NEWSLETTER
Q UA RT E R T H R E E 2 0 2 1
Q3
R-42652, Lafayette
Construction Group Teammates,
It’s hard to believe that the summer season is passing by and fall is just around the corner. As we enter the fall season, every area appears to be extremely fortunate with the amount of work on the books to finish out the year strong. In fact, schedules may be somewhat tight in a few areas. It will take a lot of work to get all these projects completed. We have been in this position before, and there is no doubt in my mind with the talented group of individuals on this team, we will be fine. Things will get done!! The important thing to remember is not to lose focus on our two main business core values: Safety & Quality. Like I said, things will get done, but the important thing is that they get done safely and at the level of quality we are known for. There is no deadline or schedule worth sacrificing the safety of any individual at any given time on any given day. Always keep safety our #1 priority, protecting yourselves, your co-workers, others on your projects and the traveling public always. Remember: “Safety is about Family!” The consolidation effort continues to go well. Thanks to you, we continue to move forward as one unified company, becoming stronger in each aspect of our business. One example is that of resource sharing between areas. The sharing of crews between areas has proven to be beneficial as schedules and workload fluctuate and crews become available over the
course of this summer. As we move forward, continuing to do this will provide huge benefits for the company. This is just one example, and there are several more. Again, thank you for your continued commitment and dedication toward this consolidation over the past year and as we continue to move forward. As we progress through the fall and finish up 2021, I feel very confident we will wrap up another outstanding year. We just need to stay focused on our core values. Don’t lose sight of safety and quality, and always do the right thing. Looking ahead to 2022, the opportunities are available to make it another great year. Some areas already have a lot of work on the books while all areas will have plenty of bidding opportunities. Funding mechanisms have kicked in at the local, state and federal level to provide these opportunities. The future looks bright for next year and years to come. I’m looking forward to it, and I’m very proud to be a part of this outstanding team!! Stay safe and always find joy in a job well done! TO D D FAW VER
R E GIONA L P R E SI D E N T, I N D I A NA NO RT H
GRIFFITH
Area Highlights 2021 Q3 NEWSLETTER
Owen Smith Retirement
Ezra
Griffith Community
Joey Reyes and his crew were paving a street when they met a boy named Ezra. Ezra is non-verbal but got very excited when he got to see the crew each day. One day, the crew noticed Ezra and his mom outside and offered to let Ezra join the team! They gave him a hard hat and vest to try on. To say this made his day would be an understatement. Thank you, Joey and crew, for making his day!!
Safety Awards
L A N C E F U L L E R and D A N E Y A G E L S K I were recognized and received an award from the North West Indiana Business Round Table and Construction Advancement Foundation for being one of 16 “craft worker safety personnel of the year” in the northwest Indiana region. These awards were presented at their annual safety banquet on August 19th, 2021 in which over 400 attendees were present from various companies throughout Northwest Indiana. Congratulations to both Lance and Dane for a job well done in keeping safety the #1 priority each and every day and showing outstanding leadership toward safety.
Congratulations to Owen Smith on his retirement from Milestone after 38 years of service with Walsh & Kelly, Inc. and Milestone Contractors North! Owen will be enjoying his retirement with his wife Vicki and daughter Allison. Owen previously worked at Thosens and Patten before beginning his career at Walsh & Kelly, Inc. and Milestone Contractors North in Griffith as our Shop Manager. Owen was instrumental in the planning of the new addition to our Griffith shop. To this day, there is no tool he doesn’t know the location of. He is best known for the time and dedication he had to our employees. One of the best things Owen is remembered for is the project he took on and completed for his previous manager, Duane. With Duane’s wife’s permission, Owen restored and rebuilt Duane’s beloved 1970’s Mustang while Duane was battling cancer. There is nothing Owen wouldn’t do when it comes to helping his work family. Owen is also known for his love of golf, cats including our shop cat Jean, and traveling, especially to Floribama and Puerto Vallarta. Thank you, Owen, for all you have done for Walsh & Kelly, Inc and Milestone Contractors North! You will be missed! We wish you all the best in your retirement and hope you enjoy every minute of it!
