Wilsonart’s 70th Anniversary
Employee Stories

Dan Hawk              
Regional Manager
 
Wilsonart has been my dream job, and I feel very blessed to have worked for such a great company.

I started in 1989 as a customer, working at a small countertop and cabinet shop. Over the years, I met many Wilsonart team members who came into our shop with our distributor. It didn’t take long to realize Wilsonart was a special company. I loved my work—fabricating and installing postformed countertops and laminated cabinets—and I always told my wife that while I enjoyed what I did, if I ever had the chance to work for Wilsonart, that would be the one company I’d leave for.

In 2001, I got that chance. I would have never worked for another laminate company. Now, 25 years later, I’m still here. Sometimes I ask myself, “How did I get here?” The answer is the people. The relationships I’ve built over the years feel more like family, and they have made this journey so special. After 38 years in the industry, I still love what I do.

Austin May
Distribution Manager
 
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, much of the Houston area was devastated. Several employees had floodwaters destroy their homes. Our local manager, Trevor Noe, immediately contacted Wilsonart’s National Fleet to bring in dumpsters and supplies. A 40-yard dumpster truck made daily trips from Temple to Houston and back, helping employees clear out what was lost. Because of that support, some employees were the first on their blocks to have their homes cleared and ready to begin rebuilding. That moment showed me how much Trevor and Wilsonart truly care about their people. At the end of the day, when everything settles, we are a family.

Adam Biedrzycki, Director of Sustainability

Adam Biedrzycki
Director of Sustainability
 
From the start of my journey with Wilsonart, I felt a genuine welcome. Friendly faces and warm greetings were everywhere, and it made an immediate impression.
 
I joined as a project engineer, and what stood out most was the way people approached the work. There was a clear respect for the individuals behind each piece of equipment our projects touched. That mindset stuck with me. First impressions are lasting moments. For me, that experience helped shape my path and supported my growth. It’s something I still carry with me in how I approach my work today.

Bernard Luna Sr.
IOC Customer Service Rep
 
I started at Wilsonart right out of high school in the Assembly department, and my dad was a supervisor in Melamine. I remember telling my coworkers how great it was to work alongside my pops. We rode to work together, and I was so proud to be there.

He helped me get my start at Wilsonart, but more importantly, he instilled discipline, honesty, and a strong work ethic in me and my three brothers, who also worked here. I’ve always been grateful to have had such a positive role model.

Now, more than 42 years later, I’ve followed in his footsteps—working hard every day and raising my kids to do the same. All four of my kids worked summer jobs at Wilsonart while they were in college, and I told them how proud I was of them, just like my dad was proud of his four sons.

It’s the family atmosphere and the hardworking, committed people that have always meant the most to me.

Melinda Wood
Sales Representative

Wilsonart isn’t just a product line or a name on a sample—it’s the space where creativity meets durability, where ideas that start as sketches and inspiration become the surfaces people live, work, and gather around every day.

There’s a certain pride in walking into a restaurant, a hospital, or a home and knowing that the surfaces I helped specify are part of someone’s daily life. They’re touched, cleaned, leaned on, and lived with—and they hold up. That’s when my role becomes more than sales; it becomes contribution.

So Wilsonart, to me, is more than a brand. It’s craftsmanship backed by science, design supported by performance, and a name I’m proud to stand behind every time I shake a customer’s hand.

And in my role, I don’t just represent Wilsonart—I carry its reputation with me into every meeting, every sample drop, and every opportunity to help someone create something that lasts.

Audra Keiber, Director of Product Design

Audra Keiber
Director of Product Design


The story I want to tell of Wilsonart started before I was even hired. My interview flight was cancelled because of a tornado in Temple. The recruiter quickly stepped in to re-book everything and continued checking on me to make sure I was okay. Even with storm damage and power outages happening in the area.

When I finally arrived, I met team members who had been dealing with the same disruption, yet their focus was on each other and on making sure I felt safe and welcomed. That moment stuck with me. It showed me right away that this is a team that truly shows up for people.

