PCG Connect

Hey, welcome to part 1 of a very special 2 part episode where we're joined by none other than president and CEO, Jason Hendricks, as well as former president and CEOs, Bill Massey and Craig Davis. As we wrap up our 35th anniversary year, we wanna pause and take a minute and just think about, share some of those untold stories, how we even became an organization in the 1st place, and just look at the milestones that we've reached along the way. And then, you know, all the the trials, the hits, everything that happened along the way and and what we can learn from it. And then also just what do we have to look forward to? We were talking, offline earlier, Bill and I, about, hey.

We're busier than ever. It feels like we're stretched really thin, but we've always been that way. It's it's just, you know, depends on the time. So wanna start it off. I guess let's start with, you, Craig.

So for people that have never met you before, how did you how did you get started in the industry? I know you went to Michigan State, and then how did you wind up in the industry?

Well, actually, 50 years ago this summer, I started as a carpenter apprentice at the Flint, Michigan Interior Branch. So I went through my apprenticeship program, worked there 4 years. And in the fall, I started at Michigan State University in their construction management program. And, I graduated that 4 years later and came into the power and process division of Owens Corning Fiberglass. So I was supposed to graduate on Saturday but I was packing because I had to drive Sunday to be in Kansas City to start training on Monday morning.

So that's how it started and then went through the training in Kansas City and then was put on a power plant at Saint Clair Shores, Michigan and I was there through the fall when they had the first contracting division training program which was a 2 and a half week program that they brought all the different people in than they used to in the old days, bring them into training and then tell them where they're gonna go from there. So people had no idea whether they're gonna be in Philadelphia or San Diego or San Francisco. But during that training they said, hey, we'd like to move you to San Francisco. Well I didn't have a choice so I said, yeah that'd be great. So I did end up moving to San Francisco in the fall to be a estimator project manager on the interior in San Francisco.

Yeah. San Francisco's pretty good, better than Flint. Yes. I would imagine.

Oh yeah. So I thought that'd be great you know, that's why I got in power and process. I could travel the country and see all places and it was back in Michigan. But no it turned out good, got to go to San Francisco, they just fired their branch manager so they had what it kind of like 1 PCG today, they used to have districts back then. So it was the district manager which was over the ISS, the interior, the cold storage and all that actually became my trainer.

Oh wow.

And he was quite a character. He was a retired British officer and with the accent and the very stoic formalities. So we went through that and it grew and turned around and because they had lack of options, 5 years later they made me the branch manager at 27 years old and I go, well that's pretty cool.

At 27, wow.

Yeah. And so then we went on to continue to grow the branch and got things going good and they kept asking me to do more stuff. Okay, go down, be over LA and then do this and so it kind of evolved till where we are today. Eventually they wanted me to come back to Kansas City when I was having fun so I was 20 years out in the Bay area and for long term succession planning they talked me into moving to Kansas City so I came back here in 1996 and went from

there. So when did it, how long had you been at Owens Corning before somebody came to you and was like, hey, or maybe you were one of the people who had the idea, hey, let's spin off and start our own company because you were one of the original investors. We call we call you we call you guys the forefathers. So you you were you were one of the forefathers. So how did all of that come about?

Well, it it really came about, because of a lot of the things happening with Owens Corning, they had the Wix takeover trying to do a takeover of the company and then they had to kind of swallow the pill and then they had to then get rid of things to create cash. And so long term they always saw the contracting division somewhat was a problem because we were competing against their other customers and so that became a problem for some of them. So, that's when they said, are you interested? And everybody said, yeah. So we went through a long process trying to do presentation after presentation with different investment bankers, banks and different people trying to put it together and as you know, you talked about it.

We thought we had it then it fell through and then finally we are able to you know, with 34 people borrowing everything they could threw it in and everybody was kinda scared, well what the hell? Like my wife would say, well what happens if it goes bankrupt? But I said, well, I'm young enough. I'll make it back. Well how

worries. How old were you and did you have kids? I mean what what I can't imagine you know, at the time what a leap of faith that was.

