Clayton is known as the man of many hobbies, whether its fishing, fitness, hockey, music, or spending time with his wife, Paige, and their 2 young children, he is always on the go. At work he brings unification to the shop through his humor and mechanical knowledge.
During his engagement to Paige, Clayton dodged the wedding planning by running off to Mexico, where he worked on drills and learned Spanish in preparation for his role at WORD to grow.
Having grown up in the drilling industry, Paige spent time after high school living in Italy and again traveled after college to live in Mexico. Through her travels Paige gained international exposure to the market and even learned Spanish while she was at it!
Apart from spending time with her husband Clayton and their 2 young children, Paige enjoys living an active lifestyle, exploring local restaurants, and ALL things Disney.
With over 30 years’ experience in the rock drilling industry, our Founder provides a hub of information for WORD and its customers. John wears a lot of hats but mostly has a passion for selling, forging the path for innovation, and sharing the Word of God that has led him through many of life’s endeavors. When he takes a break from selling and steps away from his phone, John enjoys reading, doing puzzles and loves hosting parillas for his 5 children and 12 grandchildren.
Our resident expert in Giftology, Lisa has always had a passion for people and loves bringing joy to those around her. As an original founder and woman of many talents, Lisa holds expertise in a variety of roles at WORD from turning wrenches in the shop to maintaining the fine details of accounting. Currently, as Caring Coordinator, she gets to put her many hobbies of scrapbooking, quilting, and general DIYing to good use maintaining customer relationships and employee morale at WORD throughout the year.
After 35 years running a NAPA Auto Parts store and bringing life to the parts department at the local CAT dealer, Jerry’s excellent customer service and organizational gifting were just the revitalization that our inventory and parts department needed. Jerry’s heart is evident in all that he touches. His attention to detail, foresight and extra “Pappy” touch ensure that all of the shipments at WORD are sent out with great care. When he isn’t packing shipments, Jerry spends his free time spoiling his 2 grandchildren, working outside in his yard, and restoring old cars.
Often called our “Accounting Guru” for his accounting wisdom and hippy ponytail, Russell was actually the first Sockwell to work at WORD when he took the company on as a client during his days as a small business accountant. He has since returned to WORD after a 10-year stint in Charleston, SC with his wife, Donna and their daughter and son-in-law. In pursuit of their retirement dream to travel the United States, Russell and Donna became full-time RV’ers two and a half years ago and, since moving back to NC, have set up a custom RV spot in their sons yard as “home-base”. Now living life with 4 grandchildren next door, Russel and Donna spend many nights chilling out on the deck with music, conversation, and a few beers. Oh, and picking up all the toys out of the yard when the day is done!
Once an engineer for NASA, Ron is now an invaluable member of the WORD Team. Rocket ships to Rocket Sales, Ron is tasked with purchasing, product innovation, and keeping up with the sales department. Ron is a key part of the processes that help WORD provide the best, most timely solutions for its customers. When he isn’t working at WORD, Ron stays busy with home renovation projects, entertaining his 5 grandchildren, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends in politics and the stock market. He is also a self-taught MIDI expert on his keyboard!
Having a lifetime of sales under his belt, Reid brought a whole new level of efficiency and determination when he joined the WORD sales team. An entrepreneur at heart, Reid’s resume in sales stretches as far back as junior high when he would buy chips from the convenient store delivery driver and sell them to his fellow classmates on the bus. Outside of his many adventures in sales, Reid enjoys spending time with his family, attending IMSA and NASCAR races, and fixing up cars with his son.
Most likely the first sweet Southern voice you’ll talk to when you give WORD a call, Mikayla’s position at WORD started as a summer internship reviewing documents, answering the phone and being generally useful until her position grew to accommodate her new college degree and expertise in writing and marketing. When she isn’t coordinating advertising campaigns, writing magazine articles, making social media posts, or prepping for trade shows, Mikayla spends her time outside of work reading, shopping, and spending time with her family.
The red-headed member of the Patterson household, Charlie grew up in the rock drilling industry and began assembling drills as his after school activity in high school. When in his 20’s, Charlie took a break from rock drills to be a mechanic in the army where he ended up meeting his wife of 6 years. When he isn’t working, Charlie enjoys reading or listening to books, playing with his 4 children, meeting with friends and aspires to write a book.
A man on the move, you might see Chase in an airport off on his next adventure, on the road to a job site or off in his pickup to the beach any chance he gets. When in the shop, Chase helps assemble drills, serenades the crew with songs by Garth Brooks and John Mayer, and keeps everyone laughing. Chase is a true Southern boy, lover of NASCAR, BBQ and Duke Basketball!
Nicknamed K-LOVE for his positive and encouraging attitude, Andy is one of the most recent additions to the WORD Shop Team. Having exhibited an affinity for mechanics since his youth, working at WORD was just the job he was looking for. As a young mechanic, Andy is breaking generational stereotypes with his hard-working attitude, kind manners, and willingness to go above and beyond in everything he does. Outside of work, Andy enjoys hunting, working on cars, and spending time with his girlfriend.
Coming soon to a job site near you! As a Navy Veteran, his deep southern accent and demeanor might throw you for a loop but Mike knows his drills. Often seen on job sites for installations or on-site maintenance, Mike is our go-to guy for field work. When he isn’t on the road, Mike spends time doing mechanic work at home, spending time with his wife and sons, tending to his pet rabbit, and trying his luck with scratch-off tickets.
Our go-to guy for a positive attitude and daily scripture, Al helps everyone in the shop stay productive by doing a little bit of everything. In his younger years, Al lived and worked on a farm with his 2 sisters and in his spare time worked on muscle cars to test out on the drag racing strip. Al has a passion for people and now spends his free time serving others through various ministries, working with the Gideon’s, and spreading the Word of God to everyone he meets.
A Tennessee boy born and raised, Johanan has been a fun and energetic addition to the WORD Shop team! An avid snack connoisseur, his shop buddies would say food is one of his favorite hobbies. When he isn’t grabbing his favorite snack, Johanan spends his time enjoying the outdoors, completing woodworking projects, and volunteering with church ministries. The hand model for many of our new instruction manuals, you may see Johanan’s famous arm tattoo featured in the next WORD maintenance email.
An active member of the National Guard, Tristen joined the ranks of the WORD Assembly Crew in the summer of 2020 while job hunting during the COVID pandemic. An avid golfer, fantasy football player, and Cowboys fan, Tristen has been a great addition to our team. A guy who enjoys staying active, most days you can find Tristen after work at the WORD gym or hanging out with his buddies at a gym in town. Since Day 1 Tristen has brought the PARTY, brining in his Bluetooth speaker and getting everyone to jam out to country and rock from all eras!