We recently had the honor of welcoming Lauren and Karen, daughters of our founder, Luther Hill, to the office for a visit that honored our history and legacy. The day was made even more special by the presence of Luther’s grandson, Jack Henry, who was an intern with us this summer. It was a memorable day, reflecting on how far we’ve come, and how Luther’s values still guide us . Each value can be traced back to the example he set—through his words, his actions, and the standards he held for himself and those around him.
H&W Way: Act with integrity. Do the right thing when no one is looking.
H&W Way: To be a true leader, you must encourage, listen carefully, and be a model of behavior.
Luther is remembered as being extremely ethical. Clearly seeing right from wrong himself, he expected that from everyone else.
“One of my sayings is, ‘It’s easier to tell the truth than to keep track of lies,’” reminisced our Chairman, Paul Driscoll. “This saying may have come from Luther; if not, his ethics definitely rubbed off on me.”
H&W Value of Respect: Treat everyone with kindness and respect.
You had to earn Luther’s respect, but once you did, he was known for his loyalty and generosity.
H&W Value of Quality: Produce quality results, no matter the task.
H&W Value of Commitment: Do what you say you will do.
“Any job worth doing is worth doing right,” was one of Luther’s mottos. “He definitely instilled that work ethic in us whether we liked it or not!” shared his daughter, Lauren. “Doing chores, making good grades, and doing things the right way was just expected.”
H&W Way: Demonstrate humility. Understand that no member of our team is more important than another.
H&W Way: Put the team above yourself.
“He was very humble and didn’t care about others’ status,” reflected Karen. “He would enjoy conversations with a ranch hand as much as the big wigs in business.”
H&W Way: Spend the company’s money like it’s your own.
Eschewing anything “fancy,” Luther bought his clothes at Sears, Wal-Mart, and the like, much to the chagrin of his daughters.
“His uniform was a plaid shirt (flannel plaid in the winter), khaki pants, and fake Top Siders with white tube socks,” Lauren recalled. “It was very hard to believe that he won Best Dressed in college!”
H&W Value of Fun: Look for the fun in everything.
Luther loved to laugh, share stories, and was known for his infectious laugh. An avid outdoorsman, he was happiest outside- hunting, fishing, riding horses, water skiing, riding motorcycles, or even just chopping wood.
“He could be a big goof ball and had a very self-deprecating sense of humor knowing he wasn’t the coolest guy in the room,” Lauren reminisced.
While these memories just scratch the surface of who Luther was, we love any opportunity to share stories about our original culture-setters, remembering what made us who we are today. The impact he left on his family, Hill & Wilkinson, and anyone that knew him, is profound.