Employee Spotlight

Ready-mix dispatcher is using valuable life lessons to steer his future.

Like most accountants, Cathy Gerken says she dislikes being surprised at work. But she has been pleasantly caught off guard throughout her career at The Gerken Companies.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Todd Crane Michigan Operations Manager, Gerken Materials, Inc. Listening to Todd Crane talk about himself, it’s easy to sense how two individuals greatly influenced his life—one by inspiring a strong work ethic and an interest in learning and the other by showing him the type of leader Todd never wants to become. As Michigan Operations Manager for Gerken Materials, Inc., Todd Crane oversees the company’s safety, quality, and production around the state. He has been working in the sand and gravel business (or, as he calls it, “playing in the dirt”) for 33 years. He was at Stansley Mineral Resources when that company merged with Gerken eleven years ago. The transition provided him with a pleasant surprise. “I expected to still have the grind that comes with the industry, of course,” recalls Todd. “But I was amazed how much everyone at Gerken truly cares about their work.” Todd...

After struggling to decide which career path to take, Brent Gerken learned the best route was following his heart.

A would-be agronomist comes home from college with a new pursuit: joining the “family business.”

Underneath Clint Shepard’s somewhat reserved demeanor is a caring person who can fix almost anything.

Olga Lopez finds joy in her two families—the offspring she shares with her husband and her work team at Kuhlman’s Yard 4.

Susie Gilliland, office manager at The Bluffton Stone Company, has helpful advice for young people considering careers in construction.