You know the old saying, ‘behind every great man, there’s a great woman.’
That is true in the flooring business too, at least this one.
In an industry that is built on craftsmen and hard labor, it’s rare to see a woman at the top. But at Floortex Design, you will find Lisa Glatt. Quietly efficient, Lisa is the general manager for Floortex. She is responsible for making things work and for fulfilling the vision of FD’s owner, Rudy Hassid.
Lisa (center) with her “guys,” from left to right – Joe, Nick, Mike, and Jennifer
Lisa integrates new employees, scouts new locations, works with a team to implement business systems and oversees the business units within the company.
She manages the store in Auburn, which is the town where she lives. She calls her staff “my guys.”
She trusts them to do their jobs well. She steps in to remove obstacles that get in their way, when needed. And then she quietly meets with vendors and mills and the CEO from her little office in the back of the store.
She has a ready laugh, a slightly raspy, Margo Kidder-esc voice. She loves classic rock, heavy metal and Taylor Swift too. She is a whiz at numbers, hates clutter, loves her children and her job, and can’t walk past a crooked picture without straightening it (in her home or anywhere else).
THE MOST INTERESTING THING
Lisa with owner, Rudy Hassid
But what is most interesting about Lisa isn’t any of those things.
What is most interesting is how she treats the people around her, from her team at the store and employees across the company, to teachers and coaches. And the teenage girl at her local Crumbl Cookie, where she gets her weekly treat.
She is kind and forthright with all and has a way with a smile or an inside joke that lets you know she appreciates you.
While working at FD, she has raised four children on her own, and the challenges of doing that are a reflection of who she is. When asked what is most important to her, she answers slowly, thoughtfully.
“Raising my kids to be good people and helping the people around me, who need a little support.”
And so, she sponsors youth baseball and basketball teams. She set up a scholarship for young artists at the town’s high school. And today she is working on a food drive that will kick off in the fall (2024).
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
What she doesn’t realize is that in many ways, she is the town she chose to live in.
Tucked into the foothills above the city lights, Auburn’s pace is slower. Life is simpler. The people are frank and hardworking. They are more likely to sport cowboy boots than pinstripes. And one of the biggest events in town happens on Friday nights, when the community comes together to cheer the local high school football team.
I went to one of those games recently.
The game was a rowdy affair with the student
section cheering raucously, and parents and friends clapping along with the band’s drum section. Bare-chested young men were passed atop the crowd like human beach balls. And lights beamed down on fans and players alike, as if to say – we’re all in this together.
The home team lost that night. But the most memorable moment had nothing to do with the score. After the last play, when all the points were tallied, everyone at the game stood arm in arm and sang the school song, while gently swaying side to side.
There they were. All together. Singing with the joy and connectedness of years gone by.
It was beautiful!
It’s no surprise that Lisa attends those games. She is fashionable personally, but old fashioned in how she lives in her town and in her role at the top of Floortex Design. A small-town girl, who works hard, loves her people and isn’t worried about the score at the end of the game.