Yeah. So it yeah, I was young, so in 30s and so it was going, oh boy, that's gonna be interesting. But yeah, it turned out fine, we got it and we went through somewhat of a turmoil after the 1st year because we had some outside investors, tarmac and others and then there was challenges because our then CEO wanted to have our headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina because he thought that would be a good place to live and he had to have an east coast presence. So we went through some changes and finally in 89 we were able to develop a new cred facility with First Union where we were able to become a 100% owner and had control of the company. So really 89 was really kind of a relief after a lot of turmoil after 2 years.

So then we kind of battled from there to you know continue to grow and expand, and so that was pretty cool.

Yeah. Well, thanks for making that decision on behalf of me and all the other owners.

Everybody else. Yeah.

Yeah. So, Bill, tell us about, you know, how you wound up here at PCG.

Okay. Well, this guy to my right had something to do with that. But I was, I spent most of my career for working for a family business in LA, that is still a business today, Martin Brothers Plastering. Grew up in that business, decided, at 35 that there was really no place for me to go.

Your your last name wasn't Martin?

My last name wasn't Martin, but it was it was more than that. The early nineties were were tough. It was I was pretty just disenchanted with the business in total, and wasn't sure what I was gonna do, but didn't wanna wake up one day and be 50 and have someone else make that decision for me. So I I quit. Okay.

And I started a swimming pool business.

And You were a pool boy?

I was. Nice. I was. And, I had that business for about 8 months, and I got a phone call from a couple of guys that used to call on Martin Brothers that worked for performance. They did all our building installation.

Okay.

And they said, hey. Would you, be interested in maybe getting back in the the business? And I remember telling Annette, I'm gonna go talk to these guys, but I'm I'm not gonna do it. And the day I got there, Craig was happened to be in the office. And even though he wasn't over LA at the time, we had a different VP, a guy named Tom Hawkins.

And I ended up talking more to Craig than I did Tom. And in our conversation, he told me something that kinda got me. And he probably remembers this as much as I do, but, he asked me, like, why I would consider coming back, and I asked him what his his goals were for the company. And, everybody knew who Performance Contracting was, but they were not that big of an entity in in LA, certainly on the interior side. He said he wanted to build a company so good that people would stand in line to work here.

And I I remember going home that day and, telling Anna, I I think I'm gonna do it. And she said, well, why? And I said, because I met this guy. His name is Craig Davis, and this is what he what his vision is. And she said, what are they gonna pay you?

And I said, I don't know. They gave me her they gave me her range. And, a couple days later, they got back to me with the number, and I said, yeah. I think I'm gonna do it. And, she said, why?

But, I said, well, they, you know, they have this program, and, they have a pension at the time, and there was more to it than than the family business that I had come from. So, I said, hey. If it doesn't work out, what's the worst thing that can happen? I'm I'm still young, and I'll go do something else. And that wasn't well, let me back up.

They couldn't hire me right then. They had to wait until January because there wasn't enough money

Oh, wow.

Really really to put me on I think this was October or November of 93.

93. Okay.

So they said your your start date's gonna be January 1, 94. And, I went home, and she looked at me like I had lost my mind. And, but I I did it anyway. And, yeah, that was, seems like a long time ago now, but it was, probably the best decision I ever made, by far.

Yeah. Well, when you think about it, common commonality here, you both took a risk, right, and, you know, kind of put it all on the line and put all your faith in the company and it paid off.

In spades. In spades.

So what do you remember meeting, Bill?

Oh, without a doubt, you know, they they were saying, hey, this we got this stud coming in and, you know

He's a pool boy right now.

Yeah. He's a pool boy. And I go, really? And so then then we, you know, I, spent some time letting him know, how good this could be and how much I wanted him, how much I thought he had the potential that could flourish in this organization and that he could make

a a

whole bunch of money.

Turned out pretty good.

You know, that was just the first time we had that conversation. There was another time in 2004, about 10 years later, that he again, probably been the most influential adult person in my life. And, yeah, he's never once told me something that didn't come true. And, you know, he just kinda treated me like a a younger brother.

