As discussed in this issue’s article, “Growth and Accolades for Component Manufacturers,” Carolina Truss Systems (CSS) has been celebrated for its latest expansion plans in Virginia. As announced, CSS is investing at least $5.5 million to establish a new manufacturing facility in Greensville County, constructing a 50,000-square-foot facility and creating dozens of jobs. But, as we all know, businesses are not built by big moves but by the hard work and determination of the people who work for them. CSS also tells a story of the importance of perseverance and team building. [For photos and images, See PDF or View in Full Issue.]
Dave Green, founder of CSS, recently appointed an industry pro, Corey Misenheimer, as his Director of Business Development. This addition is the result of Dave’s career-long experience building teams as he progressed through many truss industry positions. Corey’s background mirrors Dave’s, which, for both, required adaptation and perseverance, as the companies they worked for changed hands, and as the economy shook things up. But along their sometimes rugged path, they got to see the component business from different perspectives and to recognize the keys to success. And paramount among these is the ability to recognize and attract talented team players.
Dave came to the western Carolinas when Montgomery Truss of Grove City, PA moved him to their new plant in Hendersonville, NC. Not long after, Blue Ox Industries bought that plant, and Dave joined Blue Ox in sales, eventually moving into management at their Kernersville headquarters. From there, he was offered a chance to manage a new operation, Superior Components, near the center of the state. At Superior, Dave took advantage of his prior experience to expand Superior westward, but in a much more strategic location, within sight of I-85, in Cowpens, SC. But he also recognized the substantial growth along the Carolina coast, and later located a plant in Clinton, NC. After Superior was sold, Dave got an even better view of eastern North Carolina, by working for Truswood in Raleigh that also had a plant in Virginia.
Corey gained his industry expertise through a series of assignments, beginning as a designer at Carolina Truss & Manufacturing, east of Charlotte, NC, working for one of the most honored owners in the business, Calvin Hall. Corey took over management of that business when Calvin sold it and eventually supervised the 20+ east coast Stock Building Supply plants. From there, Corey managed a plant north of Charlotte that became part of Universal Forest Products, Inc., for which Corey’s role was expanded to include management of an additional UFPI plant. During this later period, Dave would launch CSS.
Dave started Carolina Structural Systems in 2016 in the center of the markets he knew so well, in Star, NC, and, at the same time, drew this map showing his expansion plans. After seven strong years, he was ready to follow his well-trod path to the markets in the western Carolinas, but he also wanted to tap into the burgeoning growth north of Atlanta. So, he located his new plant in Anderson, SC, one hour closer to this growth than his Cowpens plant had been, but still less than an hour from the Greenville-Spartanburg market area. Later this year, Dave will complete his expansion to the east with his Emporia, VA location. This will complete his coverage of 500 miles of the prosperous I-85 corridor, with its 20 million inhabitants and its many pro-development jurisdictions.
To have sustained such a vigorous expansion has taken all the team building talents that Dave can muster. But he continues to draw from his 45 years of industry contacts to find pros like Corey Misenheimer and Phillip Wyatt, who he recruited 30 years ago to help start up his Cowpens plant. Like Dave, after that plant was sold, Phillip progressed through positions of increasing responsibility at other truss companies, which has prepared him well for his role as CSS Operations Manager. With these three seasoned managers, there will be few challenges that at least one of them has not confronted. Likewise, there will be few opportunities that they will fail to seize.