‘A very progressive culture’

Jeremy West has been working at Wills Transfer for nine years and says he can’t imagine a company that aligns more fully with his own values. He’s also appreciated that the company has fostered skills he already had and could build upon.

“I love to learn I love to take on things,” West says, which is clear as he’s graduated from managing the Perth warehouse to also managing the Smiths Falls warehouse and now also taking on the IT and the continuous improvement departments. “If I want to learn and go to school, that’s always been encouraged.”

West enrolled in leadership training at the University of Toronto, for example, and he’s also taken some business management courses at Algonquin College. Obviously, he still has to put in the time to do the learning, but the company has paid his tuition fees.

“For me, it’s been a great journey,” West says. “The values of the Wills family perfectly align with my values.”

Leslie Thompson agrees. She works as the executive assistant to senior vice-president Jordi Wills and also works as support staff for the Brockville operations. She too values the corporate culture.

Facilities: 135,000 square feet in Perth; 50,000 square feet in Smiths Falls; 460,000 square feet in Brockville between 2 warehouses; 155,000 square feet in Ingleside; 250,000 square feet spread amongst 2 warehouses in Ottawa; 10 acres of land in Carp on which it will soon build

Employees: 220

Model: Business to business

Customers: mostly multinationals, including Shell, Abbott and 3M

Growth: 10 per cent per year in revenue

“It’s a very inclusive culture and one where employees are respected and heard, and their viewpoints and any contributions or suggestions are always taken into consideration,” Thompson says. “People really do matter and gratitude is expressed on a regular basis. It’s a friendly, warm environment to come into. It’s also a busy environment, but there’s always time to appreciate the small moments, the big wins and the challenges.”