That's awesome. Yeah. And it's like the power of mentorship. Sounds like you had one and that British, you know, person that kind of helped you out. And then, you know, you took Bill.

And now Bill, you kinda have the same relationship with Jason because you started in the LA branch. We've had another podcast where you've kinda told this story, I think, but just to, for people that didn't hear that one.

Yeah. So, I guess much like Bill, there's a lot of parallels to, to me coming to performance contracting. You you know, I guess it took somebody betting on you and and having faith that, you could be a good part of the team and you could add value to the team. And my coming to performance contracting had a 100% to do with with, with Bill. And, it yeah.

So, mine was a a a different path than than both of these gentlemen. So it wasn't through construction. I had a finance degree, But I guess the unique path that I took is that me coming to performance contracting had everything to do with being at the right place at the right time, baseball and coffee. And, you know, it just so happened, happened, and I'll make this short, it just so happened that through both of me working at a local Starbucks, while I was in between, I guess, career choices, and coaching high school baseball, brought me together with Bill. His older son played on the team that I was coaching and the Starbucks that he would frequent before heading to the LA office was the one that I worked at.

And through a course of 6 months and then me spending some time with him, before I was actually heading back to New York City to, go to a job that I already accepted, within a matter of a week, basically, I, I started as the, the branch controller in the LA Interior office. And like I said, it it had everything to do, with with Bill and and somebody who was willing to take a chance on me and, I basically had zero value, from a construction standpoint. Right? I knew nothing about the organization based except for what I could get off the website and my only the only person I knew was Bill and so he took a bet on or a chance on me. And I, you know, I guess in my young or mid twenties, just said, hey, what do I have to lose?

And I didn't wanna go back to the East Coast where I was headed. And, so it kept me on the on the West Coast closer to family. And, I guess, as they say, the rest is history.

Yeah. Also a risk. Like, you took the job. You had to call your other employer and say

Yeah. So I called them on I called them on Friday. I was supposed to get on a plane Saturday morning, and fly back to New York City. Told him on Friday that I wasn't getting on the on the plane. And then the following Monday, I started, in LA.

K. So quick question. Did did Bill ever ask you to make coffee for him once you were hired?

No. He didn't. He he didn't. He didn't.

None of that. So a lot of people are, you know, we still have PE boot camp, you know, and, other you know, through other trainings, people are really, really interested in kind of career path and how different people, you know, from where they started until when they retired. So if you could just really quickly kinda walk through what were your titles. You kinda started on this one, Craig. You started as a project engineer, and then you hired on as was it an estimator or

Estimator project manager.

Okay. And then talk us through.

And then, you know, I was promoted from, you know, from senior advanced estimator then to branch manager. And then, after that, they started giving me more to do, like, over LA and added stuff. And then you became your operation manager. And then move up from there to over a division. And then, you know, in, 99, they were busy doing other stuff, so they gave me everything that is p PCG today.

You know, they were working on ftech and other different adventures. And so they are here. This is all under you. Go run it. So the 99, then I basically started running all what we have today.

Okay. So you're actually today, you're the longest, you're in the position longer than anyone else in the organization. I don't know if you knew that or not. So

Yeah. I I do.

Yeah. The long of course, you did. But the long so how about how about you, Bill?

So I was fortunate enough to come in as, an advanced estimator. That's what we called the highest level estimator at the time, and there was no swimming pool titles. So

It's better than remedial estimator. Yeah.

Yeah. Junior. And, I did that for 4 years, and then was fortunate enough to become the branch manager in LA. And then due to a a couple of meltdowns in other locations, I became an operations manager in in, I think, 99, and, a vice president in 2000. And then and I think at that time, I had maybe LA, Las Vegas, and Phoenix.

And then, got the rest of the West Coast in, like, I don't know, 2006 or 7. And that's when I moved back to Kansas City. It was 2,007.

Mhmm.

Then ran the division in 2,009, and ended up in the in the big chair eventually, when when Craig, left.

