Loy Clark employee named Hoffman GUTS Champion for identifying safety hazard, stopping work

Brett Jerome

 

Hoffman Construction recently honored Brett Jerome with its GUTS Champion award for actions he took at a Corvallis, Oregon, job site that likely prevented a serious injury.

Jerome, foreman fuser with Loy Clark Construction, was at Oregon State University Reser Stadium to install gas service to a new building. A different subcontractor had vacuum excavated the area around the riser so Jerome and his crew could access it.

Jerome noticed that the excavation was too close to a base plate that was part of a six-story scaffolding structure along the face of the building. He immediately notified the Hoffman Construction superintendent and said he could not let his crew work in the space. Hoffman employees quickly shored up the hole to eliminate the hazard.

Hoffman Construction Superintendent Butch Riley praised Jerome for his actions.

GUTS Award presented to Brett Jerome.

“Brett not only cared about the schedule and production of his team but put safety for his team and those around him first,” Riley wrote in an email. “It takes a special person to see a safety issue and have enough guts to say something.”

Jay Davis, contract manager supervisor with NW Natural, said in an email that he commends Jerome for leading by example. He emphasized that everyone has the right to stop work when they feel something isn’t right. Loy Clark was working as a NW Natural subcontractor at the Reser Stadium job site.

Hoffman Construction’s GUTS Champion award, which stands for Get Us There Safe, serves as a reminder to get everyone home safely. Recipients of the GUTS Champion award must be nominated, and the nomination must be approved by several project superintendents who must all agree that the nominee’s actions went above and beyond their normal job description and that their actions saved one or more people from being hurt.

Based in Tualatin, Oregon, Loy Clark Construction is part of the MDU Resources family of companies.

Employees purchase gifts for 57 families

For the 18th year, employees in Bismarck and Mandan, North Dakota, gave generously in hopes of making the holidays a little brighter for families in need.

Employees at MDU Resources, Montana-Dakota Utilities, WBI Energy and MDU Construction Services Group supported the Abused Adult Resource Center’s Hope for the Holidays program by purchasing, wrapping and delivering gifts for 57 families consisting of 132 women and children.

The Abused Adult Resource Center is a nonprofit organization that serves victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in seven North Dakota counties.

Sonya Wald with Montana-Dakota Utilities has led the company’s participation with Abused Adult Resource Center’s program since 2013. At that time, 12 families received gifts.

“The women and children receiving these gifts have experienced probably the worst thing in their lives,” Wald said. “To see how our employees — year after year — go above and beyond to make sure these families have some joy at the holidays is absolutely amazing.”

According to Wald, employees from 36 departments contributed to the effort.

Wald and fellow co-workers Dyke Boese, Dave Wiedmeier, Sarah Kirkendall and Holly Watts gathered and delivered the gifts, which nearly filled a 15-foot trailer.

MDU Construction Services Group ranks No. 12 on list of top 600 specialty contractors

MDU Construction Services Group is No. 12 on a list of the nation’s top specialty contractors. Engineering News Record, a leading construction industry publication, ranks the 600 largest specialty contractors in the United States based on annual revenue.

“Despite the continual challenges our industry has faced in the last few years, our employees keep delivering outstanding results,” said Jeff Thiede, MDU Construction Services Group president and CEO.

The company ranked in the top 10 in three subcategories.

  • 9 in electrical.
  • 6 in fire protection.
  • 6 in utility.

The company ranked 34th in mechanical.

MDU Construction Services Group, part of the MDU Resources family of companies, has more than 8,000 employees at 60+ locations across the country

Loy Clark Construction celebrates 65 years in business

Loy Clark Construction recently celebrated its 65th year in business. In honor of this milestone, the company held an open house with employees, customers and vendors.

Loy Clark also celebrated by giving back to the community, and employees played a role in determining which charities to support. From six charities, employees voted for their favorite, with Loy Clark donating to the top three picks.

Loy Clark Construction and MDU Resources Foundation donated $5,000 to each of the following charities:

  • OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
  • Wounded Warrior Project.
  • Juliette’s House.


