Lights, camera…and as the action-packed training weekend commenced, we came together last Friday for another year of Corporate training. Through the hard work and collaboration of Katie Schell, Hope Barton, Mike McPherson, Charlie IV, and many more, the meticulously planned event had finally come to fruition and the big day was here. Many agree that this was by far our best meeting yet. With topics ranging from effective leadership in safety and management, to lessons learned on successful projects, the theme remained the same: Focus on results.

Our keynote speaker, George Hedley, of Hardhat Presentations, was a fantastic focal point in our excellent line up. If you want to hear words of wisdom without fluff or a coating of sugar, George Hedley is the perfect person from which to hear it. We very much enjoyed George’s down-to-earth manner and his well-earned advice, born out of 40+ years of running his own construction company.

Friday night we enjoyed a delightful dinner provided by our host, Dave ‘n Buster’s; the savoury prime rib and salmon met their match in the parmesan crusted brussel sprouts and the scrumptious creamy cheese tortellinis. An evening of merriment passed in the company of our teammates and their significant others: playing pool, conversing, or just soaking up the excitement of the gathering and looking forward to the amazing prize giveaways. 

Early next morning we began with a taco breakfast and our daily fundamental, in which we discussed the traits of truly genuine people. We were honored to be addressed by Charlie III with an impactful speech on the power and necessity of focus to gain desired results.

Charlie IV then delivered an influential speech of his own, tying in focus to his introduction of our 2026 vision for effective operation. The senior team followed with a personalized delivery of our core values, explaining how our values impact our daily decisions and thus our future success. 

Next, we had the opportunity to hear from two teams on the successes and challenges of their well-managed projects. First we heard from Inland Project Manager, Juquan Tellis, and Superintendent, Ed Thomason, on their project in Oak Ridge, TN; then we learned about one of our Industrial projects in Aiken, SC, presented by General Manager, Sterling Shelton, and Business Development Manager, Yolanda Troxell. 

These speeches and presentations gave us an overwhelming sense of pride, knowing that, as a team, we truly believe in what we are doing and where we are going, and as a company we are leaving success in our wake. 

Finally, we welcomed the return of Daniel Sims with USI, who educated us on the importance of safety on the road. We always love having Daniel come speak at our meetings. You won’t find an insurance representative anywhere who will care about your success and safety as if it were his own family’s livelihood at stake. To close our meeting, we were enlightened to retirement best practices by the lively and charming Diana Contorno with Warren Averett. It was obvious from Diana’s real-life examples and her easy references that she was a well-seasoned financial advisor, not only for her clients but for herself and her family. 

After the last giveaway had been announced, with our hearts shining and our spirits high with the influence of team inspiration, the party was over and it was time to get back to our own places in the world. But though the meeting is over, I hope we will carry the spirit of this year’s meeting into our daily practice in 2026. Celebrate Success, Think Team, and DELIVER RESULTS!

View the highlights here.