As I reflect on my early life, I know how blessed I am to have had a dad that taught me the importance of focusing on a goal and working to reach it, no matter what. During his life he suffered innumerable difficulties both personally and professionally. When I was very young our family lost most of the few possessions we had to a moving truck fire. Later, during his working career he suffered several major injuries from falls and other “dumb ass attacks”, as he liked to phrase it. I used to tease him about “making better decisions” and during his funeral I joked that he had been a walking OHSA violation for most of his life. He would have appreciated the sentiment even at his expense. When bad stuff happened, he would get down, but he never quit or gave up. He taught me to learn from mistakes but don’t dwell on them and to find joy in something, every day. My dad has been gone for many years now, but I am still learning from him and working to pass his knowledge onto others. One of the main reasons that I moved halfway across the country to join Wolf Creek Contracting is because I saw many of the same characteristics in our ownership here that I saw in my dad.
If you’re looking, most days it is easy to find something to celebrate, but sometimes the joy we find is in the struggle to overcome a challenge. A perfect example of this is with a large school project we have in West Virginia that is nearing completion. This project was beset with challenges from the very beginning and was made even more difficult when significant soils issues were discovered after the beginning of construction. Covid19 supply chain issues, cost escalations and labor shortages have all contributed to making this project even more challenging. Despite the struggles, and there have been a bunch of them, when I am on site, I see 80+ people working together towards a common goal. Are they under an immense amount of pressure? Yes, they are. Are they working together? Yes, they are. Will they get the school ready for the students this fall? Yes, they will? Will it be a beautiful building that will provide an amazing opportunity for generations to come? Absolutely! In this, I find many things to celebrate. Despite the challenges, and perhaps, in a small way because of them, this project is something our team is proud of, and we will find joy in it. We will learn from the challenges, and we will become stronger because of them.
Currently Wolf Creek Contracting has projects scattered across Ohio, West Virginia and Virginia. Most of these projects occur without major challenges, and we celebrate each of these in different ways, but occasionally we must take it to another level. This is when I count my blessings knowing that I am surrounded by a knowledgeable and caring team. I find joy in the struggles; I find joy in the successes, and I find joy in my team. I think dad would be proud.
Find your joy today!
Dave Jeffrey