Leishia Knox
Benefits Specialist

Moments that highlight the core values of teamwork and culture at Wilsonart.

See her story

Leishia Knox, Benefits Specialist

Teresa Humphrey

Director, Commercial Specifications

It’s impossible to point to just one defining memory. Instead, I reflect on my 33 years filled with meaningful moments; friendships formed, milestones celebrated, challenges overcome, and lessons learned along the way.

I have been fortunate to represent Wilsonart throughout North America, as well as parts of Europe and Africa, meeting new people, building lasting connections, and proudly sharing the Wilsonart brand. These experiences have influenced who I am, both personally and professionally. Whether I’m reaching out to a colleague I work with today or reconnecting with someone who has retired, I know there is always a familiar voice on the other end of the phone.
 
Throughout the years, I’ve also built lasting relationships with our distribution partners and customers, connections that extend far beyond business. Wilsonart has never been just a job or a career; it has been a family. Being part of its story, and carrying these memories forward, is something I will always cherish.

Ken Karl
National Sales OEM

The year was 1990, and I was working in the wood veneer industry with my distributor, Fessenden Hall in New Jersey. By chance, I happened to be in the building the day Ed Birdsall made the official announcement to employees that, after 45 years, Fessenden Hall was ending its partnership with a competitor and picking up the Wilsonart brand.

At the time, I did not fully understand the seismic shift that decision would have on the entire industry.

In the fall of 1991, Fessenden Hall hosted a major open house to highlight the Wilsonart line, inviting customers and vendors to take part in the selling show. At the end of the two-day event, an older gentleman from Franklin Adhesives grabbed my shoulder and told me I had a bright future in the industry. Then he pointed to the Wilsonart booth and said I needed to catch a ride on that rising star.

He told me Wilsonart had the leadership, vision, and momentum to lead the laminate category for decades.

That moment planted a seed. From then on, my ultimate goal was to one day become part of the Wilsonart family.

Fast forward 15 years, almost to the day, and I started with Wilsonart in 2006 as a regional sales rep out of the Columbus warehouse.

It has been an incredible, nearly 20-year ride. The experiences I’ve had and the relationships I’ve built with coworkers and customers have been life-changing. I am forever grateful to be even a small part of Wilsonart’s 70-year history.

Phallan Davis, Corporate Communications Manager

Phallan Davis
Corporate Communications Manager


I had the opportunity to visit Fletcher, and hearing firsthand how the team came together to support one another during Hurricane Helene really stayed with me. It was a powerful reminder that, here, people truly care.

Moments like that speak to the strength of the Wilsonart community, where support goes beyond the workplace and people show up for each other when it matters most.

Grayson Eaton
Sanding and CTS Supervisor

Wilsonart has always believed in investing in its people. Over the past 10 years, with the support of the teammates and leaders I’ve worked alongside, I’ve had the opportunity to learn, grow, and eventually become a supervisor myself.

One of the things I’m most proud of is that at Wilsonart, you can start in an entry-level role and truly work your way up. That kind of opportunity says a lot about the company and the people behind it.

Brett Green

Team Leader

I started at Wilsonart in the summer of 1993, just three days after my 18th birthday. That first summer tested me quickly. One month, we worked three straight weeks without a day off because of the high production volume. I remember wondering if this was really the path I wanted for my life.

Now, 33 years later, I’m still here. Along the way, I’ve been blessed by the opportunities this company has provided for me and my family. What started as a job became a career, a community, and a big part of my life story.

Jessica Ladrón de Guevara
Specifications Representative

2023 was my Wilsonart by You year. I partnered with Chili’s to design and develop a custom WxY laminate for Mexico, which, after a year-long approval process, is now featured on bar counters nationwide. At the same time, I worked with the Etam brand to create its two signature pink laminates, now used across its stores and furniture applications.

Both projects delivered meaningful results for the design teams while also expanding how these brands think about the possibilities of laminate design.

