While working on large projects it’s nice to meet all the people from different trades.
After being in the construction industry for over 40 years, every morning things are still changing.
One of my hobbies is raising honeybees.
I enjoy working with all the different teams.
Plan, schedule, plan!
I enjoy hunting, fishing and all outdoor activities
I get to work with so many bright and hard-working people every day.
Risk management is a 24/7 mindset.
In 1980 I spent the summer working as a laborer 30+ floors above Michigan Avenue in Chicago for a subcontractor doing concrete formwork on a condominium tower project.
I love that I get to work with such a broad spectrum of great clients. Whether it be a charter school for the deaf or an accounting firm, there is always something unique about our projects.
The easiest solution is not always the best solution. Using creative and unique approaches to some of our day to day challenges can help our clients receive the best value for their projects.
In my college days, I was a co-owner of a record label that produced and recorded two records for local bands.
I enjoy talking with people at all levels inside and outside the organization and have built many good relationships.
The construction industry is both very large and very small at the same time. A lot of people move around and come back around.
I’ve been to Sturgis 26 times.
Being part of team and working together to get the job done.
There is always something new to learn.
I was born in Italy and speak fluent Italian.
Every day I have the opportunity to work with new people on new projects. No job is ever the same and I enjoy the challenge of having the opportunity to work through that with my clients.
One thing I’ve learned since being in the construction industry is that you never know everything. This industry is constantly changing and evolving, and there is never just one way to get it done.
I spent the first half of my professional life in architectural design.
My role gives me the opportunity to be a resource and help others. There are so many ways this can be done which is what I enjoy most.
I’ve learned there are many hands that assist in the office and on the jobsite taking a project from start to finish.
I enjoy weekends at the lake fishing with family.
One of the things I like the most about working at RJM is the variety of work that we perform. My first job at RJM was to build a sports dome; nothing like anything I had done before but I was up to the challenge.
One thing I’ve learned since being in the construction industry is don’t assume anything. Make sure you are communicating your ideas and expectations with everyone involved.
I started my career as an Aircraft Powerplant and Airframe Mechanic working on business jets and helicopters.
The people are the best part about this business. I’m lucky to have such great co-workers and clients.
Always push yourself outside of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
When I was in high school, I spent the summers traveling through rural Wisconsin searching for antique gas pumps and gas station memorabilia, just like the show American Pickers. I bought and sold over 100 gas pumps and I saved up enough money to pay for my first two years of college.
Working in the field, I get to meet many different people and how you need to adapt quickly to all the different personalities to make a project work smoothly.
Every task is an opportunity. Not a problem.
Most people don’t know I like model railroading (trains). I have a large model railroad layout under construction in my basement.
I enjoy being a part of a team and company that is committed to what they do. It inspires a person to continue to try harder and harder.
The challenge of finding new ways to solve problems and deliver a successful project requires a team, not just one talented individual.
I can recite the entire “Sorting Hat” song from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by HEART.
I enjoy the collaborative team atmosphere. Not only do we enjoy working together, but we enjoy each others’ company outside of work as well.
I’ve learned that THE NUMBER ALWAYS MATTERS!
My educated 18-year-old self got a tattoo of my initials. It happens to be the same initials of the company I work for.
I enjoy working as a team to creatively solve problems. Each project has unique challenges and insurmountable obstacles can be overcome with cooperation.
I’ve learned the value of a relationship. Whether it be with an owner, architect or subcontractor, simply making an effort can go a long way in building trust.
My pet peeve is dawdlers. These are minutes of your life people!
I love working with everyone at RJM. In my role I have the opportunity to meet and interact with everyone. RJM is truly a family so when we solve a problem is a win all the way around!
The construction industry is always changing. The evolution is fascinating and I love being a part of the experience.
I grew up on a dairy farm in Taylors Falls, Minnesota.
The satisfaction of completing a successful project and being asked to do another project for the same client.
Patience.
My mancave is the one place I don’t have to explain anything.
Gateway Place Phase 1 multifamily apartments in West St Paul.
I love that RJM does not shy away from challenging projects. I love the collaboration and the support; being part of a team.
I love construction and seeing the physical representation of what you pour your heart and soul into. In the last two decades I have learned, it is more about the people – teammates, clients, other stakeholders – that make a project successful and fun.
In 4th grade I was the Sun Valley Elementary School handball champion. It was very controversial.
Contributing ideas and collaborating with our diverse and talented team members.
The expertise and dedication involved to ensure successful projects and client satisfaction is truly a team effort!
I am an illustrator, writer, and former Anglophile (I lived in London for nearly 10 years).
How collaborative and inclusive RJM is as a whole. When I started, everyone made it a point to say hello and introduce themselves.
Every project is different and needs each team member’s talents to make it successful.
My first job was at a small bakery where I grew up, and I was the only other person who was allowed to do any of the baking besides the owner in the 40 years that he owned it.
I enjoy the fact that I get to do a little bit of everything in my role, and I appreciate the people. Everyone is willing to work toward the betterment of the company as a team and we all have fun along the way.
