The holiday season is a time to surround ourselves with family and friends, celebrate the joys of the season and be grateful for all the good things we have in our lives. As I reflect on all that I’m thankful for, I think of each of you—our team members and your families, our vendors and valued customers—that make up our extended Ruppert family. We couldn’t have made this year a successful one without you.
It’s also a time to look toward the future, and I speak for the entire management team when I say we are excited for what’s to come! We are entering into a new phase of our company’s evolution with our recent strategic partnership with capital investment firm, Knox Lane. The added financial and strategic resources they provide will allow us to continue to grow the company’s footprint within current and adjacent markets, a goal that’s in line with our long-term vision for the company. This partnership will also enable us to remain focused on what we do best: provide opportunity for our team, high quality service for our customers, and support for our community. We will continue doing what we’ve always done over the course of the past 50 years: grow and evolve.
One of the things that I was most proud of this year was that we were able to have so many of our team members share in the proceeds from our new partnership. The appreciation bonuses we distributed in early December enabled us to recognize and reward our team for the huge role they’ve played in our story so far and encourage them to continue to help us shape our company’s future. Our team never ceases to amaze me with their dedication, innovative ideas, strong customer service, and ability to adapt and overcome—often working out in the harsh elements of heat, rain, and snow to help our company thrive. Once again, I want to thank each of you for what you do for this company.
As I think about what lies ahead, I couldn’t be more proud of the team we’ve built and what the future holds. It has been my privilege to work with this team and to have been associated with so many customers, vendors and industry professionals over the years, many of whom are now friends. I speak for the management team when I say that we are looking forward to many more years of leading this company and providing quality service for our customers.
Thanks to all of you who have made 2022 such a great year. I hope you’re able to slow down this holiday season, spend quality time with family and friends, and reflect on the many things in life there are to be grateful for. I hope that you and your family enjoy the holidays and have a happy, healthy new year.