But for Dave Tolbert, a senior corporate risk manager in the Denver Design Center, the Ironman is more than a personal challenge—it’s a way to make a difference.

Tolbert and his wife Marianne, who have completed two and five Ironman triathlons respectively, are both members of the IRONMAN Foundation Newton Running Ambassador Triathlon Team, a group of athletes from across the country who combine their love of triathlons with their passion for community service. The team exists to benefit the communities where Ironman events take place through volunteer projects and fundraising. That’s the basis for the team’s informal name, team “kokua,” a Hawaiian word that means to give to others solely for their benefit. Hundreds of applications for the team are submitted each year, but only 40 people are selected.

This is the Tolberts’ second year on the team. As ambassadors, they have committed to participating in one, half-Ironman distance event and two full Ironman distance events this year, while also supporting non-profit groups in communities that host events. Their efforts reflect Zachry’s encouragement of active lifestyles and also align with the company’s concept of Corporate Citizenship, which includes an emphasis on community investment and philanthropy.

Watch for the July/August 2015 edition of the Force Report on the Zachry Group website to read the full article, and more!

This on-the-job training program has become especially important in the current industry climate because of the strong demand for craft skills. ZCAP, which the company created in 2009, is open to all craft employees who want to develop the abilities necessary to advance their careers, from green helpers with no experience to more seasoned craft workers approaching journey-level status.

ZCAP focuses on helping participants become capable of demonstrating competence in their crafts. It addresses both knowledge and physical skills. The employees receive specific information about the steps involved in acquiring journey-level skills. Along the way, proctor instructors assess their progress based upon how they perform the hands-on tasks that their jobs require.

ZCAP Highlights

• ZCAP is made available to all employees and is self-directed, requiring participants to apply individual initiative to learn how to complete necessary tasks and have a proctor instructor sign off as they complete them.
• Once an employee shows mastery of a specific skill to a proctor, the proctor signs off on that task in the employee’s qualification book so the employee can move on to the next task.

REAPING THE BENEFITS

Training Supervisor Mike Word manages the ZCAP program at the Phillips 66 LPG Export Terminal project in Freeport, Texas, where 80 employees are enrolled in the program and 36 supervisors are proctor instructors.

Word noted how ZCAP helps Zachry identify the craft “superstars” who are willing to put in the extra effort to earn their credentials, adding that ZCAP-qualified employees are promoted when possible and receive preferential hiring consideration.

“The whole idea is that we’re training our workforce so we have qualified employees working for us now and we’re developing a workforce for the future,” said Word. “I’ve been out in the field a long time and I’ve seen the need for good craftsmen. There’s a true need for this program.”

To read the full article and learn more about the program, go to http://www.zachrygroup.com/force_report/ZForce_MayJune_2015_ENG.PDF

Zachry craft employees have proven that their levels of skill and teamwork are among the best in the nation, after winning medals at the Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) 2015 National Craft Championships (NCC).

Almost 200 craft trainees from companies across the country participated in the two-day event this spring in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which included 15 competitions representing 12 crafts. The event expanded this year to include a new masonry competition, which resulted from ABC partnering with the Florida Masonry Apprentice and Educational Foundation. There was also a new team competition that involved journey-level craft professionals from five different crafts working to complete a joint project.

Pipefitter Eric Capps of JVIC earned third place in the individual pipefitting competition. Zachry also won a bronze medal in the team competition with a team that included: Pipefitter Chad Bass, Construction Group; Electrician Francisco Barragan, Industrial Services Group (ISG); Millwright William Garner, Construction Group; Carpenter Jose Montejano, Construction Group; and Insulator Fidel Rueda, Construction Group. Pipe Welder Houston Hall, ISG; Pipe Welder Braccus Hannah, JVIC; and Structural Welder Jose Villarreal, ISG, also competed for Zachry in individual competitions at the NCC this year.

Other Zachry employees participated in the NCC in different ways. Manager, Weld Testing, Bill Cherry was a finalist for the “Craft Instructor of the Year” award. Craft Specialist David Brown was a judge in the millwright competition, while Craft Specialist Jorge Mendez was a carpentry judge. Enterprise Training Manager Dan Barrow served as a team competition project manager. Craft Development Manager Tim Mongeau is an acting coordinator for the NCC.

BREAKING IT DOWN

The individual competitions involve two phases. Participants first take a two-hour written exam and then take part in daylong, hands-on practical performance tests in their particular categories: carpentry, electrical-industrial, electrical-residential, fire sprinkler, HVAC, instrumentation fitting, insulation, millwright, pipefitting, plumbing, sheet metal, welding-pipe, welding-structural and masonry.

