Two Longtime Columbia Hy-Vee Employees Honored with Pictures on Trucks

May 18, 2026 | News & Press Releases

COLUMBIA, Mo. (May 18, 2026) - The helpful smiles of two Columbia Hy-Vee employees are now featured on the sides of two semi-trailers, honoring their many years of service to the company.

Roy Fullington and Wayne Werkmeister's pictures were unveiled Monday morning during a celebration outside the West Broadway Hy-Vee.

Roy Fullington is being honored for more than 45 years of service at Hy-Vee. Fullington first joined the company in 1980 as a driver for Floral Distributing, Inc., a subsidiary of Hy-Vee. In 2017, Fullington transferred to the West Broadway Hy-Vee to work as a general merchandise clerk and manage the seasonal lawn and garden center.

Fullington retired from full-time work in 2025 and currently serves as part-time general merchandise clerk. He said he enjoys maintaining a connection to the West Broadway Hy-Vee.

"It was a really good fit, all the people were wonderful and I just really felt comfortable there," Fullington said. "The people mainly are what make it wonderful."

Wayne Werkmeister is being recognized for more than 50 years of service at Hy-Vee. He has spent nearly 25 years at the West Broadway Hy-Vee, working as manager of the Starbucks kiosk for much of that time. Werkmeister retired from full-time work in 2025 and currently serves as part-time produce clerk.

Werkmeister said he has enjoyed the variety that comes with a career at Hy-Vee, along with the personal connections he made over the years.

"I love being with people. You're always around your customers and your employees," Werkmeister said.

Hy-Vee first started featuring long-serving employees on semi-truck wraps in 1997, and it has since become a cherished tradition at the company.

Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 560 business units across nine Midwestern states with sales of more than $14 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise and superior customer service. Hy-Vee was recently named one of the top grocery stores in America by USA TODAY. The company's more than 70,000 employees provide "A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle" to customers every day. For additional information, visit www.hy-vee.com.