Robert George Culp IV (Iv), President and CEO, Culp Inc.
Why selected: Culp took the helm of mattress and upholstery fabric manufacturer Culp Inc. as CEO in January 2020. When Covid-19 hit in March 2020, the company pivoted to produce personal protective equipment, such as masks and hospital bed coverings. At the end of the company's most recent fiscal year in April 2021, sales were back to pre-pandemic levels.
If you could have an alternate title, what would it be? Cheerleader
How long have you worked at your company? 21 years
Where were you born? Charlotte
What is the biggest challenge you face right now as a leader in your company? There are obvious challenges like the availability of talented and skilled labor, as well as global political instability. But odd as it may seem, I think the biggest challenge is to keep the business momentum going as the world returns to normal. The Covid-19 pandemic forced all of us to re-evaluate the way we do things and especially how we communicate. I am so proud of all Culp associates for rallying together, working safely and building better relationships with each other and with our customers. The stay at home trend turned out to be good for our business, and we became a much stronger company both financially and operationally.
What did you learn about your colleagues through Covid? About your community? I have spent a lot of time reflecting upon the last year, and there were numerous lessons learned. Actually, the more I have thought about it, the more I realized that most of the lessons were re-learned experiences from the past. As Culp approaches its 50-year history, we have overcome so many changes within the furniture industry. Without question, the main factor that makes Culp special is people. Throughout the pandemic, we have focused on people first, and I have been amazed at the outcomes. I am so proud to be a part of the team here at Culp — we are succeeding together.
What did you learn about yourself through the pandemic? Funny as it may sound, I learned I could do it. I have been working at CULP for over 20 years, but to become CEO just prior to Covid was a definite shock to my system. I learned that I had the knowledge, the strength and the fortitude to lead in turbulent times. Although I know my work is only beginning, I am proud that we have weathered this storm (so far), and we are poised for success in the future. With 2020 in the rearview, I feel ready to go.
How do you measure success? Success means so many different things to different people, and in business you always have to reference some sort of scoreboard. We all like to win, and the score does matter. But I find the greatest success comes when everyone wins, or better said when the team wins. So I consider success to be if our associates are all working together, and we are all growing. I also measure success if our customers and our suppliers are also performing profitably.
Share one thing about yourself that would surprise people? Most people who know me realize that I am not a Duke fan. However, it may surprise some to know that when I applied to colleges, I only applied two places — UNC and Duke. I only completed the Duke application so that I could get accepted and then turn it down. That was a proud day for me.
What are your hobbies? My No. 1 hobby is to watch my kids play a sport or do anything that they enjoy. That truly fills me. I also like to travel with my family, play some bad golf, attend as many UNC sporting events as possible, collect Napa Valley wines, and I have a new passion for pickleball.