The event has come a long way since the first one was held in 1987. That year, a handful of participants competed in four craft competitions. Almost 30 years later, more than 1,500 men and women have competed in what has grown to become one of the construction industry’s most recognized events to showcase craft skills.

The National Craft Championships Committee, which includes representatives of leading merit-shop construction firms, plans all year to stage the NCC. Zachry was one of the sponsors of the 2015 event. The 2016 National Craft Championships are scheduled to take place next March in Fort Lauderdale again.

An article in one of the company’s Force Report magazines developed this theme by talking about the impact of supervisors. Here’s a summary:

According to the SASHA Corporation (a company that develops training for front-line supervisors) when workers leave a job, 85 percent do so because of morale issues like poor communication and dysfunctional relationships in their workgroup. In contrast, working for a “good boss” is one of the top three reasons employees stay.

So, as one of the industry’s top employers, Zachry is focusing training effort on front-line supervisors — foremen.

According to Dan Barrow — now the enterprise training & development manager ­— “To be the employer of choice, Zachry needs supervisors of choice.” So, new foremen learn technical and administrative routines, but they also learn to deal with personalities and attitudes — more complex skills that have no forms, procedures or checklists. That’s why the program targets communication, teamwork and relationships.

Dan works with Mark Dalgleish, now the senior manager, training & development and his experience comes from his background as a craft worker who migrated into employee training. He went on to say, “The training has to reflect Zachry’s culture, and we encourage all management levels to be part of the training sessions. And when the basics like communication and teamwork are strong, that’s when morale, motivation, trust and productivity all fall into place.”

The delivery system is also important. As Mark said, “Field workers don’t always have access to a desk or a computer, so we have materials in portable formats. This lets them work through the material in a setting that works best for them.”

Dan added, “This level of investment in employees really sets Zachry apart. People who feel valued and respected will move mountains and keep the passion to stay with Zachry for the long haul.”

 Left to right: Bobby Neal, Zachry site safety support manager at XOM Baton Rouge; Steve Brauer, Industrial Services Group president; Donny Hudson,  Zachry site manager at Amsty; and Josh Becnel, site safety support coordinator at Amsty

While Safety is a recurring theme at Zachry – and foremost among our seven core values – it’s especially gratifying when customers and others outside the company recognize our teams for their safety performance.  That was the case at the recent Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance, Inc. (GBRIA) 2015 Contractor Safety Excellence Awards where Zachry Group companies received the top two awards in their division.

Zachry Industrial, Inc. placed first in the General Construction and Maintenance Division 2 category, with JVIC taking second place. GBRIA members nominate their highest performing contractors to recognize excellent safety performance by contractors working in industrial facilities.  Two customers, Exxon Mobil Baton Rouge and America Styrenics, nominated Zachry Industrial for this honor. Motiva Enterprises LLC Convent Plant nominated JVIC in this division.

The awards were presented at a banquet in Baton Rouge, La. with approximately 620 guests in attendance.  Among those on hand was Industrial Services Group President Steve Brauer who later described the pride he felt in watching the Zachry and JVIC representatives crossing the stage to accept the awards. “They represented our company in all the right ways,” Brauer said.  “It was a sweep at the top by Zachry Group!”

The awards program was established in 1996 to recognize excellent safety performance by contractors working in industrial facilities. The winning companies each year have demonstrated a level of safety excellence that includes thousands, and sometimes millions, of hours worked without injury, a commitment by management to educate workers, and a culture that prevents accidents.

Congratulations to these teams on demonstrating Zachry Group’s commitment to safety!

In 2009 Doug House, at that time Zachry’s craft performance manager, started putting together a Craft Specialist Team, and their activities are still very much a feature of the Zachry workforce today.

The idea was to have specialists bring their expertise to real-life challenges on site, where they would work with site superintendents on solutions that made sense on the front line, and also on the bottom line.

Jorge Mendez was a typical candidate for specialist.

After years of doing civil and site work in the field, Jorge knew concrete, rebar and carpentry. He also knew when it would be right to solve a problem on the spot, and when to make a call to ensure an idea would work from an engineering or safety standpoint.

In addition, a major benefit for Jorge has been that as much as he’s sharing his experience, he’s gaining knowledge as well — knowledge that helps Zachry continuously hone its resources and processes.