Fun facts about Loy Clark Construction
:

  • Founded in 1957 as the Loy Clark Pipeline Company, it was the first pipeline construction company in Oregon.
  • Founder Loy S. Clark brought the first natural gas lines into Portland, Oregon, in 1957.
  • The company is licensed in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho and Montana.
  • Loy Clark Construction was one of the first companies to use horizontal directional drilling, which is now the primary method to install conduits and pipe for electrical, communication and natural gas industries.

Loy Clark Construction is part of MDU Construction Services Group.

 

To celebrate its 65th anniversary, Loy Clark partnered with the MDU Resources Foundation to donate to three local charities. Employees played a role in selecting the charities.

 

Employees raise almost $5,000 for poverty awareness campaign benefitting women and children

A group of employees representing MDU Resources, Montana-Dakota Utilities and MDU Construction Services participated in a community-wide fundraising effort to help women and children in need.

Sixteen employees raised almost $5,000 for poverty programs in the Bismarck, North Dakota, area by each wearing a black dress or outfit for four days in a row. The select attire was part of their participation in the Missouri Slope Areawide United Way’s Little Black Dress campaign, a poverty-awareness campaign that raises money for programs benefitting local women and children.

Together, the employees raised $4,800 to support the United Way’s Education Initiative that helps women and children overcome the barriers of poverty, facilitating success in school and in life. At the end of the week, the black outfits worn by the participants are donated to the Abused Adult Resource Center’s Career Closet, which provides clothes to survivors of domestic abuse.

The 16 employees formed three teams – “Be Audit You Can Be,” “Working our Assets off” and “Live Wires” — and represented MDU Resources, Montana-Dakota Utilities and MDU Construction Services Group.

Montana-Dakota Utilities employees’ elbow grease benefits The Club for Boys in Rapid City, South Dakota

Employees from Montana-Dakota Utilities Black Hills Region volunteered at The Club for Boys in Rapid City, South Dakota. Their efforts were part of the Month of Caring coordinated by United Way of the Black Hills.

Montana-Dakota Utilities Black Hills Region employees recently volunteered at The Club for Boys in Rapid City, South Dakota, during the United Way of the Black Hills’ Month of Caring.

The Club for Boys provides a safe, caring environment and positive experiences that help boys develop self-esteem and character.

Montana-Dakota’s eight-person volunteer team completed the following projects at The Club:

  • Replaced 17 outdated network cameras with new camera units.
  • Installed 14 eye bolts in the gym.
  • Glued acoustic tiles to the ceiling of the den.
  • Painted the computer room and reading nook in the library.

“We appreciate the opportunity to give back and take great pride in our company’s commitment to our community,” Katie Good, Montana-Dakota senior energy services representative and employee volunteer, said. “Our team has worked with The Club for Boys for many years during the Month of Caring and appreciates the partnership we have fostered.”

Good said the employees’ four hours of volunteer labor coupled with the donation from Montana-Dakota to United Way is an immense contribution to The Club.

Going to great lengths to help kids with cancer

Anthony Stamness, technical lead at WBI Energy Corrosion Services, donated 20 inches of hair to Wigs for Kids, a nonprofit organization that helps children suffering from hair loss stemming from chemotherapy, radiation therapy, alopecia, burns and other medical causes. He made his second hair donation Aug. 5, 2022.

 

For many of us, our moms are the inspiration for who we are and what we do. This is true for Anthony Stamness, technical lead at WBI Energy Corrosion Services. In fact, his mom is the inspiration for something Stamness has now done twice: grow and donate his hair for kids dealing with cancer or other medical conditions.

In 2017, Stamness’ mom talked him into it the first time. “She told me, ‘You have beautiful curly hair. You should grow and donate it,’” Stamness said.

Fast forward five years, and Stamness donated his hair again — this time in remembrance of his mom, who died from cancer.

“It [donating hair] took on a whole new meaning after she was diagnosed with stage four cancer in the winter of 2019,” Stamness said. “After watching mom go through cancer, it’s tough. Mom kept her curly hair. For kids going through this and losing their hair, it’s super confusing.”

