Leading Ladies

Carrie Meek-Cuneo

President, Western Division, Meek’s Lumber, Sacramento, Calif.

In March 2011, Bill Meek named his 38-year-old daughter Carrie as president of the company’s Western division. Meek-Cuneo is unusual in that she came to the family business without any lumber credentials–other than the family name–after having forged a completely different career path on the business side of the media industry.

There was a question of whether I was committed. I made the change pretty quickly. My background was in media, not building materials, so there was skepticism over whether I could learn the business, and would I be interested enough to pursue it in the long haul. And I think every family member faces that.

My initial position was as a regional manager of the mountain yards and I did that over a year. Taking that role was helpful. I was never really apologetic, and in the beginning I may have walked on tiptoes for a bit, but that’s not really my style. It is what it is. If I got any push back it was that–Are you for real? I’ve been here for the past six years in the worst economy ever, so [people] know I’m in for the long haul.

The transition was tricky at first. We had a management team of eight people, one of them a general manager overseeing the yards, and when he heard I was coming on, he expedited his retirement. We still have six of the original eight.

My dad’s style and mine are quite different. I’m not sure it was male vs. female. My dad tends to manage his team and let them determine their own collective vision. I am much more vision driven.

When I came in, I brought a sales management focus to a business that was operationally focused. I do think that is kind of a male thing. The economy was faltering, so we needed a new way of doing things.

My dad always required that people perform, but I think I’m a little tougher than that; I dig into that detail a little better. We need to see results or address the behaviors that lead to the best results.

The market research was something I really pushed. We got more sophisticated with the data we had. For instance, we don’t let vendors come in and do a set. Six months ago, the spray paint vendor came in and redid the set. And then we looked at the computer and saw he had put in things that didn’t sell for us. Now there are no resets without corporate approval first.

I think everyone is seeing that using the data is an opportunity for selling. It’s a coming trend.

My dad is actually very excited by this as well. Now there seems to be no end to the opportunities for selling based on what the data tells us.

[In another instance] we dialed back our poly film from 80 to 20 SKUs–the data showed us that a simpler set drives sales. We had stocked every length, thickness and color, but inevitably you are out of the one the customer wants.

When I joined the company, my stock phrase was “direct and candid feedback.” What I found was people would hire someone, leave the person alone for a year, then come back to me and say they are doing lousy.

People need to be monitored regularly and get regular feedback. The team really struggled to have these conversations; nobody should ever be surprised that they are terminated. You don’t want to hear, “Nobody told me I wasn’t doing well.”

We also have direct and candid feedback with the management team. I have monthly staff meetings and also one-to-one meetings.

In terms of my approach, as often as possible I try to make my gender a non-issue. I am not here to take on a woman’s cause, but to be a leader.

I think I bring a different perspective to the table. I am much more people focused. What is this person thinking? What’s going on?

I think the [male/female] balance helps. I come from media, which is predominantly women. When it gets too homogeneous, pieces get left out of the equation.