Created with Sketch.
The Austin Company
  • Contact Us
  • Austin Consulting
  • Spanish
  • Why Austin
    • Leadership Team
    • Austin Past and Present
    • Safety
    • Results, Not Excuses
    • Project Gallery
  • Markets
    • Aerospace and Defense
    • Food and Beverage
    • Pharmaceutical and Biotech
    • Automotive
    • Industrial Manufacturing
    • Process Industries
    • Utility Plant Support
    • Commercial
  • Services
    • Design and Engineering
    • Construction
    • Facility Maintenance
    • Location Consulting
    • Planning
    • Development and Financing
  • Subcontractors
  • Careers
  • News & Blog
  • Why Austin
    • Leadership
    • Austin Past and Present
    • Safety
    • Results, Not Excuses
    • Project Gallery
  • Markets
    • Aerospace and Defense
    • Food and Beverage
    • Pharmaceutical and Biotech
    • Automotive
    • Industrial Manufacturing
    • Process Industries
    • Utility Plant Support
    • Commercial
  • Services
    • Design and Engineering
    • Construction
    • Facility Maintenance
    • Location Consulting
    • Planning
    • Development and Financing
  • Subcontractors
  • Careers
  • News & Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Austin Consulting
Home > All in the Family: Recognition of Employee Service
NEWS & BLOG

January 13, 2014 posted in Faculty Maintenance, Organizational Values

All in the Family: Recognition of Employee Service

Headshot of Michael G Pierce

Mike Pierce

President and CEO

Call 440.544.2607 Email Mike View Profile

Every year, Austin takes time to recognize the service and tenure of our employees and especially recognize those that reach milestones of 5, 10, 15 years, etc. Each year, we look in awe at those who have been with Austin for 35, 40, even 45 years, and we have two employees this year who reached the 40-year mark. That is a long time with an organization and I believe it speaks to the character of both the employee and the organization. In reality, the two are one and the same.

There is an old refrain that we spend more waking hours with our co-workers than we do our families. If you’re in our business, especially those traveling to remote job sites working in the field, that is absolutely the case. The corollary to this is that co-workers are like family, especially if the corporate culture promotes a caring environment. Work and Family. Family and Work. In some ways, the two are one and the same.

I got an email early last Sunday from one of my closest advisors and co-workers telling me that his brother, Doug, who was a superintendent for Austin at a jobsite, passed away suddenly. Doug was to receive his 25 year service award this weekend and I couldn’t help but reflect on the significance of 25 years in the field. I think of Doug as one of our warriors. He was the sort of man who would go anywhere, do anything for the Company and without a complaint. He was, as one person put it, part of a special brotherhood (there is that family thing again).

My observation is that jobsite teams are unique family units unto themselves. Most of the field team is away from home, working long hours and have little backup – if one gets sick or goes on vacation, you learn to pick up the slack. You learn to cover for each other. You have each other’s back. I think that after 25 years, Doug was the big brother everyone wanted on the site. Things just went better when he was there. He will be missed, in so many ways.

Austin is fortunate to have so many people with such long tenure, like Doug. They are the core of the Company’s culture and around that, making the whole are those with 2, 5, 10 years and so on. Last year was a very good year for Austin. We increased our size in terms of the number of employees by 30% in 2013. Many new, younger siblings came into the family.

In 2039, when one of them is celebrating their 25 years with the Company, I trust they will be reflecting on the consistency of the culture they have been part of and celebrating success with their work “sisters and brothers”, along with the rest of their family and encouraging the new employees that year to look forward to a long future in the Austin family.

“Loyalty and friendship, which is to me the same, created all the wealth that I’ve ever thought I’d have.”

Ernie Banks

“You’ve got to give loyalty down, if you want loyalty up.”

Donald T. Regan

Looking for an expert?

To connect with one of our knowledgeable team members for a media opportunity, please contact Leslie Panfil via phone or email. We look forward to sharing our expertise!

440.544.2255 | info@theaustin.com

MORE NEWS FROM THE AUSTIN

The Heart of the Matter

March 13, 2023 by Sean Barr, PMP

Winter Construction Safety Guide

March 9, 2023 by Charlie Engel

Two Books and a Podcast that Inspires Service, Leadership, and Purpose.

March 8, 2023 by Mike Pierce
Austin®
Transparency in Coverage Privacy Policy Employee Resources
  • Connect with The Austin Company on LinkedIn
  • Follow The Austin Company on Facebook
  • Follow The Austin Company on Twitter
  • Subscribe to The Austin Company's YouTube Channel
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
Manage Cookie Consent


This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to collect information about how you interact with our website and allow us to remember you. We use this information in order to improve and customize your browsing experience and for analytics and metrics about our visitors both on this website and other media. To find out more about the cookies we use, see our Privacy Policy.

If you decline, your information won’t be tracked when you visit this website. A single cookie will be used in your browser to remember your preference not to be tracked.


We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “ACCEPT”, you consent to the use of all cookies. For more information, please visit our Privacy Policy.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}