A donation two years in the making
It took two years and two hairbrushes (curly hair is pretty tough on things, according to Stamness) for his hair to reach the preferred length of 14 inches for a second donation in the summer of 2022.

When it came time to cut his hair for the second time, Stamness chose a significant date: Aug. 5, his mom’s birthday.

back view of Anthony's hair before he cut it
Anthony Stamness made his second hair donation on Aug. 5, 2022. He chose this date in remembrance of his mom, whose birthday is that day.

Anthony Stamness sitting in salon chair before haircut

 

That day, he sat down in the salon chair and got a surprise. When the hairdresser pulled his curls straight, his hair measured 20 inches, six inches longer than the preferred length. With the combination of length, curls and thick hair, Stamness’ donation amounted to six ponytails.

“Mom talked me into growing my hair initially because of my curls,” Stamness said. “Evidently, girls love curls. So, I’m pretty sure some lucky kid will be really stoked to have those curls.”

Both of Stamness’ hair donations were made to Wigs for Kids, a nonprofit organization that helps children suffering from hair loss stemming from chemotherapy, radiation therapy, alopecia, burns and other medical causes.

“When they’re that young, they’re going through their formative years, and this helps give them some normalcy,” Stamness said. “The little creature comforts when everything is on fire makes it a lot easier. Some people think it’s vanity, but for a kid that young, they don’t know what vanity is.”

Kinks along the way
Life with long locks presented Stamness with a few kinks along the way. An avid motorcyclist, he hopped on his bike one afternoon with the thought that the windblown look would be good on him.

“After three hours of conditioning and applying detangler, I decided never to do that again,” Stamness said.

He also learned a few other things, like the importance of pulling his hair back into a ponytail when working out at the gym. “Otherwise, you’re eating your hair all the time,” he noted.

And those hot summer days? “Humidity puts that stuff on full frizz,” Stamness said.

Perhaps the biggest crimp in Stamness’ efforts was to his budget. Before his hair growing adventures, Stamness thought women were nuts for spending so much money on hair care products.

“Boy, was I wrong,” Stamness said. “Good product is worth every penny when you have really curly hair. It definitely costs a lot of money to keep that stuff tame, and I didn’t know. What a lesson!”

Despite the kinks, crimps and dollars spent on quality hair products to maintain a tangle-free flowing mane, Stamness entertains the thought of donating his hair for a third time.

But he could encounter a new tangle to his plan. “The grey hairs are sneaking up on me,” Stamness said.

For anyone interested in growing and donating their hair, Stamness recommends Wigs for Kids. “And don’t go cheap on the hair products,” he added.

From office admin to apprentice: DeLong finds a bright future in the field

Taylor DeLong used to be the first person you saw as you walked through the front door at Bombard Electric in Las Vegas, Nevada. You won’t find her there anymore, though. She now spends her days at MSG Sphere working as a first-year apprentice on her way to becoming a journeyman electrician.

DeLong, a single mom of two kids ages 6 and 8, said she changed career paths to create a better life for herself and her kids.

“I loved my job in the office, but I wanted to be able to grow and have a better future,” she said. “I want to do things like surprise my kids with a trip to Disneyland. I wasn’t in a position to do that before.”

In 2019 DeLong expressed her interest in working in the field to Bombard Electric President Ken Kefalas. Kefalas fully supported her ambitions.

“He told me, ‘Go for it, and don’t give up,’” she said.

ErinTaylor
Bombard Electric General Foreman Erin Barnett, left, and Taylor DeLong, first-year apprentice, are working at the MSG Sphere project in Las Vegas.


Opportunities abound

The United States is experiencing a severe shortage of skilled workers. For people like DeLong looking to build a better life, the construction industry is a land of opportunity offering competitive wages, career advancement and job security.

For women, competitive wages in construction are particularly noteworthy. While women in other industries and professions are paid on average just 81% of what men are paid,* full-time female construction workers earn 99% of what men are paid.

Bombard Electric Superintendent Mike Davis said the company has more than 30 women working on the MSG Sphere project in Las Vegas, including project managers, project engineers, project administrators, foremen, general foremen, journeyman wireman apprentices and safety personnel.