When I wanna spend time talking about kinda your time in the position so we can look back and appreciate, you know, where we are now. So when you when you first stepped into the role, Craig, kind of give us, paint the picture. What was the environment like, the economy like? What were your big goals that you had? You already talked about your vision, which I love that.

But kind of set the stage for us. What were things like?

Well, you know, the overall economy was fine, but we had gone through a lot of evolution from how we went about our business from processes, procedures, from computerized estimating to a lot of different things. When we started out, everybody kinda did what they did separate and there was no continuity. And so, we spent a great deal of time up to that point to standardize, you know, how we went about business so we could replicate that and train it and franchise it. And, you know, if you move a person from this branch to this branch it's not, oh, well we do things different here. So that was a big task to get over and then obviously through this evolution we started more emphasis on our controls, our labor controls and that which that was very difficult but once we got through that it paid a lot of benefits.

So, you know, if you have a clue of what your cost is, it's a lot easier to be a contractor. So we spent a lot of time figuring out what our cost was and once we did that we were good.

Yeah. About how many locations were there at the time?

Oh, at the time there was probably 30, 40 locations, you know, in the late nineties and you know, we went through a lot of evolutions when we got North Brothers because they added a bunch then we thinned them out and that kind of stuff. So that was a evolution there. So that was in 97 when we got North Brothers. So that was a very big ISS contractor with a lot of locations. So that took a lot of effort to bend through that to get it down to what we ended up with.

Was that the first acquisition that we had or

No. We We started it wasn't really an acquisition, but we started with Aard Mac PCI was a joint venture company. So it was kinda like that. And that kinda that was in 92 that started our international clean room business and that we still have going today which is cool. So, yeah.

And then we got more on, you know, in the 90s we, you know, got like Promotech in North Brothers, which we still have Promatec and most of North Brothers.

Mhmm.

And then in 99 we got Masthead which that was a very interesting one. Jason got to spend a lot of fun time with that. And then in 2000 we got Dahmer Brothers.

And, you

know, what really sold me is I did a lot of researching but I was doing a little walk through the office and when I was in, you know, high school and college, I was a Detroit Lion fan. And so then I walked through and I saw this picture of one of my favorite players on a door and it said Mel Renfro. And she had the picture of the Detroit Lions on her door and I go, I like her, she's gonna be something someday, so let's buy that company and look where Mel is today, leading and training the world. So

Thank you so much. That was a that was a wedding gift from Doug Dahmer, by the way. He he actually gave me the card. So That's awesome. Yeah.

I can remember when you guys came through. And then one of the first things, once we were acquired in getting settled, my sister, Teresa, and I took a trip out to LA to see how they did business out there and met Bill and you gave us a walk through of the Kodak Theater, whatever it's called now.

Hollywood and Highland. Yeah. I don't know what they call the theater anymore, but Hollywood and Highland was the name of the project.

Yeah. So it's funny how it seems like yesterday too in a lot of ways. So then, what were some of the biggest challenges you had whenever you were sitting in the in the role?

Well, you know, things that you could control and think that you you could analyze and you have a few paths to choose, you can make a decision. But one of the things that was really challenging for me was that, Owens Corning, we had purchased ourselves from Owens Corning. Obviously, you know, they had made an asbestos containing material, Calo, from like 53 to 72. So they had a lot of asbestos litigation going. And so, one thing we wanted to make sure is when we split off is that we were completely indemnified, there is no way any of that could come through to us which we had it all wrapped up.

Well, so, in 2001 because or it was in 2000, Owens Corning, because of their litigation filed chapter 11 bankruptcy and because the weight of the asbestos litigation put him in bankruptcy. And then we came to find out, we're not indemnified anymore. So all our protections are gone. And so they all these companies could sue you and we've heard nightmares as people getting 100 and thousands of lawsuits and bankrupting companies just trying to defend them. And so, we tiptoed through that and that was kind of nightmarish, you know, once all of a sudden you start getting some come in but we had a very planned strategy that we were not gonna pay anything, we're not gonna do anything and just continue to fight it.

