ears ago, we were doing a job on top of a manufacturing plant. At that time, our company couldn’t decide whether it was going to stay open. I just signed on a house, my wife had just had our second baby and I could possibly be out of work.

The first thing I was thinking about was – is the company going out of business? For about 15-20 minutes there, it was like someone had kicked me. I was sick to my stomach.

And then I got to thinking about it. What would I do? I realized that I still had my tools, I was still very proficient at what I did and I could get down there off of that roof and I could make two phone calls and be working. After that I never worried to this day about a job.

I’ll tell you, most of the people who work for me are a heck of a lot smarter than I am, a lot smarter. I do not believe that all men are created equal. I never believed that, I never will. Some people are more athletic, they’re born that way. Some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. You don’t get the same treatment, but if you want to and you’re willing to make the sacrifices it takes, you can be up there with anybody.

You don’t learn that from books or anything. To me intelligence you can get from books. Wisdom you get through life experiences. You have to live, you have to make those mistakes, you have to really experience it.

Working makes the world go ‘round. When you finish a job you can always go back and point out to your children, your grandchildren, that you helped to develop and build that building. It’s kind of a legacy that you can leave behind that one day will still be there. Put it up, lights are on, equipment is running. It’s almost like a monument.

Stories from the Field