John Orcutt likes to fix and build companies. As a consummate businessman he can help companies gain market share, improve customer relations, grow revenue, improve teams and position products for str...
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BIG SUR – You wouldn’t be wrong to think asphalt runs through Robert Lauderdale’s veins. 
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When Mike Baker talks about the aluminum “coals” he spent 25 years selling and manufacturing in Kentucky and Ohio, it’s really coils. Mike’s southern accent might be as thick as they come, but he doesn’t leave anyone guessing when it comes to his passion for team work and strong leadership. 
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A negative event occurs that would logically seem to depress the stock market but results in triple digit gains, or a positive happening has the exact opposite effect. So take that as a warning – just like the weather, when it comes to economic predictions there are no guarantees. 
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Many people in our industry are feeling the waters rise around us.  New requirements for controlling and treating storm water come out nearly every day; it’s hard to know what exactly to do.  Many are familiar with the Construction General Permit, but how about the Municipal Stormwater General Permit or the Industrial General Permit?  Don’t worry, you won’t be tested on that, but it is important to know the similarities and differences between them.  As newer versions of these permits are written, they constantly reference each other and the regulations tend to grow together.  When one thing works, the others can be quick to adopt it.  So how do you make sure you are in compliance?  How do you follow all three at once?
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100 years ago In 1914, Graniterock expanded its quarry operations with the purchase of 151 acres from Henry F. Blohm. The property, a section of the Jesse D. Carr subdivision, was once a part of the Mexican land grant Rancho Los Aromitas y Agua Caliente, which was owned by Policronio Estolastico de Guadalupe Anzar. This is where the A.R. Wilson Quarry crushing plants, offices and shops are now located. 
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 Many of us spend our lives listening to a seemingly endless stream of information from radio, television, the internet and social media outlets, from our co-workers and significant others – so much so that it becomes a challenge to focus on what is really important. I am guilty of letting my mind wander as my kids relate some mundane (in my mind anyway) event that has happened to them at school. I usually pay the price later on when the subject comes up again and I’m asked if I remember. No such luck, I can’t remember a thing, because I wasn’t paying attention.
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On the job at Graniterock, Jon is a mild-mannered geologist whose role is to help plan and adjust mining, crushing and processing techniques to produce consistent, high-quality aggregates for use in Company products such as asphalt and concrete. Away from work, he is a Superman who has trained thousands of hours to qualify for a spot at the starting line at “Kona”, the iconic triathlon more than 150,000 people aspire to join each year.
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What do you do if faced with a contractor or customer unwilling or unable to pay for labor or materials? When a contractor or supplier comes to me with this problem, the first question I always ask is, “Did you serve a Preliminary Notice?” I then ask, “When was the Preliminary Notice served?” The answers to these questions will often determine their ability to recover money owed.
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On those days when things go badly at work and a customer is left dissatisfied, you might respond with, “Well, there’s always tomorrow.”  This way of thinking is commonly accepted in many, if not most workplaces, but it is terribly misleading because it ignores the lifetime value of a customer. “Lifetime value” is the accumulated projected sales to a customer, based on the assumption that the business is retained each year for a lifetime. Repeat business has immense importance – it has lower overall cost and is the best indicator of long-term business viability.
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