I sit on the Affordable Housing Task Force for Culver and as part of that as well as wearing my MCEDC hat, I sat in on a meeting at the Culver Library with Darin Edwards, Underwriting and Closing Manager for IHCDA. The meeting was arranged by Jerry Chavez, MCEDC Executive Director, and included representatives from the Marshall County communities of Culver, Argos, Plymouth and Bremen.
We had a retirement party for Will & Kathy Pearson on Saturday night. Kathy was with Easterday Construction for over 38 years and Will was here somewhere around 25 years. As discussed in a previous post here, they will be missed.
Almost everyone in the crew was able to come out for the party. We shared a lot of memories and everyone had a good time.
As previously discussed here, ECC employees were randomly awarded $5 for participating in Red Shirt Fridays. A matching contribution was given to Bugles Across America at the end of 2014. Please use the link if you would like to know more about the organization or contribute to them.
Today is the last day for Kathy and Will Pearson at Easterday Construction. They are retiring and moving on to another phase of their lives. Talk about the end of an Era! Kathy has been here since 1976. 38 years! Will has been an employee off and on totaling about 25 years. I knew them long before I started working for Easterday Construction.
Will and Kathy moved to town when Will took a job running the Inn at what was then Culver Military Academy. Dad likes to tell the story of hiring them:
“Kathy applied for a job with us. I was impressed and decided to hire her, but told her, ‘You won’t be here long!’ None of the previous Inn managers had lasted more than a few years. Unfortunately the same was true for Will. But by then Kathy had proven herself so valuable that I had to hire Will to keep Kathy! Guess she proved me wrong.”
When I was looking for someone in the office a few years back, I knew Will was unhappy where he was, but I was concerned about history and I was concerned about Will and Kathy working together in the office. I asked Dad his thoughts on the subject:
“Will was always a good employee and I can’t imagine that has changed. He wasn’t always the fastest estimator, but he stayed until he got the job done. He was always loyal, conscientious and always did the right thing. I don’t know that you can go wrong with him.”
Dad was right in both cases. I don’t know that he could have done better than hiring Kathy and I have been pleased that I chose to hire Will.
I discussed their exit with the crew and they agreed that they would like to do an Open House for them so that the community, clients and friends can wish them well. Unfortunately (or fortunately for them) the Pearsons are headed to Alabama for a few months of warmer weather. We’ll have to postpone the celebration until they return. Keep an eye out here for a date sometime in March… but if you happen to catch them before they hit the road, please be sure to wish them well. Everyone at Easterday Construction does… Most of all me… I am not just losing employees, I am no longer going to see two good friends every day.
Kevin
At a recent ABC meeting our council manager, Felisha Minnich, had a list of all the members present with the dates they joined ABC. It turns out Easterday Construction Co., Inc. joined Associated Builders and Contractors of Indiana (now Indiana/Kentucky) on this day in 1983. Thirty one years of anything isn’t insignificant. That’s seven years longer than I’ve been back with ECC!
Since joining, we’ve had various employees involved with the ABC, serving on committees, attending apprenticeship, etc. I’ve served on the Michiana Council Steering Committee, served 5 terms on the State Board, served on the committee reviewing the by-laws and served on the Political Action Committee. There is something to be said for “getting out what you put in”. I am in general agreement with the ABC philosophy and I’ve learned a lot from interactions with other contractors I respect.
While Easterday Construction Co., Inc. holds memberships in various other organizations, ABC is probably the one that has the closest connection to the ECC philosophy. There is no group that I agree with 100% and I am often one of the lonely “Nay” votes on the board, but I would still recommend ABC membership to my peers. If any of those peers are reading this, I suggest they contact Felisha. Felisha has done a wonderful job and holds our Council together. ABC scored big when they added her to our “family” and I don’t hesitate to recommend a conversation with her.