84 Lumber Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Through the Story of an Associate Who Built His Career from the Ground Up

EIGHTY FOUR, Pa. (Sept. 17, 2026) At 84 Lumber, hard work is more than a value. It is part of how associates build careers. For Jonathon Diaz Huerta, that philosophy has taken him from building homes as a framer to leading approximately 50 associates as plant manager at 84 Lumber’s components facility in Statesville, North Carolina.

Diaz Huerta joined 84 Lumber five years ago as a floor supervisor, bringing hands on construction experience and the strong work ethic he developed growing up in a family with roots in Mexico. Since then, he has continued to take on new challenges and responsibilities, advancing from floor supervisor to roof truss supervisor, production manager and ultimately plant manager.

His career journey is a reflection of the culture 84 Lumber strives to create, where associates are encouraged to work hard, develop their skills, take on new opportunities, and grow within the company.

As 84 Lumber celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 through October 15, Diaz Huerta is sharing how his Hispanic heritage has shaped his approach to work and leadership. His career also demonstrates the opportunities available to associates who are willing to put in the work and continue growing.

“My heritage definitely molded me a lot because I’m a very firm believer in family and unity,” said Diaz Huerta. “If you band together, you can always get something done. We’re always supposed to help each other out.”

That belief in family and teamwork closely aligns with the way Diaz Huerta approaches leadership at 84 Lumber. He oversees approximately 50 associates across two shifts and is responsible for the overall operation of the facility, including ensuring orders are produced to specification and meet the company’s quality standards.

“I think I have a strong team here. I tell them we’re like family,” he said. “I treat everybody with respect and everybody’s a team player here.”

An Opportunity to Grow

Diaz Huerta’s path to plant manager began long before he joined 84 Lumber. He worked as a framer, gaining firsthand experience building homes from the ground up. Construction also runs in his family, and that experience gave him a strong foundation when he started his career with 84 Lumber.

His experience at 84 Lumber gave him the opportunity to build on that foundation and continue developing as a leader.

After approximately two years as a floor supervisor, Diaz Huerta was promoted to roof truss supervisor. He then moved into the production manager role before becoming plant manager. He is now in his first year leading the Statesville facility.

For Diaz Huerta, each promotion represents an opportunity he worked toward rather than one that was simply handed to him.

“I actually earned it. It wasn’t just given to me,” he said. “It was a position that I earned.”

That sense of ownership is an important part of Diaz Huerta’s approach to his career, and it is a message he shares with others who are looking to grow at 84 Lumber.

“Just don’t give up,” said Diaz Huerta. “If you have a dream, go for it. Just keep going. Never give up.”

His experience also demonstrates how 84 Lumber supports associates who want to build their careers within the company. Associates have opportunities to gain experience, develop their skills, take on greater responsibilities and advance into new roles.

For Diaz Huerta, that opportunity has meant being able to grow from a floor supervisor into a plant manager while continuing to learn and develop along the way.

Diaz Huerta’s Hispanic heritage has influenced more than his work ethic and leadership style. Growing up bilingual, he often translated for his parents and helped them with paperwork. Those early experiences taught him responsibility and helped him develop the communication skills he relies on today.

At 84 Lumber, speaking both English and Spanish allows Diaz Huerta to connect with associates and customers throughout his workday. He helps associates communicate with one another and assists Spanish speaking customers when needed.

He estimates that approximately 30% of the Spanish speaking customers he encounters at his location communicate in Spanish, underscoring the value of having associates who can connect with customers in their preferred language.

For Diaz Huerta, that ability to connect is another way his heritage has become a strength throughout his career.

Celebrating Culture, Community and Opportunity

Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity for Diaz Huerta to recognize the diversity within the Hispanic community and encourage others to learn about the cultures and traditions represented within it.

“I feel like it’s very important to recognize people within the community because we’re all diverse here,” he said.

He also hopes people take the opportunity to learn more about the many cultures that make up the Hispanic and Latino community.

“Hispanic culture is a very beautiful culture,” Diaz Huerta said. “We have different countries...the culture within the countries is different. If people take time to study the culture, they’ll find a lot of different things they didn’t know about other people.”

Diaz Huerta’s story represents more than a personal career accomplishment. It reflects the culture 84 Lumber works to foster, one grounded in hard work, teamwork, respect, and opportunity. It is a culture where associates can build their skills, take on new challenges and advance within the company.

For 84 Lumber, investing in associates is an investment in the future of the company and the construction industry. For Diaz Huerta, the opportunity to grow at 84 Lumber has allowed him to continue doing what he has always done: work hard, support his team and keep building.

For information about career opportunities at 84 Lumber, visit the company’s careers page.

###

ABOUT 84 LUMBER

Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, 84 Lumber Co. is the nation’s largest privately held supplier of building materials, manufactured components, and industry-leading services for residential and commercial construction. In 2026, the company proudly celebrates 70 years of serving customers and building communities across the country.

A certified women’s business enterprise owned by Maggie Hardy, 84 Lumber operates 320 facilities in 34 states and has earned national recognition for its leadership and workplace culture. The company has been named one of Newsweek’s Most Trustworthy Companies in America for three consecutive years (2024–2026), recognized on Newsweek’s Most Patriotic Companies in America 2026 list, and included on Forbes’ inaugural list of America’s Largest Family Businesses. 84 Lumber has also been recognized on Forbes’ America’s Top Private Companies and Best Employers lists, as well as USA Today’s Top Retailers list. For more information, visit 84lumber.com or follow 84 Lumber on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.