We had number of ways to fight it, but that was scary. And then finally, you know, which would seem like forever, but in 2006 they developed a big $5,000,000,000 trust and they came out of bankruptcy and they put all for the current and future needs of their asbestos litigation was in that, so we recovered again.

Okay.

But that was a scary time. Yeah. When we could get they could have bankrupted the whole company and there's not a lot we could do.

Yeah. You think about what keeps you up at night.

Yeah. That's that's one where you don't have control.

Yeah. What was your go ahead. I

was just gonna ask. So did they specifically call us out in that in that trust? Or was it just the the amount of money we felt, I guess, confident or a little bit more secure?

Yeah. It's all because of who we were with the Owens Corning. This was for Owens Corning's bankruptcy and we were part of that trail so that yeah, so it was all covered.

So Okay.

Nowadays we still today, they come in there and go go see the trust.

That's right.

Go see the trust. Yeah. And yeah, so no matter if they run out of money or not it we're not affected. So that's forever gone.

Yeah.

But that, was kinda interesting.

Yeah, for sure.

What were some of the biggest challenges you had? You mentioned there were about 30 different locations and everybody was running on their own, you know, processes and everything. What was, you know, what were some of the biggest challenges? First of all, everybody thinks the way they do it is the best way.

Oh, yeah.

And and everybody you know, we're different. We're different. So what were some of the biggest challenges, and what was your vision there to, you know, win people over like, hey, this is why we all need to be rowing in the same direction here?

Well, one, it's to decide what our standard procedure is gonna be and how we're gonna do it. Then it's a matter of getting people trained and implemented. We went into having training people from the estimating and different functions and we did a lot of, wrote our own of our financial programs and our control programs and so we had a lot of people out training and one of the evolutions was you know, what Jason back there was a part of, we end up before early on we had 2 controllers for the whole company and then we started branch controllers and they became not only a training and standardizing but they end up blending all the people in finance and corporate together and they've played a vital role and you look at the amount of that we have today, it made all the difference in the world. And so, once we moved towards getting everybody on the same page, you got a lot of people cross training each other and helping each other, then they would have groups that would meet together to evolve what we have, to get better standard, to share databases and it was really amazing to see and it made us better and better and we more and more became to know what our cost is.

Yeah. It's that entrepreneurial spirit too. You know? Like, one branch has figured something out or, hey, I have this great Excel spreadsheet to do that thing that you're doing and sharing it. So tell us about your whenever, Bill, whenever you took office, kind of what the transition talk through the transition.

And then what were your goals or, you know, what was one of your major visions that you had?

So I'll start with the the first of all, the transition was easy. Craig made it very, very easy for me. The board I remember the day that, you know, we met with the board and told them that I was gonna be president. They gave me some really great advice. It went something like this.

You know, do everything you can not to, well, mess it up. They weren't that polite.

I've heard the story before,

and we would

have had to beep beep it up.

Yeah. But, which was true. I mean, obviously, we had inherited something that was already really amazing. But I think one of the biggest challenges was really we had lost Craig was the last founding father, really, to to retire. And prior to that, you know, we lost Mick and and Chuck.

They retired in 14, and Glenn had retired in 13. And prior to that, Bill Foote had retired. And we were I was a little nervous about the fact that, hey, the what most people knew of PCG was this group that had held these titles for a long time, and trying to get a new leadership group together and make sure that we could move the needle, the right direction, and not fall down. And that we could convince everybody that, hey, we are we've been working at this for a while. We did put a lot of time and effort into succession planning, and that we are in a good spot.

But you never know, you know, how people are gonna react. And it was a it was a lot of change. I mean, it was the only thing I had ever known in the the whole time I had been here. And I remember talking to Craig about it, and he said, oh, yeah. Don't worry about it.

I mean, people thought that when Sprates retired, you know, oh my god. And what's gonna happen? Yeah. So I think maintaining that continuity was really important to us. And then, you know, trying to look at, hey, what what don't we do as well as we we think we should?

And part of that was, yeah, Craig hit the nail on the head. I mean, we had developed a lot of people, technically. I think we spent a lot of time on customer alignment. We spent a lot of time on training and developing technical skill. We were just getting into leadership development.

