For nearly five years, CDL Class A driver Mark Roland has been one of the most reliable, steady presences at Still Lumber. He moves from task to task with the same approach he brings to every delivery: get the job done, do it right the first time and help whoever needs it along the way.
That steadfast reliability is why Mark received the November Above & Beyond Award.
Mark’s dedication shows up long before a truck reaches a jobsite. He jumps on the forklift to help load materials, assists co-workers in the yard and steps in wherever extra hands are needed. Once on the road, he treats every delivery as an opportunity to support contractors, builders and homeowners. He works hard to place materials exactly where crews need them, even in tight or awkward spaces, and takes time to talk with people on site. As he puts it, he never meets a stranger.
That instinct to help became especially clear on a recent delivery. As Still Lumber General Manager Shane Corbett shared, Mark arrived at a longtime customer’s jobsite and noticed a supplier’s delivery driver showing signs of medical distress. Mark immediately stepped in to assist, helping keep the driver safe and ensuring the jobsite stayed under control. It was one of those moments that reveals who someone truly is—and it reflected exactly why Mark is so widely respected at Still Lumber.
Mark has worked as a professional driver for 35 years, and being home every night matters to him. Early in his career, he says he spent too much time away from family. Today, he appreciates the balance and stability that Still Lumber and Spahn & Rose provide. He also values something simple but important: the company has delivered on the commitments made to him from the start. Whether insurance, raises or support, “they’ve done everything they said they would do,” Mark says.
He brings that same reliability to the way he treats customers. When asked about going the extra mile, he shrugged off any single example because, in his words, “Seems like I do that a lot.” From helping frame crews stay on schedule to correcting any mistake before it becomes a problem, Mark takes pride in being someone who fixes things—quickly and with experience.
Getting to know customers matters to him as well. At 63, he jokes that he’s an old-school truck driver, but he understands how much smoother a day goes when customers trust the person delivering their materials. He has built that trust one interaction at a time.
“If someone’s having a day, or I’m having a day, we work it out. I want to make it right for them,” he says.
His advice to other team members is straightforward: do the job the right way the first time. That approach means fewer callbacks, smoother jobsites and happier customers.
“Doing it right the first time makes everything easier,” he says.
Outside of work, Mark spends weekends roaming flea markets throughout the southeast with his wife. He has an eye for old tools, antique furniture and the occasional taxidermy find. Some of his flea markets finds end up on a display table in Still Lumber—everything from vintage cash registers to the red-headed pheasant now tucked under the shop’s table. One of his favorite finds was a 100-year-old roll-top desk he restored for his wife as an anniversary gift.
Mark’s reliability, work ethic and willingness to help anyone—customers, co-workers, suppliers or fellow drivers—make him a standout member of the Still Lumber team. His commitment to doing things the right way is exactly what the Above & Beyond Award is meant to recognize.
Recognizing Well-Deserved Excellence
Employees within the Spahn & Rose family of companies can be nominated for the Above & Beyond Award by coworkers, supervisors and customers. When a customer submits a review, any employees mentioned are nominated for the honor. Customers can also nominate employees for Above & Beyond through Spahn & Rose’s social-media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Above & Beyond Award winners receive a $100 Visa gift card and are eligible to be named the company’s Employee of the Year. The Spahn & Rose Employee of the Year Award is the annual culmination of the Above & Beyond Award program, which recognizes employees within the Spahn & Rose family of stores, which includes 24 Spahn & Rose locations; Dunn Lumber in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; Metro Building Products in Marietta, Georgia; Still Lumber in Conyers, Georgia; and City Lumber in Huntsville, Alabama. Recipients of the Employee of the Year Award receive $1,000.