For many distributors across the country, COVID-19’s impact was felt economically as well as emotionally, reaching farther and longer than any slight downturn the industry has witnessed. While the industry resorted to Zoom calls to do vendor trainings or to communicate with customers, the need and want to get back to meeting in person has been felt nationwide.  

As people are getting going back to the office and holding in person meetings, they are ready to network and socialize again. At Mountainland Supply Co., customer experience and appreciation are at the center of what it does. On June 9, more than 1,800 customers, guests and vendors attended the much-anticipated Customer Appreciation Day in Orem, Utah. The event had an increase of more than 600 people from pre-COVID attendance. 

It was clear that people were hungry to connect, learn, and have an experience. "We didn't anticipate the crowd this year,” notes Tim White, director of marketing for Mountainland Supply. “We didn't know how much the customers and vendors wanted this. They've been cooped up at their offices or home offices for months, unable to visit customers and they couldn't wait.”  

The 2021 Customer Appreciation Day featured street tacos and churros from local food truck companies Jurassic Tacos and Churrology. Additionally, customers were treated to meet-and-greets with former Olympic Gold Medalist Rulon Gardner, who let customers hold and wear his gold medal from the 2000 Olympics, and famed TV entertainer "The Muscle" from Discovery Channel's "Diesel Brothers," along with his newly outfitted truck.  

Local sports radio 1280 The Zone broadcast live throughout the event prior to the Utah Jazz's first playoff game that evening. Feats of strength challenges were also part of the mix, with thousands of dollars raised for Mountainland’ s favorite local charity, Primary Children's Hospital.  

Mountainland Supply Co. is an ESOP company with more than 600 employee-owners and 26 locations in Utah, Idaho and Southern Wyoming, distributing plumbing, HVAC, waterworks, landscape irrigation, agricultural irrigation, geo technology, hydronics, pump and drilling, and tools and safety products.  

"One of our core principles in our company is to enrich our community, White explains. “The dollars raised for Primary Children's directly affects many of the 600 employee-owners and families who work for Mountainland. We believe events like these are crucial for our communities.  

“It creates an economic boost, for sure, but the emotional connections made from this event are powerful. We know it's a return to normalcy. It's also a celebration that we made it, that we are here, and that we can overcome anything as a community!"