Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/214806
AGGMAN OF THE YEAR 2013 If they follow in his footsteps, Martin's children would be the fourth generation of family members at Martin Stone Quarries, and they may be destined for the business. When he and his wife, Jenn, were expecting their first child, she told him he could pick the baby's name if it was a boy. Martin's choice? Stone. The couple compromised and his choices became their sons' middle names, Matthew Stone Martin (age 12) and Ryan Clay Martin (age 7). Martin Stone Quarry, Inc. was founded 60 years ago by Martin's grandparents Henry and Dorothy. with members of the community. "I think we have all seen and benefitted from improving our community relations," he says. Because family members live in the community in which the quarry operates, it has always enjoyed a positive relationship, but Martin Stone Quarries now actively seeks engagement with the community. "The biggest thing we do is to get more and more tours through the quarry," Martin explains. The company works with the local school district as part of this mission. Until budget cutbacks two years ago, fourth graders studying geology and wetlands as part of their curriculum visited the site annually. "We'd bring them through the quarry and start them at the very top to see what it looks like before mining; then we'd take them through the whole mining process," he adds. Since school funding cuts spelled an end to field trips for some schools, Martin and Eric Gehman, senior sales representative, created slideshow presentations and took the tour into classrooms. While Martin says the experience may not have the same impact on the kids as seeing life-sized equipment does, the program does offer greater reach than the tours. Over the last year, the duo visited four schools in the local school district and engaged approximately 400 students. In addition, they traveled to a more remote school and invited a classroom taught by a customer's daughter-in-law to the site in order to educate future generations about mining. "It's good in that it brings the kids in and they see what we do, but it also brings the parents in," Martin says of quarry tours. "They can see a quarry from the road, but they have no idea what we do. We can explain it to them and dispel some myths that they might have too." In addition to school field trips, Martin Stone Quarries hosts local Boy Scouts, Rotarians, Jaycees, and nearly any other group that wants to visit the operation. "The more groups that come in and see what we do, the fewer groups there are on the street whispering, 'What do they do there?'" he adds. "It educates the community, and it educates parents, so it's a win-win. It may be an hour or two out of our day, but it's time well spent." During the holiday season, the company also works with the local police department as a sponsor of its Shop With A Cop program. Through the event, families who need assistance during the holidays are given gift cards and shop with a DARE officer at a local store. "We usually donate $2,000 to $4,000, and they split it up among the kids," says Martin, adding that he and his family usually join the shopping expedition. "It's really fun." While Martin clearly enjoys working with the younger residents of the surrounding community, the good will seems to have been reciprocated. In 2006, the company was able to nearly double the size of its quarry through a permit expansion. The process took about a year and a half and only four hearings. In comparison, a prior 60-acre expansion in the 1980s took more than seven years and over 20 hearings. "My dad and uncle said before getting into it, 'be sure everyone knows what you're doing,'" Martin recalls. "So Trevor and I went out and met with each individual neighbor and told them what we were doing, why we were doing it, and what it was going to look like when we were done. We also went one-on-one with supervisors and brought them out. When we got to the hearing, nobody was surprised." State and national leadership While Martin has plenty on his plate just dealing with sales and public relations roles within the family business, he has also followed in his father's footsteps in civic and industry leadership. He currently serves as chairman of the board for the Tri County Area Chamber of Commerce, a role his father previously filled. And, if Peter Vlahos, PACA's executive director, has any say, he'll follow in his father's footsteps at the state level as well. "Rod…represents so much that is good about our industry in Pennsylvania — a family business with deep multigenerational roots in the aggregates industry. Rod has continued his family's commitment and service to our industry by actively serving on our association's board of directors and executive committee. The size of the company and its limited resources have not AGGREGATES MANAGER December 2013 9