Geneva Supply Increases Minimum Wage To $15 For Hourly Employees

Co-Founders Jeff Peterson and Mark Becker lead efforts to boost worker wages in Wisconsin, South Carolina, and Arizona and offer new day-of-hire benefits.

 Geneva Supply Co-Founders Jeff Peterson and Mark Becker, along with the company’s human resource team, Mariann Hunter and Emma Hobday, have announced a pay adjustment and wage increase to $15.00 per hour for all full-time hourly employees. The increase became effective on April 5, 2021.

• In addition, employees are now eligible for medical, dental, and vision benefits on the day of hire.
• Workers also can choose to be vested in the company retirement plan as soon as they have started their employment with Geneva Supply.

The moves have impacted workers operating from five U.S. cities across three states, including employees at Geneva Supply’s corporate headquarters in Delavan (Wisconsin) and business locations in Wilmot (Wisconsin), Menomonee Falls (Wisconsin), Charleston (South Carolina), and Phoenix (Arizona).

“This has been an ongoing matter of great importance to us, and the employee feedback and support for these positive changes continues to enliven us,” said Jeff Peterson, CEO of Geneva Supply. “As we move ahead, we will keep focused on our workers and acknowledge the significance of what this increase means to each of them – their families – and the communities they live in.”

Wisconsin and South Carolina’s minimum wage is currently set at $7.25, the same level as the federal minimum wage. Arizona’s state minimum wage rate bumped to $12.15 per hour in early 2021. Although this is a considerable recalculation for Geneva Supply, it is one which Jeff and Mark feel is essential when offering competitive wages to current workers and for attracting potential employees.

HR Technology News: Employee Burnout Up As Employers Pull Back On Support For Mental Health Benefits, Headspace Survey Finds

“As Geneva Supply continues to grow, we have made it a priority to invest in our people. Adjusting our full-time minimum wage to $15.00 per hour contributes to the people-first momentum our incredibly hard-working employees support each day. This adjustment is necessary, and we have no doubt it will open more doors for our workers and company in the future,” said Mark Becker, COO of Geneva Supply.

Part of Jeff and Mark’s mission has always included focusing on company culture and employee retention. By raising the minimum wage for all full-time hourly employees, the Small Business Administration award-winning entrepreneurs and leadership team are confident Geneva Supply is taking another step in the right direction.

“Raising our wages is also a smart business move. We know that paying people fairly leads to greater employee retention, which reduces the cost of hiring and training new people to replace employees who leave,” said Mariann Hunter, Human Resource Manager of Geneva Supply. “More important though, we value the people that choose to work here and hope that by increasing the hourly wage, they see and feel that.”