NEA C-Suite: David Peacock

How would you describe your company? We are a midsize, family-owned company with 1,500 employees in Jonesboro and Fort Smith. We are celebrating our 77th anniversary. People often say we make conveyor belts, but we actually buy conveyor belts from our suppliers. We make a broad spectrum of conveyor systems ranging from high speed technically complex sortation to simple-to-use gravity conveyors with over 175 different models.

How significant to you is developing a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) culture within your organization? Hytrol lives on merit. By that I mean we strive to create an environment where the best and brightest want to be. We have found that by focusing on excellence, diversity is an inherent result. Our workforce is representative of our communities. By focusing on seeking out the very best and then equipping them with the requisite tools, individuals have the opportunity to thrive.

What is the best business advice someone has ever given you? If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing with excellence. Life is too short to accept mediocrity.

Do you think Artificial Intelligence (AI) can take jobs in your industry? The truth is that there aren’t enough folks in our industry to achieve all that is needed. AI is freeing some very smart people from mundane tasks to focus on more intellectually challenging needs. This has the potential to empower us to move much quicker with the talent we have and with recruiting the talent required in the coming years.

If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why? I sure hope this is taken in the vein it’s intended, but I love where I am on this journey. I tell my team all the time that when my time at Hytrol comes, they better bring our biggest security team members to drag me out. Now, if the question is who it would be when I was a child, it would be Neil Armstrong on July 19, 1969. Imagine the day before you were the first person to land on the moon!

If you had $1 million to give, what would you support? I have several causes that are close to my heart but by far the most important to me is creating opportunity for children. That begins with a secure environment. From there I absolutely believe all things are possible. As a young person, I didn’t get the opportunity to explore beyond a very small world. When I did, I was captivated by what was possible. Imagine the dreams that could be launched with $1 million!

What is the most used app on your phone? Waze Navigation — but please don’t tell our finest men in blue.

What are your thoughts on working from home? We had some great success with our office folks working from home during COVID, and I have an appreciation for its value in recruiting and retention. But I would be miserable if I had to work from home. I enjoy the interaction and spontaneous learning I am exposed to in the office.

Which skills do you think are most important when it comes to leadership? Hytrol’s core values are faith, family, empathy, gratitude, commitment and community. We have found that our commitment to these values is directly related to providing the leadership the workforce needs and deserves.

If you could change one thing about your leadership style, what would it be and why? The allocation of my time. There are tons of activities where I can and do spend a great deal of my time, but these activities are not always the best use of my time — for two reasons. First, I’ve got a fantastic team and usually these activities can be handled by someone on my team. 

Secondly, and more importantly, my engaging directly with our folks improves alignment, engagement and enthusiasm for the team. I learn, they learn, and we are all better positioned to meet the future head-on.

What’s your favorite movie or television show? I’ve enjoyed binge watching “The Big Bang Theory” but if I had to narrow things to a single show, it would definitely be “Lonesome Dove.” It’s nearing 40 years old, but it is still a classic!