Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/320559
T here are two red chairs in Doug Thomas' office. Sit- ting in one when Thomas closes the door is not where you want to be. That means it's time for a seri- ous talk and, fortunately, it doesn't happen too often. Such talks are re- served for the most blatant of safety violators at Thomas Construction, located in Grove City, Pennsylvania, and incorporated in 1985. The threat of "the red chairs" is far from the only safety measures in place at the company, but their sta- tus attests to the profound respect Thomas' employees have for their boss, who is equal parts mentor and father figure. Some might think teacher and contractor are on opposite ends of the career spectrum. But Thomas, whose first career was teaching, blends the two careers naturally with a warm personality. It's his direct involvement and concern for his employees that has built his company into a success. Tim Zinkham, supervisor of en- gineering services with Cranberry Township near Pittsburgh, says the company is the first he calls when they "get into a pinch. We continue to call them back because of their morals and the ethics they have," he says. "We have worked with sev- eral different crews and foremen. If Thomas is on the job, we don't have to worry about performance." And it's the company's atten- tion to detail and Thomas' respect for the process of ensuring safety requirements are met that made the company the clear pick for the Safety Award in our 2014 Contractor of the Year contest. The growth of a diverse company Thomas graduated from California University of Pennsylvania in 1974 EquipmentWorld.com | June 2014 41 Thomas Construction Year incorporated: 1985 Number of employees: 60 Annual revenues: $14 to $15 million Markets served: Underground utilities, excavation and site development Doug Thomas Grove City, Pennsylvania Mentoring spirit enables Pennsylvania contractor to build a people-first company contractor of the year | by Wayne Grayson | WayneGrayson@randallreilly.com