Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/597582
November 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com 70 contractor of the year | continued well. McDowell's fi rst contract was for $1.6 million. He was on his way. Throughout the years, the two companies have maintained a good relationship. Even after Bechtold's death in 2014, McDowell continued to purchase asphalt from Payne and Dolan. Constructing a company Once McDowell had a lucrative project under his belt, he made the decision to reinvest the money he made back into the company. He formed a board – including Bechtold – of fi ve people he would communicate with on a regular basis; especially when he needed input on a major decision. Even though McDowell sees the value of speaking with experts, he's very much in control of every facet of the business. Early on, he put a project analysis system in place that enables him to calculate real-time costs on a daily basis and adjust on the fl y. Therefore, he knows exactly how much a day's rain, for ex- ample, is going to cost him, and is able to immediately put into place a plan to make up any shortfall. Depending on its needs the company mixes it up with respect to renting versus buying, "We typi- cally buy new equipment and used trucks from dealers," McDowell says. "But I don't ever want equip- ment sitting in my yard, so we rent as needed." His on-site shop is managed by his father, Bertram, and his son, Sean II. His wife Nicole, who also has a full-time job outside of McDowell Construction, works part-time for the company, han- dling a range of back offi ce issues. McDowell's company is a union shop. He relies on three unions to provide highly skilled laborers and operators. Although there can be challenges with a union-based work force; recruiting, retaining and training labor aren't among them, McDowell says. "The training aspect is key. They really prepare the employees. They have a huge training facility and their employees are second to none," he says. McDowell gives his employees a bonus to attend OSHA training. During his 17 years of operation he's had no major accidents or work- man's comp claims. He supplements the training with his own on-the-job toolbox talks and job-specifi c safety material provided by his insurance agent. As a result, McDowell has well-qualifi ed employees who perform quality work, safely. The employees receive union protection, prevailing wage and great benefi ts; something McDowell considers a win-win situation. A natural progression Although McDowell Construc- tion was initially engaged only in asphalt work, McDowell says he began to receive requests for concrete work. He resisted it at fi rst, informing potential concrete clients he had no expertise in the fi eld. However, he'd been working frequently with a local concrete company and developed a trusting relationship with one of the com- pany's principals, Mike LaLonde. He'd known Mike and his brother Mark for several years, and Sean The company buys new equipment and used trucks and rents as needed.