LANCE 2
M I L E S T O N E L P. C O M
DANE
COLUMBUS
Estimating Department
Greetings from the Columbus Estimating group. With the company growing at what seems like warp speed, I thought it would be helpful for all to get to know our group here in Columbus. As some may or may not know, what we know today as Milestone started here in Columbus as Meshberger Contracting in 1966. In 1970, after some acquisitions we became known as Contractors United, Inc. (CUI). Little known fact, if you notice the Innovation Under Construction on the side of our job trucks, you’ll notice those same letters only in reverse order. We became Milestone in 1994 after some additional acquisitions and moving the main office to Indianapolis. Through the years, the names and faces have changed, but our passion for construction and our “family” atmosphere has remained the same. Here’s a brief introduction to our estimating family here in Columbus. 1 Kevin
Conwell, Sr. Estimator
Started with CUI/Milestone on May 10, 1977 Hobbies: Camping and spending time with his large extended family.
2 Phil
Tapp, Sr. Estimator
Started with CUI/Milestone in 1986 Phil is a 1980 graduate of Purdue, has 3 daughters and 7 grandchildren. He enjoys the great outdoors but most of all enjoys spending time with family and old friends.
3 Kevin
Ely, Sr. Estimator
26 years with Milestone Fun Fact: Kevin and his fam have a 30-year family tradition with their three boys that they still carry on of camping and trout fishing on the Obey River in Celina, Tennessee.
4 Forrest
Plumlee, Project Manager / Estimator
4 years + 3 summer interships with Milestone Fun Fact: I’ve hunted and killed turkeys in 10 states on a quest to harvest one in all 49 states that they are located in.
5 John
Megel, Estimator
Finishing up first year at Milestone, 18 years in Civil construction. John’s most exciting part about joining Milestone’s family is meeting and getting to know all the fine people.
6 Jon
Nolting, Director of Estimating
Well, we may be over the Labor Day hump, but we still have plenty of work to complete. As we look at finishing the year strong with tons (excuse the pun) of work company wide, two things come my mind to finish well: sharing and caring. Maybe you have heard or maybe not… two of our near term initiatives are World Class Safety and Best in Class Equipment. How can we be the best of the best in providing the safest, highest quality, and most efficient projects to our customers? I wish there was a one word or one sentence answer, but I don’t believe there is. I do believe sharing and caring are at the heart, though. We all make mistakes, and there is always something pressing, but we care about our work and understand we can’t do it alone. How then do we up our game in Safety and Equipment?
Caring for one another and ourselves is a great start! Equipment and people likewise need regular checkups with mechanics and physicians. When we see a piece of equipment, ourselves, or others are not acting or feeling right, tell someone; stop work! Continuing will only worsen the situation. Preventative maintenance (PM) is the focus to increase uptime on our projects. PM is crucial to our success. PM on equipment includes changing the oil, filters, greasing, etc. PM for your body consists of regular checkups, rest, diet, exercise, and so forth. Good daily habits will increase the resilience of our body and decrease downtime of equipment. Sharing our resources and knowledge with those around us will bring us to the next level. No matter your role in the organization, you can always be sharing your knowledge to develop others. Whether it is a laborer showing a new hire how to properly use a tool or a general superintendent sending a senior utility crew to another area to complete some intricate storm sewer, these types of decisions allow for safer execution. Sharing equipment among areas will increase our uptime and allow us to build more efficiently and reduce added costs of renting. On the job or at home, please take care of yourself, others, and the assets we have all worked so hard to own and operate.
15 years at Milestone including 3 summer internships Jon and his wife Sarah have 2 little girls, Olivia (4) and Ainsley (2) who keep them very busy.
Sharon Morrow, Estimating Administration
Started with Milestone in January 2017 Sharon is one of six (6) daughters, no brothers. She loves to read and will read anything she can get her hands on.
