CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR: JACK KNOX

Partnerships built on trust lead to business longevity

By / Natalie Bruckner

Jack Knox, president of R.F. Knox Company, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia, may hold an important secret to longevity: “Our success in business for more than 100 years comes down to two things,” he says. “One: embrace new technology, and two: collaborate with your partners.”

As the fourth-generation president in the family-owned straight line sheet metal business, Knox credits a big part of his business’s success to the labour-management relationship that he and his partners at Local 85 have worked hard to build and maintain for all these years. “We honestly couldn’t have succeeded for this long without our labor partner,” Knox says.

Local 85 Business Representative Steve Langley says the same is true when it comes to the success of his organization. “Jack is such a great guy, so easy going,” he says. “We may not agree on everything, but we know that we can talk it out. We have overcome some huge hurdles together. The success of our Local comes down to contractors like Jack.”

It hasn’t always been this way, Knox admits. It takes continued commitment on all sides to maintain this relationship, but he says at the core of it is a great deal of trust. “Maintaining a healthy labor-management relationship starts at the top. When you have trust there, it funnels down and ultimately opens up the channels of honest communication at our local level. We trust that we are able to work through difficult times and overcome challenges our industry faces.”

“A large part of our workforce will be retiring in the next 10 years...Together, we need to consider what we are doing to train the next generation.”

—Jack Knox, SMACNA contractor of the year

One of those challenges is recruitment, which is something both sides have been working hard at to find solutions. “I honestly don’t know how non-union contractors do it,” Knox says. “We are fortunate to have access to a trained workforce that allows us to tackle those large projects.” R.F. Knox Company, Inc. has a workforce averaging around 225 people.

“Together, we have upped the ante on the quality of apprentices and helpers we take into our program,” Langley says. “New recruits get a 30-day trial period at a company so company supervisors can evaluate each one and determine whether they are the right fit for the industry. They also establish what apprenticeship year the new recruit should enter. This method is working to help us retain quality workers.”

Partnerships like this are essential for securing a skilled workforce into the future, but relationship-building also extends outside the industry. “Last year, we partnered with Georgia High School Association to speak with students before the Friday night football games,” Knox says. “It is a great opportunity to share the benefits of our trade with young folks and their parents. It helps parents realize their child doesn’t necessarily need to go to college. They can go straight into the trades and earn a fantastic living, with zero debt behind them.”

Knox knows that attracting the right kind of candidate is just the start, however, and that retaining those high performers takes a lot of work. “A large part of our workforce will be retiring in the next 10 years,” he says. “Together, we need to consider what we are doing to train the next generation.”

Knox and Local 85 will be reaching out to SMACNA companies in the area to ensure they have the tools they need to be successful, including communication classes and leadership skills.

“Ginger Slaick, executive vice president at GeorgiaSMACNA, is at the forefront of continuing education here and making sure contractors and skilled labor are getting what they need to be successful,” Knox says.

Bringing the team together means engaging the workforce in a meaningful way. At R.F. Knox, Quarterly meetings bring field workers and office staff together to receive an update on the company’s status, projects underway, and upcoming opportunities.

Knox can’t stress enough the importance of making employees feel valued. “I talk a lot about our Knox family,” he says. We’re only successful because of our people. I have a lot of faith and trust in the men and women that work for us, and whether they are a first-year pre-apprentice or a foreperson, when it comes to the year end, they’re going get rewarded for their efforts.”

The company offers team incentives that focus on the number of hours achieved. “That program has been in place since 2008, and it really helps bring the crew together,” Knox explains. “They work hard for each other and work hard for the company.”

The company also sponsors an annual summer a trip to an Atlanta Braves game and an entire suite that can accommodate 400 people. Staff and their families are invited to attend.

This approach to open communication, along with Knox’s involvement on SMACNA’s Board of Directors—including as president—his legislative advocacy, and service as a trustee on the local industry fund and local pension plan, earned him SMACNA’s 2022 Contractor of the Year award.

“I love this industry,” Knox says. “There are so many incredible opportunities coming up, not just for my company, but for all companies to do well, especially considering the number of mega-projects that are coming down the pipeline here the Southeast. But the only way we can succeed is if we work together.” ▪

Natalie is an award-winning writer who has worked in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, the United States, and Canada. She has more than 23 years experience as a journalist, editor, and brand builder, specializing in construction and transportation. When she’s not writing, you will likely find her snowboarding, mountain biking, or climbing mountains with her rescue dog.