Vice President Operations
Jason
College Attended: Wabash College (undergrad)
What inspires you?
I have the great fortune to say that Aljernon and Elise Lloyd were my grandparents. I was very inspired by my grandparents and parents. I was fortunate to have all my grandparents in my life up through the early part of my college career. My grandfathers were hardworking men of action. They were leaders that demanded the most of themselves and the best of everyone around them. Don’t get me wrong they knew how to relax, have fun and enjoy life, but I never saw either of them slack on their responsibilities and duty. I was then and continue to be inspired by the way they loved and supported their families. In fact, writing this, I’m getting goosebumps because the love they instill has remained very real and present with we even though they are no longer here.
My grandmothers reflected all the love, kindness, compassion, and patience that the word Grandmother has come to represent. The overabundance of love and guidance that they provided continues to inspire and encourage me. From my grandmothers, I learned respect, patience, and empathy for others. I learned the importance of just being nice. By example they showed me that the power of a simple smile and positive attitude goes a long way. I try to emulate them and live by their example every day, and that keeps me inspired.
Tell me about your job. What attracted you to this career?
I am currently a Vice President at a utility infrastructure contractor. It is a job that requires me to utilize all the things that I learned from my grandparents. I am responsible for our forward facing operations and I have several highly skilled trade workers and leaders that report to me. With that, I have to be a caring compassionate leader, while also holding my people and myself accountable to very high standards. I was first attracted to the job because I’m able to work with an incredible team of individuals, led with my mother. I love being able to work in a collaborative environment with extremely smart and talented individuals. I never worked out in the field, so I constantly need to learn and study to be able to lead my teams effectively. I love learning new things so that makes my job exciting. In my role, I get to communicate with various folks both inside and outside of our organization to coordinate safe construction projects. At the end of the day, I’m able to point at tangible objects that we’ve built with our hands. Showing off my work in that way is a uniquely satisfying experience.
What obstacles did you overcome to get to this point in your career?
The biggest obstacle for me is the knowledge of the crafts and learning curve. My grandfathers, my dad, and many of my relatives are skilled and experienced construction professionals. Though I grew up working alongside them, my path led me to spend more hours in the classroom and office than in the field. Many time I find that I have to observe closely and ask a lot of questions to overcome that lack of practical hands-on experience. I often make significant decisions based on conversations and considerations with my team. It is scary sometimes to push past those fears and insecurities. I have come to learn that embracing them and acting in spite of them is part of the growth process.
How does a person progress in your field?
To progress in my field, you must make a commitment to learning. Construction and technology, like all industries, are constantly evolving. Building even the simplest structures requires a high level of coordination. Being able to understand drawings and specifications, and translating them from paper to real life requires strong technical skills and robust communication skills. Oh, and you have to fall in love with math! It’s all about the numbers. Whether measurements and dimensions in the field, or ratios and percentages on the balance sheet.
Do you have any advice you would like to give future and current college students?
Don’t focus on outcomes. Learn to love the work. Develop a passion for the process. You won’t always love everything about what you’re doing but if you can acquire a taste for being disciplined and taking everything on step at a time, all areas of your life will flourish as a result. Discipline equals freedom!