Corey Baugh
C O R E Y B A U G H , V P/A R E A M A NAG E R , C OL U M BU S
B-39961, I65 project
Greater Lafayette Career Academy PAU L M I T C H A M ,
Project Superintendent
This project located in Tippecanoe county is for the Lafayette and Tippecanoe School systems. Milestone removed the old existing parking lots, storm system, sidewalks and curbs. We cut out waste and then subgrade treated the area. Afterwards, we installed a new stormwater system, along with new curbs, concrete ramps, sidewalks, concrete, and asphalt pavement. Overall, Milestone had two paving crews lay over 5,000 tons of asphalt and two concrete crews pour over 1,200 yards of concrete. Despite a very tight deadline, due to the facility being a part of the school system, we completed this job before school started back up!
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M H EI LA EL TS T HO P ONSES LI BP.L CE .OOM RG
B-39961
I-65 over Burnett Creek E D A N D E R S O N , Project
Manager
Washington Avenue BRIAN APPLETON,
Project Superintendent
Milestone has been tasked with doing a total reconstruction of nearly 2300’ of Washington Avenue, located in Frankfort Indiana. Milestone’s scope of work includes a new watermain and services, new storm sewer systems, and lining the sanitary sewer. The project also includes a new concrete trail as well. We are running behind due to utility relocation issues, but we are working through that and charging forward. The project is challenging due to maintaining access for many property owners, but Tony Hobb’s crew has done an excellent job at meeting this obstacle. Currently we are getting all the underground utilities wrapped up and then we will be ready for SGT followed by curb and gutter. Getting this project done before the snow hits will be difficult, but Milestone is prepared to utilize all resources to try and meet this goal. I am proud of the way the crew has persevered through all the challenges this season.
I-65 Concrete Pavement Repairs J O E R AT C L I F F,
Project Manager
L A FAY E T T E
This project in Tippecanoe County was located just North of Lafayette on I-65. It was approximately a $5.2 million job. Milestone is widening two 140’ long bridges, adding new piers and debris walls as well as new steel beams. We are also widening 1,000’ of roadway in each direction on I-65 to prepare for the future 3 lanes of I-65. Looking forward, we have approximately 7,000 tons of asphalt work and 900 cy of concrete to be completed by the end of October this year – which should keep us busy!
R-42652
This approximately $5.5 million project is located in Boone County, stretching through the heart of Lebanon from the 137 MM to 140.5 MM. Throughout the project, Milestone performed over 3,500 sf of miscellaneous partial depth patching, 650 sys of full depth, and 3700 tons of Entrance/Exit Ramp Milling and Paving. One of the most challenging parts of the project was traffic control with shifting 7,800 feet of Zipper wall nightly to perform work behind the wall while lanes were closed. The project went smoothly with the help from Jason Nickels and crew, along with nightly traffic control and zipper wall shifts. This job would not have been a success without the additional help from these Superintendents and their crews: Jeremy Lyon, Andrew Kennedy, Mark Walker, Russel Passmore, Chris Shepard, and Tony Hobbs. Thank you for your hard work!
R-38772
SIMON HOLZER,
Project Superintendent This two-year contract is in Tippecanoe County on SR28 and is worth approximately $13 million. We are widening and flattening some of the hills in the road from US231 to US52. This is being done with FDR and CCPR processes. Heritage Research Group and Milestone have teamed up and have done a couple test sections using a Polymer Modified Asphalt Binder that constructs a High Durability Overlay. This contract also consists of about 20 miles of ditch grading along with quite a bit of pipe work. M I L E S T O N E L P. C O M
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IN THE NEWS
Welcome JCI! We are pleased to announce that in late July, Milestone acquired the assets of J C I B R I D G E G R O U P , I N C . , a bridge company based in LaPorte, IN. The property consists of a 5 acre yard including an office, several storage buildings, and a maintenance shop which we will continue to use at 2055 N 150 E on the east side of LaPorte. Owners Carl Tungate and Eric Kovach bring with them many years of experience along with a full staff to complement the two of them. This experience not only includes bridge construction but a multitude of other types of work including but not limited to retaining walls, all types of piling & tie-backs – including Helical piers and anchors - along with deep excavation and dewatering for large box culverts and pipe. The group has already begun helping our north area with bridge crews supporting our work in Marshall and Jasper Counties along with accounting and estimating support on several projects. This is an outstanding group of individuals joining us, and they will help strengthen and grow our Griffith and South Bend areas tremendously. Below you can read more about Carl, Eric, John, and Austin as we welcome into the Milestone family. C A R L T U N G A T E graduated from Tri-State University (now known as Trine University) in 1994 with a BS in Civil Engineering. He began his career as a design engineer at DLZ for seven years. He made the switch to the construction side in 2002 and worked for Kankakee Valley Construction for 3 years. In 2005, he started JCI Bridge Group, Inc. with 3 other employees from Kankakee Valley Construction. He has been in the heavy/highway market for more than 25 years.
