Employer Spotlight: Mouser Cabinetry 

Elizabethtown-based Mouser Cabinetry has been crafting quality custom cabinetry for its customers for more than seven decades. Originally founded in New Haven, Kentucky in 1955, Mouser combines state-of-the-art production machinery with artisanal craftsmanship, producing a variety of home fixtures, from kitchen cabinets to bathroom vanities to wood range hoods. Notably, items manufactured by Mouser are tailored to meet specific customer requirements, eschewing standardized stock items.

The 225,000 square-foot facility constructed in 1989 at 2112 North Dixie Highway, houses various departments, such as corporate offices, manufacturing units, raw materials warehousing, training facilities, an auditorium, and a specialized finish/color laboratory. With a workforce of 345 associates, Mouser serves a network of dealers across 32 states, spanning the region east of the Rocky Mountains, with nearly 400 dealerships in total. Product distribution is managed internally, utilizing company-owned trucks and employed drivers.

Although Mouser transitioned from a fully family-owned enterprise to new ownership, selling to Pfingsten Partners in December 2020, the company remains dedicated to its founding principles. These include customer service, quality-oriented product value, on-time delivery and a family atmosphere. 

To discuss career opportunities available through Mouser, we sat down with General Manager Scott Freyberger, Vice President of Manufacturing Mark McDonald, Vice President of Finance and Human Resources Scott Manley, and Projects Manager Kim Puckett. 

Q: Tell us a little bit about the onboarding process for prospective associates. How do interested individuals go about applying to work for Mouser? 

Scott Manley: It varies on an individual basis. They are more than welcome to come straight here and apply; we have walk-ins all the time and in some cases can interview candidates the same day. There’s also a website (etownjob.com) which directs you to our careers page.

Kim Puckett: We also have a banner outside our facility with a QR code on it. It allows anyone the opportunity to scan it on their phone and it takes you directly to our website. 

Scott Manley: Once they send in their application, we review it and if we feel they may be a good fit, we’ll interview them. Mark and one of his teammates will then be involved in showing them around the plant and showing them where they might work so they’ll have an understanding of where they may be assigned. 

Q: What kind of experience is required? 

Mark McDonald: We prefer manufacturing and warehouse experience but on-the-job training is provided. It takes anywhere from 15 days to a year, depending on what job you’re learning. Typically, 30 to 60 days is our normal training process. This is longer than many other factories because you’re learning a very specific job. We also have high school co-op opportunities available. There are three things I look for in a new associate: someone who comes to work, someone who listens and someone who puts in the effort. If you can do those three things, you will be successful here. 

Q: What kind of messaging do you emphasize when communicating with prospective associates? 

Mark McDonald: The difference with working with Mouser is that you create a product from start to finish. In the end, you have something to be proud of. 

Scott Manley: We load our products on a truck and deliver them to 32 different states with 390 independent dealers. Our products have ended up in some pretty nice homes, some of which are  owned by celebrities such as Paula Deen to Rachael Ray. 

Q: Do you utilize any community partnerships to provide professional development for associates? 

Scott Manley: We have recently utilized Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Workforce Solutions’ CDL Program to train one of our drivers to receive his necessary certification. We sent him out with an experienced driver for the first seven or eight trips to help him get acclimated to the routes. So far, it has worked out well and he now drives solo. 

Q: Mark, you’ve expressed what you enjoy about the unique experience of working with Mouser. Why do the rest of you enjoy working with the company? 

Scott Manley: The family atmosphere that was created by Steve and Keith Mouser has certainly made me stay here for the past 21 years. 

Scott Freyberger: I like the family atmosphere and I like seeing the products that we make. The more custom the product is, the more challenges, and I like addressing challenges. 

Kim Puckett: I started out in accounting, worked in HR and have been in many different areas, but I’ve spent the longest time in purchasing, and in our group, we are kind of a family. We look out for each other and we have each other’s backs. It’s still very much a family environment.. That’s what people want; they don’t want to just be a number.

Scott Manley: I think the family atmosphere Kim describes in purchasing is found throughout the business. You see it in multiple areas on the production floor, in accounting, in customer service, HR and other departments. 

Mark McDonald: I’d like to add that the tenure of the average salaried supervisor is 15 years. We honor seniority and people want to stay here. Also, 90 percent of our team leaders and supervisors are promoted from within. 

Q: How does your business seek to accommodate new employees with little or no manufacturing experience?

Scott Freyberger: One of the things we like to do when hiring someone new is to pair them up with an experienced associate and emphasize mentorship. After 30 days, members of our leadership team will also have lunch with the employee and ask them questions about what they like and don’t like about the job, and what we are and are not doing well. We value that feedback. 

Q: What efforts do you pursue to improve employee engagement? 

Scott Manley: We host an annual Family Fun Day festival, host food trucks on occasion and always provide catered meals for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. We also host a monthly plant-wide meeting with all associates, where they are provided with updates on the state of our business, new associates are introduced, and anyone can ask any questions they may have. We also use this opportunity to recognize individual employees for their commitment and hard work. 
Mouser offers a competitive benefits and compensation package and is currently hiring. To learn more about career opportunities at Mouser, visit mouser-cabinetry.com/careers.