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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEvery day the family leads with the knowledge that God has a bigger plan than they could ever fathom. She referenced a plaque on her father\u2019s old desk, now her own, that reads the bible verse, \u201cIn all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.\u201d (Proverbs 3:6) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mary Lee described her siblings\u2019 journey to becoming the executive team as \u201corganic growth.\u201d Each child had the space to explore their own talents and attend school before returning to contribute to the family legacy at Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe were able to come back in our own time,\u201d said Mary Lee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The three siblings have an intriguing past, as each honed in on their own individual skills to make the company what it is today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe all came back into our roles and found our own space where we have our own strengths that really fit well with each other,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nick Thompson, who grew up in the sawmill, graduated with a degree in landscape architecture from the University of Georgia in Athens and was the first to return after graduation in 2011. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Their sister, Claire Getty, and brother-in-law, Drew Getty, transitioned to Huntland in 2012. Prior to both meeting and completing their master\u2019s degrees at Georgia Institute of Technology, Claire also received a professional degree in landscape architecture from the University of Georgia. At the same time, Drew graduated from Clemson University with a degree in natural resources management. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mary Lee graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in service management and returned to Franklin County, engaged to her now-husband, Rob. Rob was Drew\u2019s roommate and graduated from Clemson University with a degree in print production and design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mary Lee jokingly remarked, \u201cRob proposed to me, and then shortly after, my dad proposed to him, so we came back about eight years ago ready to get to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The three siblings and their additional three siblings were raised in a family that emphasized the importance of teamwork and family unity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs we grew up, [our mother] was adamant that we work together as a team and that we are a unit. We are a family that loves each other,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The children grew up attending leadership camps and programs that exposed them to new ideas about leadership and team unity, and their faith was at the center of it all.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you ask Mary Lee to describe her family\u2019s dynamic in one word, she\u2019ll tell you \u201crooted,\u201d representing their firm foundation and unwavering faith in God. Another is the word \u201covercomer.\u201d Even when faced with challenges, such as losing their home to a house fire in 2005, and a mill fire in 2019, the family persevered with Nordeck and Mary Claire\u2019s guidance, instilling in their children the resilience to overcome any obstacle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe word \u2018rooted\u2019 comes up frequently in our group \u2014 that we are rooted firmly, we have a firm foundation, but we are growing. We are firmly planted, but we are also going to bloom. We will not be stagnant.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n For Mary Lee, watching her children stand in the log yard watching the large loaders pass by serves as a reminder that staying grounded and maintaining faith can lead to extraordinary outcomes. The culture of the company is founded on teamwork and creating lasting memories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have a fun culture here. We enjoy what we do, but the people we work with really make it what it is.\u201d GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" THOMPSON APPALACHIAN Hardwoods began in 1993 with \u201ca vision and a prayer\u201d that would stretch beyond three decades. The reputable family business began with Nordeck Thompson\u2019s decision to branch out on his own, fortifying the foundation laid by his father\u2019s sawmill in South Georgia. Following his uncle\u2019s advice, Thompson researched and found a small green […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":17854,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/4-17-1024x683.png\")
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