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Carl was born and raised in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has been around the South Bend area since he graduated from college. Carl has been married for 22 years to his wife, Dawn, and they have three girls. Alexandria is a sophomore at Southern Illinois Univ., Larissa is a Junior, and Jolene is in 8th grade at John Glen School Corporation. In their spare time, they try to go to a family lake cottage in Lagrange County. To get warm, they enjoy traveling to Orange Beach, Alabama. Since 2017, E R I C K O V A C H has been an Owner and Operations Director at JCI Bridge Group. He joined JCI in 2009 and quickly moved up the ladder to assume a leadership and ownership role within the company. Eric is a graduate of DePaul University with degrees in Business Administration and Marketing and is happily married with two beautiful children. When they are not busy at work, Eric and his wife often find themselves at a soccer tournament or horse show with their son and daughter.
“This merger with Milestone allows us to offer additional opportunities for growth to our employees as we continue to maintain our place at the top for quality, safety, and efficiency within the heavy highway market. We are happy to be part of the Milestone family!”
Eric Kova ch
graduated from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Business with a major in Accounting and a minor in Finance. John worked at KTRADE in Plymouth, Indiana for two years as a record keeper before he joined JCI Bridge Group, Inc. At JCI, John took care of the project cost accounting, accounts payables, accounts receivables, payroll, end of the month reports, and worked with the outside CPA to complete the business taxes and yearly audit and prequalification.
J O H N C O N WAY
Currently, John is enrolled at the University of Southern Indiana to obtain his Masters of Business Administration in Accounting. He is recently married to his wife Danielle and they reside in LaPorte, Indiana. In his spare time, he likes to workout at the local gym, go fishing, kayak around in the local lakes, and travel to new places. A U S T I N T R A X L E R grew up in South Bend, IN, where he spent his childhood and high school years. He attended Ancilla College to play baseball and received his Associates Degree in Business Management. Austin graduated in 2017 and went onto Ball State University to receive his Bachelors Degree in Construction Management. He graduated from Ball State in 2020, then began his full-time position at JCI Bridge Group, Inc as a project manager and estimator.
Austin spent his summer internships in 2018 and 2019 at JCI. After graduating in 2020, he now has just over a year of experience in bridge construction. While he doesn’t have any kids, Austin does have a dog, Lizzy. She is a Weimaraner with lots on energy; they often spend their free time going for runs and walks around the Long Beach area in Michigan City where they call home. He also plays in a softball league, a competitive wiffleball league, and a dart league. “I look forward to my future with Milestone and hope to learn more and gain more experience in the construction industry to serve my company, fellow co-workers, and the leadership around me. I hope to continue my growth as an individual and as a new estimator to help Milestone continue to be one of the most competitive companies within this industry. Thank you for taking the time to learn a little bit more about me and hope to meet you soon.”
Welcome to the Milestone family, Carl, Eric, John, and Austin!
IN THE NEWS
I look forward to my future with Milestone and hope to learn more and gain more experience in the construction industry to serve my company, fellow co-workers, and the leadership around me.
