Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/597582
EquipmentWorld.com | November 2015 69 A lthough different contractors can have vastly different motivators, the success- ful ones all share a similar internal drive – one that spurs them on to not only provide a comfortable life for themselves and their families, but to also be at the top of their game. For Sean McDowell of McDowell Construction in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, another factor is in play – he wants to set the right example for the youth of his community. As a minority contractor in the Milwaukee area, McDowell feels a high level of responsibility for the children and teens in the area. "So many people in the community look up to me," he says. "Everything I do has an impact and I don't want to let any of these kids down." In addition to donating time and money – McDowell serves on the board of an organization that works with adjudicated youth. He places a high importance on running his business the right way. In developing the proper relationships and producing quality work that sets his company apart, he employs a philosophy he's used since going out on his own 18 years ago. It's what his clients, his employees, his peers and the community have come to expect. Laying the roadwork McDowell was working as a seasonal laborer when a friend referred him to Payne and Dolan, a Waukesha- based asphalt production and construction company. Ned Bechtold, the company's CEO, liked what he saw in McDowell and mentored him as his young protégée gained experience through a combination of on-the-job training and formal classroom instruction. When McDowell decided he was ready to open his own business, he retained the relationship with Bechtold. His former mentor would use him when he needed a minority contractor on a paving project, and McDowell would purchase his asphalt from Payne and Dolan. The partnership clicked into place and worked contractor of the year | by Amy Materson McDowell Construction Year started: 1997 Number of employees: 22 Annual revenues: $5 to $7 million Markets served: Asphalt paving projects, airport runway work, concrete bridge jobs and long-term nighttime crack repair Sean McDowell Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin Leadership pays off in the field and community