With most of 2022 in our rearview mirror, I thought it would be timely to give you an update on what we’ve been working on this year.
Ames Academy
In November we had the faculty kickoff for Ames Academy in Burnsville, Minn. Ames Academy is our new internal school that will train our workforce in several key areas. Our goals for the kickoff were to preserve our culture and create a framework to enhance the tools and resources we need to accomplish this. The commitment and enthusiasm demonstrated by our team was impressive.
Ames’ owners directed us to build the best training program in the industry. To assist us with this big lift, we hired the top training consultancy in the country. The feedback from the consultants confirmed what I and others already knew: Ames is a very unique place. This quote from the founder of the firm sums it up very well:
“I wanted to let you know that I have vast firsthand experience with many of the top GCs in North America. Never in my twenty-year career have I encountered a culture quite like Ames. Your people are smart, kind, compassionate, passionate, committed, and generally all-around great people. The years of tenure around the table are both impressive and prove that what Ames has built is working. Your culture is people-centric and it shows. Our team felt it from day 1.
Many times, we are asked to "change" or "fix" a toxic culture or otherwise instill behaviors the company may not embody. That is absolutely not the case here. The Ames culture is genuinely unique and should be honored and celebrated. My team and I will do our very best to ensure we capture this culture in our upcoming development of Ames Academy and find ways to ensure that new employees understand both how unique and valuable this is in an industry where it rarely exists.”
—Dorriah Rogers, Ph.D.
Founding Partner, Paradyne Consulting Works, LLC
Safety Summit
Also in November, we convened a strategic summit to review our safety record and our safety program going forward. We spent a great deal of time discussing the exceptional work being done on our projects and how deeply Ames employees care about quality and safety on each worksite.
We have an exceptional safety program, and we have a lot to be proud of. So why do we need to discuss the program and plan what we are going to do in the future?
To me the answer is clear: We want to continue to get better.
Read More about the Safety Summit
Mental Health, Suicide Prevention, and DEI
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention programs as well as Diversity, Equity & Inclusion programs are being rolled out, and it might seem like a never-ending flow of stuff being pushed out into the field. That’s a valid point. Even with very worthwhile initiatives, how much is too much and how can we digest it all when it comes quickly and consistently? I am hoping to offer some perspective and answer the “why” in this newsletter.
Our Ames family of employees and their families have been affected by suicide and mental health challenges just like the broader construction industry. Construction has unique demands, with the hard physical work, travel, hours, and schedule that require great resilience by our team members. We have been discussing this topic openly for almost five years, and we intend to make sure our Ames team and their families have the right resources and support when life’s challenges come upon them. We are told by the experts that Ames is a leader in responding to this need, but we also know we need to do more to provide support. We want to be sure that everyone’s call for help is answered with the Ames team standing alongside.
Construction Inclusion Week was launched industry-wide in 2021 and gained momentum in 2022. Like many initiatives, we began by looking at our own experiences and questioned how we are doing in this very important area. We are proud of what we do in the area of inclusion, and we know we can do better as we work to make sure that everyone is valued and has an opportunity to be successful at Ames.
Our People
Pulling all of this together with other initiatives we’ve highlighted in past newsletters, we’re enhancing our efforts related to safety, training, mental health, suicide prevention, diversity and inclusion, quality, environmental, and computer security and launching a five-year strategic plan. WOW—that’s a lot of things to deal with in such a short period of time. We’ve also been celebrating our 60th year in business and acknowledging our service award winners and retirees.
It is a lot, and all of these efforts are incredibly important because they are about one thing and one thing only—OUR PEOPLE who build this great country. I want to personally thank each of you for your hard work and dedication.
It has been a very busy year, and I am happy to report that we are financially solid with an incredible backlog of work and more opportunities than we could ever pursue. With this abundance of work, we are focused on what is best for Ames team members. The future is bright, and Ames Construction continues to be a great company because of YOU.
I hope you and your families have a safe, blessed, and enjoyable holiday season and a Merry Christmas.