Jessica Ladrón de Guevara, Specifications Representative

Thomas Grear

Distribution Manager

My Wilsonart journey began in 1985 at Warehouse 1 in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Early in my career, I had the opportunity to learn from leaders like Bill Reeb and Bill DiGaetano, experiences that helped shape my path with the company.

Over the years, I worked in many roles alongside wonderful teammates, including Rolando Perez, Kevin Geijer, and Robert Lillie. In 2004, with the support of Dave Humiston, I relocated to Fort Myers, Florida, and in 2005 became Distribution Manager after spending a year driving for the Tampa region and following in the big footsteps of Trevor Noe.

I’ve been fortunate to work with incredible people throughout my career, including Jimmy Kleiner, Bill McLaughlin, and the entire Florida team. From HR and plant drivers to managers and coworkers across the company, the people I’ve met along the way are what made every accomplishment worthwhile.

As I reflect on my time with Wilsonart, I’m grateful for the friendships, opportunities, and experiences that made the journey so meaningful. Seeing our leadership team strong and the future bright reminds me of something I’ve always believed: life is good.

Teresa Finch

SE Lead Specifications Representative
 
As I look back on my years with Wilsonart, I’m incredibly grateful for the experiences and the people who made them so meaningful. Over the past 30 years, I’ve had the chance to grow professionally while building lasting relationships—both within Wilsonart and with the customers we serve.
 
Some of my favorite memories include the Wilsonart Laminate product launch meetings in the 1990s; countless specification team meetings; and the 2003 American Airlines training experience in Dallas—still one of my favorites—where we had a Flight Crew Magazine featuring our agenda and reps’ bios. I also loved participating in plant tours in Temple (with authentic Texas cuisine!) and Fletcher, including a visit to the Biltmore Estate. Vendor gatherings and industry events were always highlights as well. From a hands-on glassblowing experience to IIDA Tampa Stitched—where we created a cape from untreated Wilsonart decorative paper folded into origami shapes—these moments perfectly captured the creativity and energy of our industry.
 
I’m truly thankful for the memories and for the honor of representing Wilsonart products over the years.

Richard “Rico” Conde, Director of Manufacturing, Durcon

Richard “Rico” Conde

Director of Manufacturing, Durcon

During my first few weeks at the company, I had a fateful encounter with the president of Wilsonart that forever changed how I viewed the company and set me on the path to a great career.
 
See his story

Stephen Gibson
Checker

Wilsonart helped me build more than a career. It helped me build a future.
 
See his story

Stephen Gibson, Checker

Missy McCall, Transportation Coordinator

Missy McCall
Transportation Coordinator

My career at Wilsonart started long before my first day, thanks to my family’s deep ties to the company. In many ways, working here always felt like a natural fit.
 
See her story

James Wimmer

Team Lead II

Through hard work and opportunity at Wilsonart, I was able to provide for my family and enjoy special traditions with my children.
  
See his story

James Wimmer, Team Lead II

Patrick Gonzalez, Decorative Collator Operator

Patrick Gonzalez
Decorative Collator Operator

From my first day on the job to opportunities across the company, Wilsonart has given me the chance to grow, learn new skills, and build a career I’m proud of.

See his story

Sheronda Shores
Assembly Department Supervisor
 
Wilsonart trusted me with a leadership role and the opportunity to help shape the company’s future by leading a team and supporting the people around me.
 
See her story

Sheronda Shores, Assembly Department Supervisor

Kristi Geishauser, Sales Training Coordinator

Kristi Geishauser
Sales Training Coordinator
 
More than a workplace, Wilsonart is a team that comes together when people need support most.
 
See her story

Brian Ranley
Fleet Manager
 
As a charter employee at Temple North, I’ve had the privilege of watching it grow into the facility it is today while creating cherished memories through company celebrations and shared experiences along the way.
 
See his story

Brian Ranley’s Crew 1988

Temple South Distribution

Brian Ranley, Fleet Manager