PPB October 2017

Joel Freet CEO Cutter & Buck Seattle, Washington Number of direct reports: 13 J oel Freet went to work for apparel supplier Cutter & Buck after graduation from the University of Washington, but getting in wasn’t easy. “I tried for three jobs at Cutter & Buck and was turned down before landing as a sales assistant in our tournament division,” he says. In the 18 years he’s been at the supplier, he’s held seven different jobs—some simultaneously. His first management role was in the international division 13 years ago. Working his way up through the company to CEO has given him a distinct appreciation for every job at every level. “Joel is the most positive influence I have ever had in my professional career,” says nominator Brad Moxley, Cutter & Bucks’s corporate business development manager, who has reported to Freet for the past eight years. “I have never met someone in an executive position who truly cares about every single employee in their organization, frommanagers to the janitor. Joel stops and speaks with everyone, and it is not uncommon to find him sitting with the customer service team during lunch just to catch up with them.” Moxley is impressed with the impact Freet’s management style has had on the business. “Joel has changed our company’s hiring philosophy to focus on hiring from within for all positions, proving that he values his own employees over others.” Moxley also likes the fact that his boss empowers the team to make their own decisions and stays out of day-to-day activities, unless asked to get involved. “When I have asked him to look at a specific customer issue, he reaches out and talks to the customer himself,” says Moxley. From left are Laura Skinner, Bryan Bender, Coleen Maloney, Peter Sherlock, Kelly Chapman, Joel Freet, Ariana Avdic, Lelani Hatfield, Brad Moxley, Dana Kleckner and Tom Horan. His best boss I love learning, and have loved every boss I have had because they have all taught me their own great methodologies for business. Torsten Janson, founder of New Wave Group [parent company of Cutter & Buck], taught me to vigorously apply common sense through the point of view of a customer. That has been a career defining lesson. The previous CEO of C&B, Jens Petersson, embedded in me the ability to go boldly into more risk taking; and the CEO before him, Ernie Johnson, taught me to do right by your people above all else. My boss in my first job at C&B, Greg Sweeten, inspired me to be enthusiastic and optimistic at all times. My boss in the international division, Shannon Messenger, taught me that the long-term health of the brand is paramount to all of our success. My boss at the Dawghouse [during college] taught me the famous practice of “You got time to lean, you got time to clean.” All of these lessons I apply constantly in my day-to-day and in our strategies— especially the cleaning part. What managing others has taught him about himself I need to take good care of my own family and my home life so I can give my best to my people. The same goes for my people; if they take good care of their own family then they can give their all to the business. His best advice for other bosses Leadership to me is creating positive change without authority. So, embrace the challenge of leading when you don’t have the authority and you will soon find yourself in management positions where you can support an entire team leading positive change. Joel’s cool factor Joel reaches out or stops in at even the smallest customers, just to introduce himself and ask them what the company can do to improve. FEATURE | Best Bosses 28 | OCTOBER 2017 |