Carl Tungate
Eric Kovach
John Conway
Austin Traxler
M I L E S T O N E L P. C O M
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Values
Dear Construction Group,
It’s hard to believe that we’re more than halfway through our 2021 season. This is our second year as a consolidated construction group. We began the year by expanding the Milestone brand across all of Indiana, and we have continued to leverage our strengths by working better together for the benefit of all. I am very proud of the way each of you has adapted. We have improved our safety reporting and have experienced fewer workplace injuries. We are now sharing ideas as one, putting systems and processes in place to become best in class in all that we do. Our relationships with our customers are strong. Thank you for your smart, hard, and thoughtful work - You are our greatest asset. I have visited the field in recent weeks. Nothing gives me greater joy than to talk with our people; I am so thankful for the honest feedback you share and to share information with you. Nothing makes me happier than to see you all living out our company’s mission:
to make lives better one road and bridge at a time. One of the best things I can do to make your life better is position this organization for growth, so you can continue to have a meaningful career and take care of your families. After all, we work to live; we don’t live to work. Growth happens on many levels. We are growing as a consolidated construction group, as a member of Heritage Construction and Materials (HC&M), and as a member of The Heritage Group family of companies. As part of that growth process, we are adopting the values of The Heritage Group as our organizational values. These values are not new – they are a direct reflection of how we have been living and working every day. They speak to who we are and how we already do business.
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M I L E S T O N E L P. C O M
C R E AT E E N D U R I N G VA L U E
We think in generations, not quarters. We have endless opportunity to leave the world in a better place than we found it. B U I L D L O N G -T E R M R E L AT I O N S H I P S
AND MUTUAL TRUST
Constantly seek new and inventive ways to be sustainable and profitable together. BET ON PEOPLE
They will surprise themselves! KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR OPPORTUNITY
Be a creative problem solver, not a vendor. Be flexible, adaptable and ready to pivot. TA C K L E T H E B I G P R O B L E M S
Someone has to! Celebrate great outcomes. Even when we fail, learn and move forward together. D O T H E R I G H T T H I N G – A LWAY S
Don’t cut corners. Do more than is asked of you. And never, ever give up. In the coming months, we’ll be sharing stories and examples of these values reflected throughout the organization. I am inspired by the quality work and integrity you display. I am inspired by you! Stay safe and God Bless,
CJ POTTS
C H I E F OP E R AT I N G O F F I C E R
M I L E S T O N E VA L U E S
BUILD LONG-TERM
AND MUTUAL TRUST
Our foundation for building a long-term relationship with IMS began in 1995. Over the years, these entities have worked together to develop a successful partnership in engineering the pavement that holds the “the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” The IMS was first built in 1901 with the first Indianapolis 500 occurring in 1911. Long before THG began working directly with the track, Crystal Flash (which would eventually grow to become The Heritage Group) sponsored a race car driven by Milt Marion in 1937. About 20 years later, it’s believed that our initial involvement with asphalt at IMS began. Asphalt Materials, Inc. supplied emulsion to Grady Brothers who was paving the track at that time.
BET ON
In 1995, the foundation for THG and IMS to build a long-term relationship began. Instead of solely providing materials, Heritage was called upon for their expertise. Heritage Research Group was approached by Indianapolis Speedway engineers to really solve a problem: how to handle the issue of weeping – and of course, they did. From that trusted relationship, our involvement with IMS grew. In 2004, Heritage solidified our relationship with the Speedway by developing products that would extend the life of the track. Milestone produced the mix for the oval resurfacing project that showcased Heritage expertise and ingenuity. This fall, it will have been 17 years since the entire oval was paved – 5 years longer than the Speedway has ever gone without resurfacing. The work didn’t stop there. In 2013, Milestone rehabilitated the IMS Road Course in an aggressive fall project required for the May 2014 inaugural race. A few years later in 2017, HRG underwent extensive experimentation with the Speedway and joined forces with AMI to develop an emulsion crack sealant for use on the main oval. The next year, Milestone put their hands to work (literally) by applying it. Afterwards, RPE was placed over the track, pit lanes, and accel/decel lanes. Since then, we have had multiple jobs on the IMS campus. In December 2019, Milestone participated in planning sessions for a variety of projects aimed at improving the fan experience at IMS. Ultimately, we spent much of 2020 and 2021 on several projects, including expanding IMS’ footprint along Georgetown Road, constructing parking lots, resurfacing internal roads, and lots as well as significant infrastructure improvements at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course.
THE BIG PROBLEMS
Our Heritage companies have built trust with this customer by consistently responding to their calls for help and always delivering high-quality results – amidst significant time restraints. We are always willing to do the right thing, and we have been honored to continue to be called on. May our relationship with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway remain as iconic as the track itself.
