Emily Soderberg: Woodworking Network 40 Under 40 Honoree
Saint Louis Closet Co.’s Emily Soderberg Named to Woodworking Network 40 Under 40
We’re proud to celebrate one of our own.
At Saint Louis Closet Co., we’ve always known that the quality of what we build starts with the people behind it. So when Emily Soderberg, our Director of Engineering, was named a Woodworking Network 40 Under 40 honoree, we weren’t surprised, we were proud.
Emily is one of the select group of woodworking and manufacturing professionals across the country recognized by the Woodworking Network 40 Under 40 program for their exceptional contributions to the industry. For us, this recognition tells a story 18 years in the making.
Who Is Emily Soderberg?
Emily joined Saint Louis Closet Co. nearly two decades ago and has since become one of the most essential people in our organization. As Director of Engineering, her role is complex. Every custom closet, home office, garage system, or mudroom we design has to make the leap from concept to reality. That process involves hundreds of decisions about materials, tolerances, machinery, sequencing, and quality control. Emily owns that process.
She also holds a degree from Washington University in St. Louis that included a major in German, which she puts to practical use translating inches to metrics for SLCC’s woodworking machinery.
The Woodworking Network 40 Under 40 Honoree
The Woodworking Network 40 Under 40 program recognizes rising leaders who are shaping the future of the woodworking and wood products manufacturing industry. Emily’s nomination highlighted several areas where her impact has been undeniable.
18 Years of Engineering Excellence
Emily has worked with Saint Louis Closet Co. for 18 years, growing alongside the company and helping drive its evolution as a local custom closet business. That kind of institutional knowledge and long-term investment in a single company is rare, and the results speak for themselves.
Over nearly two decades, Emily has:
- Improved production workflows across the shop floor, creating more efficient paths from design file to finished product
- Reduced material waste through smarter engineering processes and precise cutting optimization
- Increased operational efficiency in ways that allow SLCC to scale without sacrificing quality
- Defined manufacturing standards that set the baseline for everything we produce
Bridging Engineering and the Craft of Woodworking
What sets Emily apart in the custom closet manufacturing space is her ability to hold both halves of the process in mind simultaneously. She understands not just how something should be designed, but how it must be built, and she closes the gap between those two things with intention and precision.
When a design pushes the limits of what’s manufacturable, Emily knows how to find solutions that preserve the integrity of the design while respecting the realities of the material. When a new process promises efficiency gains, she knows how to evaluate it against the quality standards our clients expect.
It’s a rare combination, and it’s one of the reasons our finished product looks and functions the way it does.
A Culture of Excellence, Built From the Inside Out
Emily’s influence at SLCC isn’t just technical but also cultural. She has helped build an environment where doing things the right way isn’t optional, it’s the standard. Her commitment to quality has set the tone for the entire engineering and production team, creating a shop floor culture that takes pride in precision.
Jennifer Q. Williams, President and Founder of Saint Louis Closet Co., put it simply:
“Emily has an incredible ability to see both the big picture and the smallest detail at the same time. She ensures that every system we produce is built the right way. Her impact on our company, and our engineering efforts, is immeasurable.”
Motivated by Custom Storage
Ask anyone who works alongside Emily and they’ll tell you she’s driven by something deeper than metrics or output. She’s motivated by the challenge of transforming an idea; a client’s vision for their space, into a finished, functional system that exceeds expectations.
Custom closet manufacturing means no two projects are exactly alike. Every home is different, every client has different needs, and every design presents its own set of engineering puzzles. Emily thrives in that environment. She finds smarter solutions without cutting corners, and she builds processes that make it easier for the entire team to deliver their best work.
For Emily, the reward is knowing that every detail was thoughtfully engineered and expertly built. That mindset shows up in everything she touches.
A Well-Deserved Recognition
The Woodworking Network 40 Under 40 is a reflection of the kind of professional Emily has been throughout her career: steady, skilled, and always raising the bar.
We are proud to have Emily as part of the Saint Louis Closet Co. team, and even prouder to see her recognized on a national stage for the work she does every single day. She is, in every sense, the bridge between engineering and woodworking excellence.
