by Amanda Schneider
In late October, Kimball International announced it appointed a new CEO, Kristie Juster,
Juster served more than 23 years at Newell Brands, working in several business units and under the guidance of seven different CEOs during her tenure before taking a brief break from the professional landscape.
This announcement comes on the heels of Herman Miller's appointment of Andi Owen as its CEO, signifying the second female CEO to take the reigns of a major company in the contract interiors industry.
Owen's appointment was celebrated not because she was a female, but because she was the right person for the job. Juster's appointment has received the same excitement. She, too, has a distinct plan for the future trajectory of the company and a track record that ideally positions her to execute it. What's more, Juster's vision aligns seamlessly with the future trends of the contract interiors industry, signifying not only her strength and qualification for the role. More importantly, it speaks to the idea that visionary change is being embodied at the highest tiers of management. And we need to take notice.
Let's take the beautiful and make it better
Juster said her path to return from her professional break was a choice she didn't take lightly. Before leaving Newell, “my husband and I discussed the decision in depth and realized it was time for me to take a step back, enjoy a deep breath and relish a much-needed break,” Juster said. “I had an unbelievable experience during my time at Newell Brands but realized I was ready to move on. I was enjoying my time in retirement from Newell Brands, so when the board of KII began the search for a CEO, I wasn't ready to throw my hat in.” Juster has served on the board of KII since 2016 and continued to serve even after her departure from Newell Brands.
“As the search criteria were laid out, and we began reviewing candidates, I found myself feeling jealous that another individual would have the opportunity to work with such an amazing company at an evolving time in this industry,” Juster said. “I knew that if I ever came back to a full-time role, it would have to be for the right opportunity, with a culture that I felt made sense for my next chapter in life. It became clear that this was the role I was called to take on.”
Juster said her experience on the KII board has been one of the best professional experiences of her life and led to her understanding the role of CEO was the right fit for her. “We have a group of individuals with different experience and representing a collaborative, forward-thinking view,” Juster said. “We operate to enable the business, as opposed to serving as an oversight role that constrains the company, as seen in so many other publicly traded companies.”
Speaking to her goals for the company in her new role, Juster said: “Kimball International is a beautiful company — we have beautiful products, financials and people. My goal is to take something that already is beautiful and tilt it in a direction that brings new and exciting paths for our customers, employees and shareholders by bringing value to each player of the equation in new ways.”
A fresh take on vision for the workplace
In perhaps her most impressive insight, Juster shared her thoughts on the outlook for the office and why it needs to be re-envisioned to define where it goes. The word “'office' is a constraining word, she said. “It's really more appropriately “work,” including all sorts of shapes and sizes and opportunities. It's about driving productivity at work and driving businesses with different types of verticals to excel. Today, consumers are changing so dramatically in each vertical, and it's giving us the opportunity to build our business moving forward. We aren't constrained by the previous views of business or the term 'office' like we were before, and that makes for an exciting time in the industry.”
Addressing the many complex steps of the industry's processes, Juster explained her plan for change focuses on improving the experience for not just the customer, but for all end users. “I think the consumer is just so in control of what they want and get, and that allows us as an industry to interact with the consumer outside of the home in their work environment as well as on vacation or holiday,” she said. “We have an opportunity to bring great products and a vision of an incredible lifestyle and — at the same time — we have a deep network of stakeholders and a detailed selling process. Our industry has the opportunity to bring the most value by acknowledging the needs of each player along the way and at the same time work to simplify that process to help each stakeholder play a unique role that adds value.”
Juster offered three important takeaways on how to best impact change.
“First is to listen,” she said. “Listen to all of the stakeholders involved in your business, understand what they are going through and truly hear them. I think that makes you a better leader and makes you so much smarter.
“Second is to explore and embrace a heightened sense of curiosity. It's a great trait of people who build things. Having the curiosity to do something that hasn't been done before and being able to chart your path moving forward is a crucial step of the process. Lastly, I'd add that it's important to make trusted partners. We can be wonderful supporters of each other, and there's simply nothing better than a great group of trusted partners.”