He estimates there are around 100 women working at the project site among the various contractors and trades.

“Women are a great asset on our team,” Davis said. “And if we’re going to grow as a trade, we need more women and more diversification.”

MSG
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. recently recognized women working in construction at its MSG Sphere project in Las Vegas, Nevada. The group in this photo includes more than 30 Bombard Electric employees.

 

Increasing acceptance

When Davis worked as a general foreman in the early 1990s, women weren’t readily accepted in the construction industry.

“I’ve always encouraged women to join the trade,” he said. “They’re positive, helpful and hard working.”

When Erin Barnett joined the industry 13 years ago as an apprentice, she said there were maybe 10 women in her class of 120 and the retention rate was low.

“The environment is not easy. Back then especially you’d show up on a job and everyone would assume the worst,” she said. “Foremen would panic; some would refuse a female apprentice. You had to prove yourself to every new face.”

Now working as a general foreman at Bombard Electric, Barnett said she’s seen a shift in attitude toward women on the job in recent years.

“It’s really cool to see everyone becoming more accepting. With more women on the job comes more inclusivity, which will yield better retention,” Barnett said.

Retention is important in these days of labor shortages and recruitment challenges.

“We have so much work right now,” Barnett said.

Looking to the future

First-year apprentices spend two days a week in the classroom and the rest of the week working in the field. DeLong said she was overwhelmed at the beginning.

“I hadn’t been to school for 10 years,” she said. “But the more I worked, the more I understood the stuff I was learning in the classroom. The dots started connecting.”

DeLong said balancing her work schedule and day care for her kids is challenging. She said she reminds them that things might be hard right now, but it’ll be much better in a couple years.

“Taking this job changed my life,” DeLong said. “I love my job, and now I have a career and a really bright future.”

*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Womens Databook, 2019.

Bombard Electric employees raise almost $4,000 for Las Vegas-area toy drive

This view of the Bombard Electric lobby from the second floor shows the large assortment of toys employees purchased and donated to the 98.5 LKUC Chet Buchanan Show Toy Drive in Las Vegas.

 

Employees at Bombard Electric in Las Vegas, Nevada, opened their hearts and their wallets to raise almost $4,000 to purchase toys and gifts for less fortunate families in the area. Their efforts were in support of the 23rd annual 98.5 KLUC Chet Buchanan Show Toy Drive.

Bombard employees used the money they raised to purchase and donate the following items to the Chet Buchanan Show Toy Drive:

  • Eight large crates full of toys;
  • 39 bikes and scooters; and
  • $340 in gift cards.

The Chet Buchanan Show noted the efforts of Bombard employees and mentioned them on the radio. This year, the Chet Buchanan Show Toy Drive gathered enough items to provide gifts to more than 1,800 qualified families around Nevada.

“It’s so amazing to see the generosity from our employees,” Jamie Makue, purchasing assistant at Bombard Electric who coordinated the company’s efforts, said. “Many of us don’t know how many lives we touch just by giving one toy, one bike or one gift card. To say that we are part of the reason more than 1,800 families get to have a good Christmas just warms my heart.”

Bombard Toy Drive 2021  Bombard Electric Toy Drive 2021 load up
Bombard Electric employees raised almost $4,000 for a regional toy drive. They then purchased eight large crates of toys (right), 39 bikes and scooters and $340 in gift cards. 

Bismarck, North Dakota, employees provide gifts for 67 families

The holiday season got a little brighter for 67 Bismarck-area families, thanks to the generosity of employees at MDU Resources, Montana-Dakota Utilities, WBI Energy and MDU Construction Services Group.

Employees supported the Abused Adult Resource Center’s “Hope for the Holidays” program by purchasing, wrapping and delivering gifts for families, consisting of 162 individuals.

The Abused Adult Resource Center is a nonprofit organization that serves victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in seven North Dakota counties.

This year’s support of 67 families is a record high since the company started participating in the program in 2005.

Employees from 41 departments from across the company — a record number — participated this year. Employee volunteers gathered the gifts over two days, and the first collection nearly filled a 15-foot trailer.