Today, our CEO program held a joint tour with Macoupin County CEO at McKay NAPA Auto Parts, hosted by vice chairman of the board Earl Flack and company president Matt McKay. Founded in 1937, the company is nearly 90 years old. In the early days, the founder kept empty part boxes on display to show customers what was available, then drove to St. Louis to bring back the actual parts.

The team heard how relationship building has been central to the company's growth, along with the value of strong connections with people like bankers and insurance agents. Today, McKay Auto runs with 260 employees and more than 100 trucks on the road daily, and leaders stressed the importance of knowing what brings value to each employee individually.

The team also heard how the company uses technology and systems to boost efficiency and cut down on errors, all built around a core focus on efficiency, relationships, speed, and accuracy.

A key takeaway was a simple but powerful message: everything you do, do well, because nothing replaces hard work.