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR
Many thanks to Bill Pine and Scott Cornelius for their involvement in this story.
tha
Con sus
The
Som Eve tog
Be ven to p
M I L E S T O N E VA L U E S
AND MUTUAL TRUST
BET ON
Here at Milestone, we Bet on People. Milestone believes on promoting employees from within the company. Time and time again, we’ve been inspired by our employees. When we invest in them, they take pride in their work. They excel and improve our business! D W I G H T K O O N T Z is a prime example of how “betting” on a person can pay off. Dwight entered the workforce in 1995 as a laborer for Rogers Group. After 5 years of working hard, Dwight’s boss noticed that he held leadership qualities and was ready to take on new responsibilities. This landed him the role of operator. He went on to become a foreman at O’Mara, and in 2010, he was introduced to Doc Ernest, who offered Dwight a position at Milestone as an operator. After only one year with us, Dwight worked hard to earn a promotion to Paving Superintendent. While in the role, he excelled; ensuring that all projects he worked on had equipment on site; that all equipment was functioning properly; and that the job was in position for a prompt start. He cultivated positive relationships with those working under him and ensured all safety precautions were being followed. It made his team the most productive and safe they could be. In 2016, Rob Rood noticed all that Dwight was doing while in his Paving Superintendent position and promoted Dwight to Assistant General Superintendent over the Bloomington Asphalt Division. He accepted and has been in this position for five years now. Dwight is most proud of paving on the I-69 South project.
THE BIG PROBLEMS
Every year high school students apply for college, but a great deal of these students may not feel that a four-year degree is right for them. Dwight hopes that his story can prove that it does not take college to get far in a career. Instead, he says it takes determination, hard-work, and people around that are willing to bet on you. Dwight is proud of how much he has grown in his career and how he has always been able to provide for his family. He wants to thank those that always believed in his capabilities.
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR
Dwight, we’re so proud to have you in the Milestone family. Thank you for sharing your story.
Cons susta
They
Som Even toge
Be a vend to pi
DO THE
Don’
CREATE ENDURING
Here at Milestone, C R E A T I N G E N D U R I N G V A L U E does not stop at the end of our work day. It is evident in the communities we live and work in. The last three years, we were able to demonstrate this value with our contributions to the Abby and Libby Memorial Park in Delphi, IN. The park was established in memory of Abby Williams and Libby German, whose lives were tragically taken in 2017. This project holds a special place in our hearts as we are a staple in the community with many of Delphi’s roadwork projects.
BUILD LONG-TERM
Our Abby and Libby journey began with a direct relationship between Mr. Mike Patti, Libby’s Grandfather, and former Milestone employee, Rob Cochran, alongside VP, Mark Andrews. As relationships developed, so did our dedication to the cause. Milestone donated resources in many forms: general construction, GPS file development, earthwork, drainage and storm water management, shelter construction, concrete work, and general labor. We also provided product such as asphalt millings, concrete, and assorted material needs. Our sister company, US Aggregates, worked alongside us to further the cause by donating thousands of tons of materials including various stones, sand, and aglime. Most recently, we were approached about pouring sidewalks around the park’s shelters.
AND MUTUAL TRUST
BET ON
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THE BIG PROBLEMS
We think in less oppor than we fo
Unfortunately, the ready-mix supplier was unable to donate concrete but provided it at a discounted rate. This left Mr. Patty in the position of having to raise funds himself. Once word spread around the office, one of our employees, Rick Yates, generously donated the money out of pocket.
Constantly sustainabl
In every step of the way, we were fortunate to have the support of upper management and colleagues who truly believed that contributing to this park was the right thing to do in the Delphi community. These acts of kindness speak volumes about the character of Milestone employees. It highlights that we are more than our day-to-day operations. We strive to make a difference – and leave things better than we found them. This year, the park opened to the public and now hosts a variety of events and members of the community. Our hearts have always been with the families of Abigail Williams and Liberty German, and our hands and backs will always be available to further the impact of Abby and Libby Memorial Park.
They will s
Many thanks to Eric Brown for his contributions to this story.
