Eric Huffman is in his 29th season working with The Gerken Companies. He manages Gerken Materials, Inc.’s Sylvania asphalt materials plant, coordinating truck arrivals and departures and ensuring every truck leaves with the correct materials.

“There’s not a lot of glitz and glamour,” says Eric, gazing out from his control house overlooking the bustling yard. While the work might not be flashy, it’s undeniably essential. Every truck that departs the plant directly impacts the projects they support.

“This is where all road construction starts,” he says.

After graduating from Liberty Center High School, Eric held several jobs before joining Gerken in his early 20s. After all these years, he says he couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.

“I’ve met so many good coworkers and customers, and I’ve made many great friends,” he says.

Hard Work and Dedication

Eric’s favorite part of his job is the asphalt plant’s fast-paced environment. He takes immense pride in looking back at the end of a shift at all his team accomplished during the day. Eric estimates that 50 percent of the traffic in the plant involves Gerken projects, and the rest is from supplying asphalt to outside contractors. He gets satisfaction in making customers happy.

Eric and his wife, Kim, live in Liberty Center, where they raised their daughter, Shelby, and son, Kyle. The couple enjoys weekend RV camping trips and following Kyle’s motocross racing events. But balancing family and work is a challenge, especially in an industry known for demanding hours.

“This is my life,” he says, extending his arms to indicate the plant outside his control tower. He tells young people the asphalt business is a great living with good money, but it’s not an 8-to-5 job.

“Because I’m dedicated to the industry, I’ve traded a lot of family time for work,” explains Eric. He also acknowledges that Gerken’s support makes those sacrifices easier to handle. “No one values hard work more than Brent Gerken, and he genuinely appreciates the extra effort everyone contributes here.”

Eric believes his kids would say he’s a hard worker. Despite his long hours at work, he thinks they would acknowledge he always puts them ahead of everything else.

A Lasting Impression

Eric traces his drive and work ethic to his grandfather, Elwood Huffman. Elwood worked for more than 30 years, maintaining the grounds at the William E. Levis Estate in Perrysburg. A hard-working and always respectful man, Elwood would give anyone the shirt off his back, says Eric. Elwood’s dedication and respect for hard work left a lasting impression on Eric, instilling values of perseverance and commitment that he carries into his life and work.

As he looks out onto the plant, it’s clear to Eric Huffman that this isn’t just a job. It’s a way of life intertwined with his family. His son Kyle is a loader operator at the Sylvania plant, and his brother Chad is currently overseeing the Parkertown facility.

“I love that many of us have family members working here, too. It says a lot about how positively people feel about the company.”

Over the past three decades, Eric has seen tremendous growth at The Gerken Companies, from technological advancements to improved operational efficiencies. “It makes me proud to have been part of it,” he states, recognizing how far the company has come and his role in that journey.