Unstoppable People - Cappy Davis

Milliken’s Unstoppable People series highlights Milliken & Company associates who guide us to success and embody our values: integrity, excellence, innovation, sustainability, and people.

Cappy Davis joined the team at Milliken’s Monarch Plant in 1991 as a spare hand, which she’ll tell you gave her the keys to unlock many opportunities within textile manufacturing: “Every three weeks, they [plant management] would train me on a different role in the plant. So, I started out as a spare hand, then I moved to machine operator, material handler, and creeler until I went into maintenance—which was a really awesome job.

“I was the only girl on maintenance. I was the youngest person on maintenance, but I learned a whole lot about the machines. I can take something apart and put it back together in a minute.”

Her appreciation of learning didn’t stop there. With the birth of Milliken Performance System (MPS), Cappy’s role shifted to MPS work, cleaning the machines, 5s, and office-related work, which is where she got the opportunity to learn about the payroll process. She then transferred to RMC [Milliken’s global headquarters], where she worked in the customer service field for the workwear business. She’s since moved back into the plant setting, working on the finance team at Cedar Hill Plant and chairing their local morale committee.

What is a morale committee? “We work to keep our team engaged within the plant. We try to do things to recognize associates and show them we care. We also spend our time helping our community. We’ve got awesome people and people with good work ethics, so we want to care for them.” It essentially bridges the concept of a safety-first culture with the drive for safety in the first place—the wellbeing of our associates. The morale team looks after our associates in ways outside the “traditional” safety mechanisms so often thought of in a plant setting. Cappy leads everything from monthly happening callouts to community donation drives to team huddles as a way to cultivate and continue the family-like atmosphere she’s grown to love here at Milliken.

That love of family shines through in her personal life, too. Between five grandchildren—one of whom graduates high school this year—and moments spent with family, Cappy also finds time to puzzle, read books, and diamond paint. Yet she keeps coming back to her family, her colleagues, and her community with genuine affection. “What can I say, I’m a people person,” she says with a chuckle.

Cappy’s career is a cross-section of production roles within plant settings, and it’s impressive what all she’s accomplished in her time at Milliken. “Well, you know where I started and where I'm at. And to me, that’s thanks in large part to Milliken. Milliken gives you opportunities. I was hired on as a spare hand, and I just kept working hard and striving for new roles that I wanted for myself. You get these opportunities, and you just need to take it and run with it, you know?”

As one of the safest companies in North America, Milliken believes that safety is not just a priority—it's a core value. Learn how we’re committed to improving safety in manufacturing in and out of our organization.

Want to join our team of #UnstoppablePeople? Visit our careers webpage to learn more about your next opportunity.

Do you know an Unstoppable Person you’d like to recognize? Nominate them at [email protected].