“When you’re working at a site, you’re focused on that site,” he said. “As specialists we have the advantage of seeing what’s happening across the country. If a situation pops up at a number of different sites, we can help superintendents avoid reinventing the wheel.”

The other part of Doug’s vision involves efficiency and profitability. “When everyone executes each step of the work the same way you get consistent results,” he said, “And this produces the same levels of quality, safety and cost management.”

That mindset also helps Zachry deepen relationships with customers. “When a customer knows we consistently deliver there’s comfort and confidence in doing business with us.”

Of course, you can try putting a process to everything, but the unexpected still happens. That’s where the specialists’ experience and critical thinking come in. Knowing how the pieces integrate together — and where barriers and surprises may be — only adds to their value.

“Out in the field, you have to think on your feet,” said Doug. “The craft specialists understand that, and it makes finding the solution a lot easier.”

In his I AM ZACHRY article, Dave Lovett was impressed by the “years of service” stickers he saw on the hard hats worn by Zachry people. And he was right. Zachry does have a long-standing workforce, especially notable in an industry with a reputation for hire-and-fire practices.

The longevity is also a two-way street. On the one hand, there’s the company commitment to create an environment where everyone feels valued and challenged. On the other, there’s a workforce who always want to do their best work.

All this is recognized in the 25-Year Club. It was started in 1977, and it honors Zachry employees with 25 years or more of continuous service with the company.

Their names are displayed on a prominent wall in front of the Home Office — a monument to their achievement.

“Everyone is so proud of having their name on that wall,” said Myrna De La Torre, manager, employee services. And it now has 968 names from every part of the company.

Imagine a group of young women in hard hats, with tool belts slung around their waists. It may be a bit unexpected, but for 17 high school girls it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

The Mentoring a Girl in Construction (MAGIC) Camp showed these students the countless careers available to women in construction. And Zachry, in partnership with the Houston chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction and Associated Builders and Contractors, was fully in support.

The four-day, hands-on summer camp was the first of its kind in Texas. Designed to introduce young women to exciting careers in construction, the camp built relationships and gave teenagers an opportunity to create a support network that would help them make more informed choices.

“The investments we make today are investments in the future,” said Greg Sizemore, now the senior manager, craft and supervisor development. “We care about the communities we work in. There are eager young women wanting to enter the craft workforce, and programs like this help them get their foot in the door.”

Zachry sponsored participant toolkits, while donations from Zachry sites – including Dow Battleground, Ineos Chocolate Bayou and Dow Bayport – provided extra items for attendees. Many employees also volunteered as instructors.

For two participants, the camp was life-changing. Myesha Franklin and Melissa Rubly displayed such passion for welding that they were awarded scholarships to attend the Zachry Welding Academy, which offers intensive, hands-on welder training through the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).

These women showed incredible commitment. Because she didn’t own a vehicle, Myesha woke up at 4 a.m., took three buses, and then walked a mile to the camp. Melissa was often the first to complete each project, and she often helped others who were struggling.

“To see someone come out of the camp, join Zachry and have a career — that is what it is all about,” said Greg Sizemore. “We are helping people gain skills that will last them the rest of their lives.”

We recognize that personal issues can affect performance at work, quite apart from the effect at home, so we have an active Employee Assistance Program (EAP). It’s totally confidential, and employees can seek out support on wide range of topics, for example:

• Issues related to the job
• Alcohol and/or substance abuse
• Legal and/or financial concerns
• Spiritual direction
• Emotional or medical care
• Relationships
• Depression, anxiety and stress
• Parenting
• Grief and loss

Finding and keeping good people is a deeply imprinted part of the company culture.

The Precision Resource Company is an important part of this. It’s a Zachry-owned staffing firm that specializes in the power and energy marketplace. The president is Keith Byrom, who holds a doctorate in human resource development, but started with the company as a part-time laborer in San Antonio in the late 1960s.

He offers himself as an example of someone who was given the opportunity to work his way up to positions of increasing responsibility.

“Zachry has grown larger than anything I ever expected, yet it has maintained some of the basic elements that have made it a strong company,” Keith said.

He went on to explain what seems like a simple approach, but one that a lot of companies have difficulty putting into practice. If people work hard, with high standards, and a team attitude, opportunity will come their way. And the more skill and experience they acquire, the more value they have to the organization, and the more those opportunities will come. The net result is that Zachry people have rewarding careers, and the company gets high-quality people who stay with the firm long-term.