Milliken & Company

“I’m a Midwest kid. I grew up near Chicago in the suburbs of Illinois and went to college at Indiana University. I studied business and marketing but if I’m being completely honest, at 20 I didn’t know what I wanted to do after college. I was living day-to-day, assignment-to-assignment. When people ask ‘where do you see yourself in five years?’ I really wouldn’t know what to say. It might have felt like it wasn’t forward thinking but I just always operated more in the moment. So after graduation I was job searching like most twenty-something grads and I stumbled across a customer service position at Westex. This was prior to Milliken & Company acquiring the company (in 2015) so their headquarters were still in Chicago, back near where I grew up. It was a great first job for someone who wasn’t totally sure of their future because I learned so many aspects of business. I had to know the products, the customers, our operations, marketing, finance—every step between getting an order in to getting that order out the door I needed to understand. Now, that also opened me up to some challenging days. There are days where I had to put out a lot of fires and I had to learn to maintain my composure. That can be a challenge but really those days, I think, are where I learned the most and where I developed the foundation I needed to do what I do now. A few years ago I was given the opportunity to take on an inside sales position. That got my feet wet with account management and it allowed me an opportunity to see a new path in my career. It wasn’t long after that our sales director floated the idea of me coming into sales full-time, specifically to cover Canada. I remember he half-jokingly asked how my French was and I just thought to myself, “ehhhh, not very good haha.” Luckily in my customer service role, I was already working pretty closely with our Canadian customers and that made the transition easier. Before taking the role I was a little intimidated by the idea of sales. You know a lot of times when you think of salespeople you think of people who are extroverted, super outgoing and I’m not that person at all. I’m more reserved, laid back. But I‘ve learned there’s not a cookie cutter person who can be successful in sales. It’s about developing relationships with your customers, knowing your products, following up and making time—it’s doing the little things that make the difference.” -Adam Bernkopf, account manager, Westex: A Milliken Brand

Inspired by our recent collection Painted Garden, we hosted a pressed pottery plates workshop with Sarah Bryan. The results were outstanding! Our customers thought so too and loved seeing their completed pieces. 🌼🌿✨ Click to view the Painted Garden collection : https://bit.ly/3IDXECw #nature #mindfulworkshops #potteryworkshop #commercialflooring #carpettiles #planks #londonshowroom

🌟 Reflecting on My First Month as an HR Intern at Milliken & Company! 🌟 I can hardly believe it's been a month already since I embarked on my journey here 🎉 It's been an incredible learning experience, and I'm thrilled to share some of the highlights: • Early in my internship, I had the privilege of participating in the Harvard Summer Venture in Management Program, gaining invaluable insights into effective decision-making and the HBS Program. • I've had the opportunity to engage with Milliken's vibrant Affinity Network, attending impactful events, panels, and lunch & learns that have deepened my understanding of supporting colleagues and fostering inclusive environments both within and outside of the workplace. • Visiting and exploring two of our plants has been a highlight, where I connected with associates, learned about Milliken's diverse range of products and services, and gained valuable insights. • Lastly, attending a GREENVILLE DRIVE, LLC baseball game from a suite was a very memorable experience! I'm grateful for the chance to contribute to Milliken’s mission and excited for what lies ahead. Here's to continued learning, collaboration, and making a meaningful impact in the weeks to come! 🚀 #HRInternship #LearningAndGrowing #CompanyCulture #HRProfessional #DEI