www.facebook.com/NAGYEO