And I think we realized as we were growing that we had a lot of people who were really, really good at their jobs, but maybe weren't skilled at leading large groups of people. And, so we started spending a lot more time and effort on on that kind of development, more soft skill development, and, trying to get people to understand what they were actually responsible for outside of just process and procedure. So that was that was item number 1 on my agenda. And I knew how my window was a little bit short. So, that's where we basically focused on people.

Yeah. Can you tell this story? I love this. We did a lot of lunch with bills. I can't remember.

I think we did 16 total. But you talked about, how you saw the role of a leader, the the story you would tell about your kids, and then also how that correlated to being a leader.

Yeah. So I I I feel very strongly that, how you feel about your your role as a as a parent or or a husband or or, you know, just with your children, it is really no different than work. And you are responsible for their well-being, and their success, not just, you know, putting gas in their cars and a roof over their head and clothes on their back. That that's part of your job as a as a parent, but really understanding what what makes them tick. And, I remember the day that we had, you know, I think 44 managers off-site, here at corporate.

And I kinda walked them through what I thought their responsibility was, outside of those things. And to me, our work family was really no different than my my family at home. And, I think that mindset was new to some people that I I'm really responsible for someone else's well-being. And, yeah, you you are. And, I had a couple of people tell me, well, no one's ever told me that before.

I I thought if I would just did my job, I was I was doing okay. And, yeah, that's that's part of it. But I think the real the real difference maker is, you know, getting behind people and and understanding that they are our biggest asset. And, I think it's the biggest thing that still today differentiates us from from everybody else. I mean, we all have access to technology.

We have access to equipment. It's it's the people that really, you know, drive this organization and and and always have, really. It was it was great that we put structure to it. But really, recruiting, you know, training, developing, retaining the best of the best is really what I think makes us different than everybody else. So we doubled down on on people strategy execution, and I think it was it it it's something that when you look at our our roles, you're trying to make an impact on an organization that is not you know, it doesn't just help us today or tomorrow or next month or next year, that it it it's gonna put something in place that can can make a difference over a decade or decades.

And I think those are the those are the challenges that that, you know, really drive a a president or CEO is, hey, we make a lot of personnel decisions, monetary decisions. They impact the company maybe today or for a short period of time. But what can we do that that is actually gonna have an impact for for a long time?

Mhmm. Well, that will make people wanna line up to work here. Right? That's right. Yeah.

So one thing I really like as a company is, you know, you mentioned people and emphasis on people. And one thing we always try to do is why we built this why we have this building and trainings and that connection that we can build between people, but also between people and the leadership group. One thing that I've always appreciated and, Craig, back in the day, I can't remember what training it was, but we were at this pub called Fox and the Hound. And you get in there, and we played pool. Like, you didn't know me?

Well, you did because the famous Mel Renfro, the Detroit Lion. But, you know, getting involved in just like, hey. Do you wanna play pool or golf or whatever it is? I mean, how many companies can you say like, hey. Yeah.

I golfed with the with the CEO today. Was that something from the very beginning that the leadership group, that was an emphasis they had? Like, we tried to line up training so you guys could come and join for dinners and things like that. But how did that get started?

Well, it has to be your your gut belief in what's the right thing to do because some people don't put the energy out. But the thing about we were trying to develop the relationships of, you know, not only we do it with customers but with our employees, with our coworkers, and it's really simple. There's only 2 basic things to do that. It's how much you care and how much energy you put out. So I mean it's more than you realize because you know, Bill and I did that many a times, we'd be traveling in from being on the road all week, we'd fly in at 10 at night and we'd be tired, a lot of people would go straight home but we said hey there's a training class, let's head over there because it's our only chance to probably see these guys.

So we'll go spend an hour with them and talk to them and listen to them, tell them how we care and it was important to them to be able to talk to you, listen to you and feel that they had met somebody and then you tell them, if you ever need anything call me. And, but that that that's relationship building which is so critical to why we're successful as a company. It's 2 basic things, you know? Yeah. How much you care and how much energy you're gonna put out.

I like that.

