Page 1 - Graypvine October 2020

SAFETY COMPANY UPDATES NICOLE WATSON SUCCEEDS HUMANIZING THE HOMELESS QUALITY
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October 2020

The

Seward, Nebraska is
Bottom a classic American small business with family-based values
Hartmann and Gray conducted
town with a little over
and the golden rule. A young Gray
Line 7,000 residents, ranked carpenter, Anthony Roy (retired
senior vice president of operations)
the #1 happiest city in
Nebraska and famous
for its large Fourth of was not part of this project team, but
he helped out by driving a trailer full
July celebration. It’s full of good, friendly people, like many of jobsite furniture and equipment
of the towns where you will find a Gray project. Our journey from Kentucky to Nebraska, further
started there over thirty years ago, and because of our values reinforcing our culture of helping
it continues today. others. You see, our values in action
Gray’s connection to Seward began back in 1984, when left a lasting mark in Seward all those years ago.
we built a children’s psychiatric facility for Rivendell in Bowling Now fast forward to today. I recently attended a ribbon
Green, Kentucky. Because of that project experience and cutting, in Seward, for the new state-of-the-art petfood
the solid customer relationship, Rivendell took us to Seward manufacturing facility for Petsource, a Scoular company. Can
in 1986 to build another project for them, our first project in you guess who our grading subcontractor was? That’s right,
Nebraska. Steve Renshaw, president of Gray Ohio Valley, Hartmann. You could call it a coincidence, but I don’t think it
was the project’s superintendent and he recalls a relationship was. Some thirty years later, Hartmann made sure they were
with Bill Hartmann, from Hartmann Construction Company. part of this project because of their previous experience.
They were the grading subcontractor we worked with and Andy Hartmann who now runs the business, talked about his
Steve recalls “it was easy to build a relationship with Hartmann excitement when he heard Gray was coming back to the area
because they were committed and took pride in their work. for the Scoular project. He said they jumped at the opportunity
They believed in teamwork and shared the same values we do to work with us again and went on to say he hopes it isn’t our
at Gray.” Steve also tells a story about how the Gray team was last project together. He described Gray as transparent and
not prepared for the cold and snowy weather that occurs in personable. He told us that our people and values are the
Nebraska, and on an unexpected frigid day in November, Bill reasons they enjoy working with us so much.
took a couple of the guys to a nearby farm store to get some Whether it’s a subcontractor, customer or teammate, the
insulated overalls. Bill’s son Andy, an equipment operator relationships we make today will shape our future for many
at the time, admits that he wasn’t sure how our relationship years to come. The golden rule; treating others the way you
would go. Even back then, he thought of Gray as a big want to be treated, will always position us for success while
company compared to their small-town business. He called creating enduring relationships that have long-term, positive
us “southern” and thought we might be in trouble when we impacts. No matter where you are or what you are doing, your
set up our job trailers facing the wrong direction for Nebraska’s actions today will impact Gray for decades.
wind and snow drifts. They helped us quickly get familiar with
the area and taught us what we needed to know to work Brian Jones
there, because that’s how they would want to be treated. President & Chief Executive Officer, Gray Construction

OUR PURPOSE CORE VALUES
Our purpose is to make a difference in 1. We put safety and quality of life first.
people’s lives by creating unforgettable 2. We are customer and relationship driven.
customer experiences and great projects. 3. We treat others the way we want to be treated.