For more information about the Abby and Libby Memorial park, visit https://abbyandlibbymemorialpark.org/.
Someone Even when together.
Community Involvement 2021 Q3 NEWSLETTER
Decatur Elementary Donation S A M A N T H A S K I L E S , Project Manager
Decatur Elementary Learning Center, Blue Academy, and its community will be affected by a detour associated with the I-69 Finish Line project. The detour will be for Mooresville Rd. bridge over I-465 closure to build a new replacement bridge. Following bridge construction, we will be working on the Mann Rd. interchange. We knew that this upcoming work would impact the school’s staff, students and bus routes. The project team of American Structure Point, Milestone & Walsh, and Parsons came together reaching out to the school principal to see how we could support the students during these times. Mr. Adam Allen, Principle of Decatur Elementary, stated that the school was in need of water bottles for their 1st through 6th grade students. Through combined efforts, we were able to donate 1,600 water bottles. The students and staff were very thankful for our contributions. Enjoy the school year, Decatur Elementary!
Animal Shelter Donations C A T H Y W E T H I N G T O N , Plant Accounting Administrator
Who would ever think that popping popcorn could make a difference? But it did. In the month of June, we held a POPCORN FOR PETS to help raise money for our furry friends. We here at the Indy office love popcorn, so each week we would pop up a few batches and ask for donations for the fur babies. Not only did we have donations from our coworkers, but we also had donations from our furry friends as well. (Many thanks to Belle Washburn, Mollie Wethington, and the whole Wright crew: Jessie Sirius, BonCat, Gabby and Oreo!) Between the much-needed items requested from the animal shelters, we selected 3 locations to receive our help: Boone County Animal Shelter, Hendricks County Shelter, and Indianapolis Animal Care. We raised $1,265, and Milestone made a matching donation which brought our total to $2,530 to split between the 3 facilities.
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Thank you, Angie Riddle, for the great popcorn idea and thank you to Steve Day with Triangle Asphalt for his generous donation for this wonderful cause. It is always great to partner with our customers.
Milestone Assists the Monroe County Habitat for Humanity P E T E R S O D E R S T R O M , Project Accountant
Milestone Bloomington partnered with Monroe County Habitat for Humanity in constructing Project House #213. Acting under the direction of VP/Area Manager, Mark Nagle: Project Accountant Peter Soderstrom, Senior Estimator AJ Chandler, and General Superintendent Brent Foster organized a 3-day volunteer project in which Milestone was able to aid in the construction of a house for a struggling family in our very own backyard. Over the course of three days, Superintendents Jason and Casey Frye led their crews to excavate the lot, establish grades, tie 500 lbs of rebar, and pour 18 CY of concrete. Industry partner Irving Materials stepped up to the plate, donating an entire truck of concrete for this project. Additionally, due to the abnormal scope of work we faced with this project, Marner Concrete Pumping, LLC donated time and a truck to help out. A very heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone else who helped with this project.
Indy Team Donates School Supplies CAT H Y W E T H I N G T O N ,
Plant Accounting Administrator Before the school bell rang and was back in session, our Indy Team reached out to see how they could help any of our “Indy Family” who had teachers in their family with school supplies. We were so happy to help the following teachers with everything on their list:
Allison Stroud – 3rd Grade
Garden City Elementary, Wayne Township
Stacy Taylor – 2nd Grade Meredith Nicholson 96 – IPS
Robyn Treeter – 2nd Grade Tindley Genesis Academy Josh Phillips – 6th Grade Math/Science
Stonybrook Middle School, Warren Township
Samantha Parmerlee – Special Education Teacher , Brownsburg Community Schools
Thank you to all teachers, you make a difference and ask for so little in return. Have a wonderful school year!
Employee Celebrations
Graduation C R U Z M I T C H A M graduated from McCutcheon high school and will be attending
Purdue in the fall. He was just awarded a scholarship through the laborer’s union. Cruz is the son of Paul Mitcham, one of our project superintendents in Lafayette. Congrats, Cruz – and enjoy your first semester!
