Careers in Construction Month With SSI NWA

 

October is the official month celebrating careers in construction! We wanted to highlight some of our amazing teams prespective, opinions, and advice about the construction field as a whole. 

 

Here is what the SSI NWA team has to say! 

 

 

Q. What is your current role here at SSI NWA and what has been the most rewarding experience you have had in construction? 

 

Johnathan Parker 

 

Operations Manager 

 

"As the Operations Manager I oversee the day-to-day operations of our projects and the office, manage the project specific financials, coordinate with the architect/engineer, subcontractors, superintendent, and clients to complete a successful project. Business development and estimating potential projects also fall within my role at SSI. My most rewarding experience in construction would be my journey to get to where I am now.

 

At 21 I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life, I took a job at GTS helping in the soils lab hammering proctors. I begged to learn more and was taught how to read plans, all about soils, concrete, steel, and CMU. It taught me from the start that a project will not be successful if you don’t start with a solid foundation. I have since learned so much more, developed skills and qualities that have allowed me to grow and move up within the world of construction." 

 

Lesley Crigler

 

Assistant Project Manager

 

"Although everyone here at SSI NWA wears many hats and helps where needed, my responsibilities are diverse and include overseeing project goals, generating and presenting detailed reports, and analyzing data derived from project executions. These tasks require a keen eye for detail, an analytical mindset, and the ability to communicate effectively across different levels of the project team.

 

The most rewarding experience in construction is seeing a completed project, particularly one that significantly impacts a community, like a school, community building, or an establishment that provides support services for children in Northwest Arkansas, where you can directly see the positive difference your work has made on people’s lives; this result combined with the collaborative team effort to achieve is deeply satisfying." 

 

Trent Hanna

 

President of SSI NWA 

 

"My current role at SSI Northwest Arkansas is President and CEO. This means that I’m in charge of day-to-day operations of the company. The most rewarding experience I’ve had in construction is seeing a project through to completion and delivering it successfully to the owner." 

 

Rick Pershall 

 

Superintendent

 

"I am a Superintendent here at SSI NWA and my most rewarding experience has been working out issues and having resolutions with Staff, Contractors, Architects, Owners, and completing projects." 

 

Ben Hadley 

 

Superintendent 

 

"I am a Superintendent here at SSI NWA and my current project is a tennis court and pickleball court remodel at Wilson Park in Fayetteville, AR. One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in construction is getting to hand the keys over to a happy client. It’s always encouraging to see the smile on their face when they know they can start moving into their new building." 

 

Al Hertzing, Superintendent:

 

"I am a Superintendent here at SSI NWA, I oversee the projects that are assigned to me to insure the work is completed according to the contract documents, and to ensure the quality of the finished product. My most rewarding experience, is at the end of every project, to look at what was accomplished and to know what my role was helping the project get to that point." 

 

Phil Warren

 

Accounting Manager

 

"My current role as Accounting Manager is to prepare financial statements, process payroll, monitor accounts payable and receivable, onboard new employees, and create miscellaneous reports as requested by management.

 

The most rewarding experiences I’ve had in construction are seeing the completion of each project and the result of a job well done by everyone on the team." 

 

Q. What Advice Would You Give Someone Considering Going Into The Construction Industry? 

Travis Mitchell 

 

Assistant Superintendent  

 

"Advice I would give to someone interested in construction would be to always plan for the future. If something can go wrong it usually does, so being prepared for those kind of situations and having 3-4 solutions will always benefit yourself or project progress." 

 

Al Hertzing, Superintendent:  "If all you are looking for is a paycheck there are easier ways to make a living. You have to love what you do, take pride in what you have done, even if it is as simple as digging a hole or sweeping a floor. It is a fact that if you love what you do you will never work a day in your life." 

 

Johnathan Parker 

 

Operations Manager 

 

"Learn as much as you can from everyone, I have been in the construction field for 15 years and I learn something new almost daily. Be prepared to work hard, showing the effort to work hard and to learn will help substantially and allow you keep bettering yourself until you get to where you want to be." 

 

Q. How Has The Construction Industry Changed Since You Started? 

 

Travis Mitchell,  Assistant Superintendent:  "The construction industry is constant push towards perfecting your craft and pushing boundaries to produce a quality product whether it be from new techniques for installations or new kinds of equipment to make progress more efficient."

 

Trent Hanna 

 

President of SSI NWA 

 

"I think pricing has had the largest change since I’ve started in the industry. Even from 2021 to current, inflation has driven up pricing so much that it’s tough to deliver “off the hip”
pricing." 

 

Al Hertzing, Superintendent: "The skill level of the individual, I am a carpenter by trade, by definition, if it can be done with wood I can do it. When I was starting out if you came on the job as a carpenter that meant form, frame or finish. In todays market, you have form carpenters, framing carpenters, and finish carpenters, in my mind the only difference is the skill level of the individual and the drive to do better work than anyone else." 

 

Johnathan Parker, Operations Manager: "I feel like 2009 wasn’t that long ago since I started but, we used to handwrite everything; all our reports, marking up plans was done by hand. Now everything is digital, we use Procore for our construction management software and everything is done through there such as RFIs, submittals, drawing markups. The amount of in person meetings have dwindled with technology to more Zoom and Teams meetings." 


Written By

SSI NWA Admin


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