That's all we need to do to be successful.

I think for me, you know, coming into the organization looking back and and how these two guys kinda carried themselves and really kinda walked in the in the footsteps of what what Craig just alluded to is it was this approachability and this access to senior leaders in the organization that just kinda blew you away. Right? As we were expanding as a as a company, we still did everything or they did everything possible to try to keep this small company feel and this connection, because it it really does feed off, you know, it it feeds off of each other. It really lends itself to the culture that they were creating, that we've tried to carry forward. And it's really about what is the the total power or that energy that we have collectively together that moves this thing forward.

It's not one person or it's not this group versus that group. It's collectively, what can we put our energy into and our effort into and and drive this thing to where we want it to go?

Yeah. So do you have any, words of wisdom? So for people that feel awkward whenever they're given that opportunity at a dinner, like, oh, they don't wanna talk to me. What would your advice be for them?

I would say completely the opposite. You know, we we would welcome it. You know, I think that's the the the beauty of the way we're structured is that, I think that that servant leadership mindset that we we've had from the beginning is that we don't I don't think any of us ever felt like all these people work for you. I mean, it's quite the opposite. You know, we we actually work for everybody else.

We're we're here to try to make it better, and the rest will take care of itself. So, hey, the more people we could meet, the the more opportunity there is to feel a connection, as Jason said, or Craig said. You know, that's the those are the ties that bind. That is why we are who we are. That's why people who host events for us will tell you, you'll hear them before you see them.

I mean, that that's what we're really looking for is that kinda energy. And, that is only developed through connections where people feel very strongly that, hey, I I am part of something that actually is really powerful and very unique.

Yeah. I I that's what I always try to say, especially introverts. They're like, oh, they you know, they're gonna think I'm weird if I go up there. I'm like, absolutely not. They they want you to.

And it's also the higher up you go, the less, you hear directly. Like, hey, what's bothering people? Or what do they really appreciate? And that's, you know, that's your opportunity to hear from people. What's working and what isn't?

So whether it's, you know, sitting at a track or or any sort of our trainings or having lunch or coffee with with a group of employees here, you know, I tell every every group I sit down with, this is probably the best part of my job or at least one of the best parts of my job, being able to sit down and just talk. Right? Yeah. We we certainly share different roles in the organization, but collectively, we are performance contracting and each one of us contributes to the success that we have as an organization. So the better that we know each other, the better that we understand each other, the better we are at, you know, I guess being comfortable enough to ask questions and engage in conversation, the more aligned we are gonna be as an organization.

The the last thing that you want is a bunch of people wondering, okay, well, what's gonna what's happening? And so we try to create that access and that engagement and that environment where people feel comfortable enough to say, hey, you know, what's going on? Or what's on your mind? Or what are we doing next? And that could be over a beer, that could be over lunch, that could be over coffee, cool, ping pong, whatever.

But, you know, you try to create a a a more comfortable environment, you know, an environment where you're not sitting in an office, right, or or separated by a desk. You're just standing, hanging out. You're at a high top, or you're at a table with, you know, 6 or 8 other individuals, and you're just shooting the breeze.

Yeah. I like it. That's I I love that we have all the things downstairs now. It it's easier to talk when you're doing something than just standing around. And going back, Bill, like, to time in office, we heard, you know, one of the challenges you had with the asbestos, Craig.

Did what were what was one of the biggest challenges, when you were in the role or even before maybe?

I guess, we've certainly had our share. But, you know, I think I think for the most part, it's just, you know, trying to find ways to make something that's already good better. You know, you can you can pick at things that that, all you want. And we've always been accused of having that low level paranoia that whatever we accomplished wasn't wasn't enough. So hey.

I I was very fortunate. I mean, the the table was pretty set. We we did have some succession challenges, and and we I guess, we always will, no matter how hard you work at that. There's businesses that under perform that you're you're struggling with. But, I wouldn't say that there was anything really that, got in the way of what we wanted to do or accomplish.