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Milestone Family, meet B R O O K S M I C H A E L A R F L I N ! Brooks was born August 12, 2021 and is the new grandson of Susie Yelm, Accounting Specialist, in our Griffith area. Congratulations, Susie! # 1
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TAT E J E F F R E Y K A C M A R
was born Saturday, 9.11.21 to Charlie and Maggy Kacmar. He weighed in at 6 lb, 7 oz and is 21” long. Tate has a 2-year-old adorable big sister, Tilly. Charlie is a Business Development Rep out of our Indy office, and Grandpa Todd Fawver is also in the Milestone family. Congratulations! # 2
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This September, we welcome a new baby girl to the Milestone family! Dan Hatcher and wife Christina welcomed E L I Z A J O on Sunday, September 19th. She weighed in at 8 lb, 5 oz and 21.5” long. Big sis, Delaney approves! Dan is a Project Manager with us. Congratulations, Hatcher family! # 3
T H E H E R I TA G E G R O U P
Town Hall This quarter, Amy Schumacher and the Heritage Leadership Council launched The Heritage Group’s first ever company-wide Town Hall. We hope you walked away from this experience with a greater sense of connection to our shared purpose, to build a safer, more enriching, and sustainable world by harnessing the power of family. The ground work for the town hall included listening sessions with over 200 leaders across the businesses. Three key strategic focus areas emerged from that work. Our HC+M division is committed to intentionally living out these focus areas: thinking about them, talking about them and developing opportunities around them. U S A G G R E G AT E S
Rezoning Success Congratulations to US Aggregates for successfully securing approval for rezoning on 108 acres in Portland, IN. This will allow the team to continue providing crushed stone and fine grind material into Jay county and surrounding areas. The community we have served for more than 50 years stood beside us and over 1,200 people signed a petition to approve rezoning. We are grateful for the tremendous local relationships we have in this area of the state.
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S T R AT E G I C F O C U S A R E A S
Sustainability
Business Excellence
We can measure our impact on the world - it’s not just about profit and loss, it is leaving the world in a better place for future generations. How you can help: Help tell stories of our impact across THG, to our families and professional networks. Find and create more opportunities to make a real difference.
Leverage expertise across THG to work smarter together and best practices - like Lean Six Sigma - to solve problems. How you can help: We can all adopt a continuous improvement mindset in the work we do. When we see an opportunity for improvement: Speak up!
Creating Connections
OneHeritage tours recently occured with Congressman Jim Baird and State Rep Beau Baird at our Delphi Quarry and Congressman Trey Hollingsworth at our Springville Quarry.
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Talent Leverage Best Practices across THG for developing a diverse purpose driven culture amoung our team while attracting & retaining the best talent. How you can help: Speak up. Participate. Own your own development. Leverage available opportunities for team, self and your family (camps, scholarships, internships).
WOMEN OF ASPHALT
O N E H E R I TA G E
Megan Savage joined The Heritage Group in January, 2021 as its Senior Director, Government and Community Affiars. Since that time, she has been working to strategically connect with our elected officials and help them understand the work we do and the impact our collection of companies has in their district.
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The Women of Asphalt Mentorship Program is designed to be a resource for women in the industry that encourages success. Bill Corbett, US Agg; Rep Beau Baird; Megan Savage, THG; Rep Jim Baird; Ross Larimore, US Agg; Ben Hardy, AMI; Ali Alavi, HES; Justin Patterson, MCLP
Megan Savage, THG; Joe Long, US Agg; Brandi Williams, US Agg; Rep Trey Holllingsworth; Justin Patterson, MCLP
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, or would like to be paired with a mentor, please complete the WofA Mentorship Registration Form at womenofasphalt.org by October 15, 2021. Have questions? Ask one of our 2021 WofA Mentorship Program participants: Marissa Childs, Dana Doss, Nickole Finch, Patti Gault, Sarah Murrell, Amanda Reyelts, Marquisha Williams or Megan Yount.
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to all who contributed to this newsletter – throughout Indiana and across state lines to Illinois. Without your dedication and collaboration, this form of communication would not be possible. MANY THANKS
EQUAL OPPORTUNIT Y EMPLOYER | M / F/ VETS / DISABLED