Tech Meets Talent: Inside a CIO’s HR Strategy

Key takeaways: 

• A dual IT–HR lens is helping 84 Lumber modernize its hiring strategy and adapt faster to emerging technologies.
• Early adoption of AI-powered sourcing tools is enhancing candidate matching, personalization, and speed, resulting in stronger hiring outcomes.
• A grassroots, story-driven approach to employer branding is expanding 84 Lumber’s reach and helping to attract early-career talent nationwide.

Technology and talent traditionally sit in entirely separate lanes. But at 84 Lumber, a national building materials and supplies retailer, those lanes converge in one leader: Paul Yater, Chief Information Officer and Head of Human Resources.

Yater, who joined the company nine years ago to modernize its IT strategy, soon took on HR leadership as well—a combination he admits is rare, but that he believes will become increasingly essential as AI reshapes how companies recruit, retain, and develop people.

In this Q&A, Yater shares how a dual tech-and-people lens is helping 84 Lumber elevate its hiring strategy, strengthen its employer brand, and empower recruiters with emerging tools.

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Meet Paul Yater

Role: Chief Information Officer and Head of Human Resources at 84 Lumber

First job: I spent three summers during college working at a local steel mill in my

hometown near Pittsburgh.

At a glance: “I don’t see many people in this dual role, but I do think the skills overlap more than people assume. It’s about putting the right people in the right seats and giving them what they need to succeed.”

 Paul Yater, CIO and Head of HR at 84 Lumber

You have a unique dual role leading both IT and HR. How did that come about?

Paul Yater: I’m an IT guy with a master’s degree in strategy and IT, but I didn’t come up as a “hardcore programmer.” I was a business analyst and project manager and grew into a leader who knew how to run IT departments and manage IT teams.

When I joined 84 Lumber, the mission was IT transformation: Build a strategy, hire a strong team, modernize our tools, and give our associates what they need to serve customers.

About a year and a half in, our HR role had turned over a couple of times. I raised my hand and said, “If you’re willing to take a chance on me, I’ll take a shot at this.” Our COO liked the relationships I’d built across the organization and the modern approach I brought to IT. We wanted that same evolution in HR. Eight years later, I’m still doing both.

I don’t see many people in this dual role, but I do think the skills overlap more than people assume. It’s about putting the right people in the right seats and giving them what they need to succeed.

Do you think this blend of HR and IT expertise reflects where the industry is headed?

Yater: I do. HR leaders don’t need to be technologists, but they do need to understand technology well enough not to fear it. 

For talent acquisition specifically, recruiters are trying all day long to match the right person to the right opportunity. AI can shorten the list, surface stronger matches, and help recruiters get to qualified candidates faster. It’s still going to be the recruiter talking to the candidate and selling the dream—but hopefully it’s someone who’s better matched to the opportunity.

What has adoption of AI-powered recruiting tools looked like at 84 Lumber?

Yater: We’ve been early adopters. For example, we were beta testers for Indeed Smart Sourcing, which uses AI to match candidates and generate personalized outreach messages. Our recruiters still refine those messages, but the AI-produced first draft does a remarkably good job of articulating why someone is a fit for a role.

Since adopting these tools, we’ve seen a meaningful increase in positive response rates. Better matching played a role, but so did the personalization and speed of our outreach. In hiring, timing matters. Candidates apply to multiple employers, so reaching the right person quickly can be the difference between making the hire or missing out.

Could our recruiters do all this manually before? Yes. But using AI tools enables them to get to the hire much faster.

Beyond AI-powered hiring tools, how else are you attracting the right candidates?

Yater: We take a multifaceted approach to attracting the right candidates, starting with strong partnerships and clear storytelling.

First, we’ve built a very tight partnership with our marketing team. We meet weekly to review the key markets we’re focusing on and refine our messaging. They help us produce video content, tell success stories—like our Rookie of the Year program—and shape the brand narrative across channels. Job descriptions, keywords, and benefits messaging are things we’re constantly optimizing. I appreciate that Indeed helps us stay data-driven and analytical around messaging—for example, are we saying the right things for a manager trainee role in Nashville?

Storytelling is also huge. We promote from within—96% of our store leaders started as manager trainees or in other entry-level roles. You’ll likely be promoted within your first six months as a manager trainee, become a co-manager within a year and, if you’re strong and the opportunity aligns with your skills, you could be running your own store in as little as three years. That’s a compelling value proposition, and we want to ensure we’re telling that story. It’s how we sell the dream.

We also work closely with universities, trade schools, technical programs, and community organizations to connect with early-career talent. We hire hundreds of manager trainees every year across 320 stores in 34 states, so we can’t rely on just one or two big university partnerships—it has to be both national and hyperlocal.

This work is very grassroots. You can’t show up once and expect results. You need to visit classrooms, attend career fairs, host store tours, speak on panels, and follow up. We want students to leave with a clear understanding of what the opportunity looks like and the trajectory they can have here.

💡 Indeed user tip: Indeed Hiring Insights reports enable you to view potential candidates and the search terms they use, compare similar job listings, and evaluate salary ranges to optimize your job descriptions.

What advice do you have for HR leaders trying to integrate new technology into their people strategies?

Yater: Don’t be afraid of it. Jump in and pilot it first. You don’t need to implement it company-wide on day one. 

Additionally, talk to your peers. What are people actually doing? Where are they starting? What’s working? What’s not? How are people learning? I connect with peers through Indeed Leadership Connect and industry events. 

I heard an analogy at a recent Leadership Connect Recharge event: AI is a microwave, not an iPhone. A microwave didn’t replace your oven or your stove—it just became another tool that made you more productive. That’s how leaders should think about AI—not something that replaces everything, but something that helps people do their jobs better.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received?

Yater: I’ve been fortunate to have incredible mentors throughout my career, but one lesson stands out: Many things are out of your control, but you can choose your attitude every day. Focus on what you can influence and put your energy into that.

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