I have learned the importance of being flexible as everyday something changes.
I enjoy riding just about anything with a motor.
Working closely with the client. Turning problems into solutions.
It is a people business. Clients need to know that we care more about them than ourselves.
I have been blessed with my wife, 15 children and 28 grandkids. They are the joy of our lives!
I love the people at RJM . In preconstruction I enjoy all the various project types I have worked on throughout the years.
The construction industry is a smaller group than I realized. It is great to build relationships with our industry partners, get to know them, and work through all of the project fun!
In college I worked at Mariucci Arena as a Zamboni driver.
The days are always interesting – something new to learn all the time.
A great team working together makes all the difference.
I have hiked a fourteener and winter camped in Colorado.
I enjoy the opportunity to solve problems with new and creative solutions.
People and connections are the most important aspect of the industry. It truly is a team environment. We all have specialties, but we need everyone to construct these buildings.
I co-founded a charity golf tournament to raise funds for Hope, Inc. They help mobility challenged children receive specialized sporting equipment.
The number one reason I enjoy working at RJM is the people. We have a great group of enthusiastic, hardworking people, all with the same goal in mind. This makes it fun to come to work.
Success and failure in this business is all based on communication. Good communication leads to success and poor or lack of communication results in failure. It’s all about communication.
In 1991 I was the International Karting Federation Grand National Champion for 8-11 year old’s in the United States. Many of the competitors went on to careers in NASCAR, Indy Car, and other professional forms of motorsports.
My role allows me to interact with all departments here at RJM.
That there is a constant change. All jobs have their own set of requirements.
I grew up racing motocross.
When working on construction projects, there are no two projects that are exactly the same. Working at RJM our team-oriented atmosphere helps make taking on a project’s different challenges rewarding.
Good communication is essential to a project’s success. Communication helps the project team work well together to efficiently complete a project.
I have an identical twin brother that lives in California.
I enjoy the camaraderie between our teams.
I have learned that spending extra effort and time on preconstruction makes a job more successful.
I have many outdoor hobbies. My favorites are during the winter: snowmobiling and hockey.
I enjoy working and getting to know different clients throughout the process and then walking through a finished project with them. It is very rewarding to see how they appreciate our hard work.
I’ve learned how much preconstruction can come into play, and help deliver a successful project.
My wife and I have four boys at four different schools: UW-LaCrosse, Hudson High School, Shattuck St. Mary’s, and Hudson Middle School. All four also play hockey.
I enjoy interacting with all of project teams and helping them plan successful projects. Then seeing customers be amazed at what our teams do.
If you do not lead people they will fail you every time. If you help them you will have successful projects.
A bucket list item is to hike across Isle Royale, short or long way just to get to the island would be great.
One thing I like about my role at RJM is working with the trades to get where we need to be on time and have a quality product at the end.
I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned in this industry is that other trades are quick to tell you what you want to hear.
Something people don’t know about me, I’ve seen Metallica live in concert eight times.
Collaborative and critical thinking culture.
The overall goal is always to provide best value solutions for the client. Critical thinking and collaboration with all team members, subcontractors and suppliers from the concept phase of a project through occupancy is what makes this possible.
I appreciate that RJM is extremely customer-driven. For me there nothing more important than a customer being satisfied with their finished product.
Construction is the only type of work I have ever done. During my twenty-five year career, the most important thing I have learned is that regardless of whom you are dealing with whether it be the client, sub-contractors, or the employee sweeping the job site, treat them as you would like to be treated.
I am a sports enthusiast, now mostly coaching or watching. I enjoy hunting, fishing, and spending a lot of time with my family.
I enjoy meeting and getting to know new people and helping them find the best solution for their construction projects.
It is a very dynamic industry, and the only thing that is constant is change.
I have been competing in inline skating marathons for 20 years.
I enjoy that each day brings on a new set of challenges, and that each day is never like the one that went before.
I’ve learned that connecting with people on a personal level, whether that be subcontractors, architects or owners, makes our job more enjoyable and often allows many of our projects to run smoother.
My parents build new residential homes and I lived in about 15 different houses growing up.
The challenges each project brings and the people I get to work with.
Treat everyone fairly. You never know when you will need their help in the future.
I took out my first loan from the bank when I was 10 years old to buy a lawn tractor to start my lawn care business. By the time I graduated High School I had 34 clients.
The diversity of construction projects that I am involved with on a daily basis.
Understanding and reducing variability is the most important factor in successful project planning.
Four children keep me busy. I love football, rugby, ice fishing, the cabin in Nisswa, and Sanibel Island.
It’s very collaborative at RJM, and there are a lot of opportunities to help shape the organization.
Never assume anything, stay open-minded, and maintain a questioning attitude. Construction is filled with problems and there are multiple ways to solve them!
I had a short stint as a DJ in San Francisco
Having the opportunity to collaborate and work with great clients and team members.
Communication and teamwork is key to succeed on projects.
I enjoy lawncare and gardening. I strive to have the best lawn in the neighborhood.
