What makes someone spend 43 years with one company? For Dan Robinson, it started with a job after high school. More than four decades later, he has worked his way from Lab Technician to Assistant Plant Manager and gained some perspective along the way.
“I’ve been to a lot of different places on my assignments, and I realize this is a good place to be.”
Dan is not alone. As Asphalt Materials, Inc. celebrates 70 years, we asked some of our longest-tenured employees what made them build their careers here. Their answers reveal something important about the company AMI has become and the one we are still building.
Why People Stay
Ask longtime employees at AMI why they have stayed, and the answers are remarkably consistent: opportunity, meaningful work and people they trust.
Vicki Neese with Accounts Receivable has been with the company for 40 years, and when asked why, she pointed to something simple: “I have stayed because I am treated well and fairly and have been given the chance to learn and move up.”
Darren Deeter has spent 34 years helping build the Mechanical Integrity Program at AMI and describes the company as a place where opportunities are limitless. Cheryl VanSchepen, now in her 32nd year with the Accounts Receivable team, credits both the people she works with and a culture that allows employees to grow and thrive.
After 30 years with AMI, Kit Peregrine says the relationships built along the way have made all the difference. “The people and the rewarding work have kept me here,” says Kit. “Working through problems and finding solutions with great people on your team is the most rewarding part.”
That same connection runs through the stories of employees across the company. Rod Beyers, also in his 30th year with Emulsicoat, (an Asphalt Materials, Inc. Company) valuing the friendships he has developed with coworkers and customers throughout his career.
Joe Matthews has spent 27 years close to the work as a Plant Operator II. For Joe, the relationships built over those years have been just as important as the work itself. He says, “Working at AMI feels like working with family.”
For Jesse Werner, who has spent 25 years in sales with the company, that combination of people and opportunity has made AMI “more than just a job;” it’s a place where employees can continue growing personally and professionally throughout their careers.
For Diane Franseen, growth is a key part of her 26-year story. After joining H.G. Meigs (an Asphalt Materials, Inc. Company) with a laboratory background outside of the asphalt industry, she embraced every opportunity to learn.
“The company has always provided opportunities to learn something new. My role has changed over the years, but that’s given me the chance to grow, take on new challenges and continue finding purpose in the work.”
Together, these stories reflect what has helped sustain AMI through seven decades: talented people building careers, sharing knowledge and helping one another succeed.
Building Something That Lasts
An anniversary naturally gives us a reason to look backward. But hearing from our employees also gives us a reason to look at what we’re doing today and plan for the future. Because our people have been integral in reaching a 70-year milestone, continuing to invest in them is how we prepare for the years ahead.
The things these longtime employees describe are what we want newer employees to experience today: opportunities to grow, leaders willing to listen, a commitment to safety, challenging and meaningful work, and people who genuinely enjoy working alongside one another.
Ryan Knoll has watched some of that evolution happen during his 28 years with the company, particularly around safety.
“Over the years there have been a lot of changes, and I’d say safety is the number one thing that has continued to develop. [The commitment to safety] really shows that this company cares for its employees.”
Cheryl has seen the company change, too, while maintaining what has kept her here for more than three decades.
“The people I work with are not just my co-workers; they have become like family over the years. However, if we did not work for a company that fostered an environment that allows people to grow and thrive, that camaraderie would not be possible.”
Reaching 70 years has never been about preserving everything exactly as it was. AMI was built to evolve, to keep getting better without losing the things that make people want to build careers here.
The Next 70
A 70-year legacy only matters if someone is ready to carry it forward.
After more than four decades with AMI, Dan shares that part of his job now is passing along knowledge he has accumulated over more than four decades to employees who are earlier in their careers. And he has some straightforward advice for them: “This company is a great place to be, and I think its number one asset is its employees. All it takes is a good work ethic and doing the right thing, and you’ll have a great career.”
“As someone who has been here for a while, it is exciting to watch the next generation of employees come in and bring all their enthusiasm and fresh approach to their jobs,” says Cheryl. “Their attitudes help to keep a seasoned employee excited to come to work.”
One generation learns the business, makes it better and passes that knowledge along. The next brings new ideas, fresh energy and a different perspective. That exchange is how AMI continues to evolve.
We’re grateful that these great employees have chosen to devote such a significant part of their careers here. Their stories challenge us to make sure the employees joining AMI today have the same chance to look back someday and say they were given opportunities, they were surrounded by good people, they did meaningful work and they helped build something that lasted.
After 70 years, one thing is pretty clear:
People carried us here. And people will carry us forward.
