WHAT CAREER MILESTONES ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF HAVING ACHIEVED?

Just this past year, Cementation USA achieved a milestone of two million man hours worked without a lost time injury. This milestone was achieved while performing some of the most challenging work in underground mining, on projects that were going deeper and being performed in places not previously contemplated in the industry. Although the men and women in the field get the true credit for this accomplishment, I am very, very proud to be a part of it.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

Finding and retaining the right people for our company is our biggest challenge. Our company is built around a “Best for Project” philosophy with long-term client relationships being our primary goal. Our philosophy significantly differs from that of our in-country competition, and I’ve found that many individuals that have made careers in the contracting industry are unavailable to us to hire due to an inability to adapt to our philosophy. Our future lies with the individuals already within the company, so we need to do our part in providing them the opportunities and training they need to excel.

WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT YOUR INDUSTRY’S FUTURE?

During my time in the underground mining industry, there has been a massive shift in thinking with regard to recognition of human suffering and the things that contribute to it. The level of understanding, realisation, and concern around this subject has increased exponentially to a point that for many, it is part of not only their work, but their home life also. It excites me that many employees in our industry now have hazard recognition and mitigation built into their every day, every task thought process.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICE?

I went through a decade of life that ended with the realisation that all my hobbies had gone by the wayside and that work was completely dominating my life. I vowed to make a change and, after some dabbling in a number of activities, I have picked up reefkeeping. I’ve done a bit of diving in my life, and enjoy being able to see a window into that reef environment. To be honest, I’m also a bit of a tech junkie and enjoy monitoring and automating every parameter needed in order to replicate the ocean in an
aquarium. I also enjoy a good bit of hunting and fishing.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF CAREER ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED?

I went through a decade of life that ended with the realisation that all my hobbies had gone by the wayside and that work was completely dominating my life. I vowed to make a change and, after some dabbling in a number of activities, I have picked up reefkeeping. I’ve done a bit of diving in my life, and enjoy being able to see a window into that reef environment. To be honest, I’m also a bit of a tech junkie and enjoy monitoring and automating every parameter needed in order to replicate the ocean in an
aquarium. I also enjoy a good bit of hunting and fishing.

WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Prior to joining Cementation I was happily “retired” from the mining industry and operating a cattle ranch in the cowboy state of Wyoming. I still have the ranch but certainly wouldn’t call myself a cowboy during my morning and evening office commutes! I am happy to report that my marriage has improved as my wife certainly
enjoys the Utah climate compared to those cold, windy Wyoming winters.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?

My first paid job was as a roustabout, basically a mechanic for an oil production field. I installed and repaired production and injection pipelines, maintained roads and oil separation facilities, operated and repaired equipment, basically whatever needed doing.