Throughout the month of August, I Build America – Ohio will feature the stories of ‘families’ within construction. This is a great opportunity to showcase the loyalty in our profession. There’s one twist: ‘family’ is being used to mean both actual related family members as well as crews and teams that have bonded to form families of their own. In the past, we have featured multi-generational families within construction teams (moms, dads, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc.) and teams, departments, and project crews.
Name: Jim and Gavin Hunter
Role:
- Jim – Parts Sales & Operations Supervisor
- Gavin – Service Utility
Company: Ohio CAT
Years in Construction:
- Jim – 23.5 years
- Gavin – 1 year
Do you have a specific family connection to construction? If yes, tell us about that connection. If not, have you found other ways to make strong bonds and connections during your career in construction?
Jim: “My dad has worked for one of our customers for 49 years, starting as a heavy equipment mechanic before eventually moving into a managerial role. It inspired me to join the industry myself as I joined Ohio CAT on the parts counter here at the Richwood, Kentucky location. At the beginning of this year, I was promoted to Parts Sales & Operations Supervisor and my son, Gavin, joined our team in July of 2023 as Service Utility.”
How do you think a family-like environment contributes to the overall success of your organization?
Jim: “The fact that we’re a family-owned company, it has a trickle-down effect to the rest of the organization and it’s so nice to see that employees we have here encourage their own family members to work at Ohio Cat. A lot of our success as an organization stems from family.”
Can you share any examples of how the feeling of family or belonging has positively impacted your work or your crew’s work in construction?
Gavin: “Here at Ohio CAT, the family-like environment really helps all around and it extends beyond a blood-relationship. Everyone here gets along and it really makes the days go by quicker being able to be around people you enjoy.”
What can the next generation of the construction workforce look forward to?
Gavin: “I think the next generation of the construction industry can look forward to an opportunity that makes you a better person, worker and co-worker. We really get to look forward to a ton of fun during the workday as well. It’s a great job that will always have demand!”