It was really hoping that that asserting a vision would actually, take hold. I I think you probably know this about me from our, when you wanted came up with this idea of having lunch with Bill. Like, I always had this fear, like, well, what if nobody came? What if nobody wanted to have lunch? I mean, I but, you know, so when you when you wanna roll something out, you're hoping that you can get, you know, buy in from from the leadership group, the operations groups, the branches, and, that you can get the support you're looking for.

And, we were very fortunate, and those things work. But I wouldn't say that there was anything that that, like, really got in the way. We we have a lot of fortunately, we have a lot of talented people in the organization, and, I think it was just good timing. You know, we we were looking for, like, that's something that might make us just a little bit better. And I think we were able to hit on something that people could support and get behind, and, that is that will be part of what was already a very rich culture, even richer.

Yeah. So, you both are still on the board. What since you've retired, what do you think some of the biggest changes have been either in the industry or in the organization? And, it sounds like you're a bit of an Nostradamus, Craig. I remember one of your big things was you really wanted to hit a $1,000,000,000 in revenue.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah. But, is there anything about the way work is done that has surprised you or where you're like, oh, okay. I saw the future. It's nice to see that it's finally here.

Well, I'm, I've been thoroughly surprised in the evolution of once I left it on the board. And it's so satisfying because they say your legacy isn't when you were there. It's what happens after you leave. And I mean the way this company is run today, it's completely amazes me. Each and every meeting, every day, they're attaining such a high level of execution and success and it's it's amazing.

It's it's the easiest board job I've ever had in my life. So, no. It's it's doing very well and too often, you know, you really get a sense of that that a lot of the employees don't know. But when you talk to banks and bonding companies and insurance companies and auditors, they see the good, bad and indifferent of thousands and thousands of companies. And throughout the time I was, you know, in the seat to afterwards, they're amazed at how good we are.

And I don't think the people working for our company realize how good we are because we're not, you know, we're not just pretty good. We're the best employee owned company, period. Any industry, period. And the best is yet to come. There's so much more improvement and good things that are gonna evolve because people want it so much.

Everyone's in everyone haven't lived quite up to their potential yet, but they are they are doing an amazing, amazing job and I'm just thoroughly thrilled to watch it happen.

What a great decision to go employee owned, you know, at the very beginning. How about you, Bill?

I would echo what what Craig said. I mean, it's, yeah, I think we we are both extremely proud of of the organization in total, and and to watch it today, and see how effective and how efficient, how efficiently Run It is. Again, goes back to, hey, we had we had something to work with. Right? We all have had an obligation, not Craig, because he was part of the initial piece of building that foundation.

Right? Our responsibility and our obligation was to take that foundation and make it even greater. And, that's challenge. You know, it's oftentimes easier to to go into something that's messed up and fix it. But to take something that's already working and make it better is is a little bit more of a challenge.

So, you know, hey, I think, that responsibility and obligation to leave it better than you found it, no matter how good you found it, is it kinda drives us all. And, you know, I I wonder oftentimes, you know, how how how to help, because, you know, like I said, you can pick at things. But overall, I mean, just looking at that accomplishment sheet, kinda sums up, you know, what happened in in 2020 22. But, you know, we've always kinda prided ourselves on it's not just what you did during that fiscal, it's how well positioned are you for the next year. And, that has just been a up into the right trajectory that has been really, really fun to watch.

You know, it would be a just a small part of, you know. So, again, it goes back to to people. I don't think the business has changed a ton. There's it still gets it's a it takes bodies. Right?

And when you think about the amount of bodies that it takes for us to be successful, I don't know what your salary head count is anymore. 121200 plus probably people. And then another 7 to 8 1000 people in the field, and all those people showing up every day and doing doing what they need to do to make us successful is pretty amazing, when you look at, the results of something like, you know, this year and the opportunity for 2023.

Thanks for joining us for part 1 of this very special episode with Jason, Bill, and Craig. Tune in next week to part 2 as we talk about challenges that we've overcome throughout our company's history and how those challenges became opportunities. Until next time, this is Mel. I'm leaving you with this dramatic cliffhanger, hoping you join us next week for part 2. So catch you on the flip side.