Every day is a new challenge. I started as a carpenter and now I’m running our biggest project to date. Our whole staff sees the importance of completing a project as fast and as perfect as we can.
Always have a plan and then three more. So when the first blows up in your face you have another for backup.
I have three daughters and am a bee keeper.
I enjoy the working with our employees as they grow in their career and opportunities to provide insights from the myriad of my personal lessons learned.
True success in our industry is most often derived from hard work, coupled with solid, trusted relationships.
During my high school years in Tennessee I worked part-time atop horseback for cattle ranchers.
I enjoy the atmosphere and genuine camaraderie in the office and also the strong long-term client relationships that RJM has created over the years. Some of my most enjoyable memories have been through work relationships and activities.
I’ve learned to never make assumptions on anything related to a construction project and always plan ahead and follow-up with detailed commitments.
In High School, I rode my bicycle 10 miles each way to football practice every day and after practice, unloaded bags of pickles, handpicked during the day, for processing at a local farm until late in the evening as my first job.
I enjoy the fast paced collaborative effort preconstruction requires, not one project is the same and all need different attention.
Say what you mean, mean what you say, don’t be mean when you say it.
I enjoy all things to do with aquatics, from a day on the lake too maintaining my fish tanks.
It is great to work in a job where things come up daily that challenge your knowledge and allow you to utilize the lessons learned over many years in this industry.
Construction is not a good choice for the weak hearted.
I really enjoy gardening as a way to escape the daily grind.
I enjoy working with clients and user groups while exceeding their expectations by delivering a quality product in an efficient manner. Leaving a client meeting with smiles on faces makes for a good day! Having the craftsmen mentality and caring about what I do is what keeps me going.
Means and methods on how we operate in the construction industry are ever-changing but one point stands above all and that is there is always a way to get difficult tasks completed by thinking outside the normal methods. Nothing is impossible; it just may take some critical thinking and planning to complete.
There is no television in my home. I skijor with 1, 2, and 3 dogs weekly when we have a winter with good snow conditions.
What drew me to RJM was the culture. The “team first” attitude, inclusivity, embracing of technology, and the overall desire to be better each day from the entire team make it easy to go to work each day.
We are in the “people” business, we just happen to build things. If you keep people at the forefront of what you do, the parts and pieces that make up a building go together much easier.
Although I don’t get to go as often as I like, I really enjoy checking out art museums and architecture. Also, I like heavy metal music and college football.
From the office staff to the field crew, I really enjoy working with the team here at RJM.
Safety. It has become the way of life at the job site which brings us home to enjoy our families every day.
I like farming. Like construction, they both have challenges, but there is nothing more I’d rather do then be in the field in the spring and fall.
I enjoy the problem-solving aspect of my role here at RJM. Working to find a solution that balances the needs of the owner with the technical requirements of the designers while being fiscally responsible always provides a challenge.
One thing that I’ve learned is that often the quickest way to resolve an issue or answer a question is to gather everyone in a room and talk through the issue.
I carried the Olympic torch in the relay for the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. While it was a great source of pride for a young high schooler to represent my country, it was also vindication for the younger me who was told that nothing good can come from running around with a stick that is on fire.
Working with a variety of different clients to guide them through the construction process and bring their vision to life in the real world.
Everything is constantly growing and changing and we must learn to adapt to the environment and situations as they change and develop.
I am an artist in my free time and have sold paintings to customers all over the world. Australia, Europe, and throughout the United States.
Participating in the growth of the team which has led to the growth of the business, both in depth and project complexity. I marvel at where we are today and the team we have.
As the general contractor we are responsible for everything that happens over the life of a project. We must be vigilant in our decision making process to make sure every detail is done correctly.
I grew up in a small town in west central Minnesota; lived in town but my friends were all farmers. I can milk a cow by hand and drive a 1949 combine
Being able to teach younger people what I know about construction and safety.
When someone yells run…RUN!
I’m actually a nice person.
I enjoy getting involved in the beginning stages of a project and building a relationship with the owner and architect as the project continues to evolve.
I’ve come to find that you learn something new every day in the construction industry. No two days are the same, which keeps things interesting.
I’m a die-hard Green Bay Packers fan!
I enjoy working with all levels of the organization and the personal and trusted relationships I’ve built with others.
Every project is unique and each takes a special skill set to create. As a non-construction professional, it’s easy to think that buildings are all just the same.
My wife and I are huge Eric Clapton fans. Our first wedding dance was Wonderful Tonight, our first dog’s name was Layla and we have seen his last four concerts in the Twin Cities.
The people at RJM are what make it a great company to work for. I appreciate the collaborative, team-oriented approach we use to manage our projects. My favorite part of being a project engineer is digging into the plans and knowing the project inside and out. I enjoy the challenging, fast-paced nature of project management. Seeing the end user’s eyes light up when they see the product in progress and following up with them to see how much they enjoy the finished product make all the struggles of the project worthwhile.
My experience at RJM has taught me so many lessons and I continue to gain knowledge and grow personally & professionally every day. The most important lesson I’ve learned is that each and every person is vitally important to the success of a project. Every role is always dependent on another and getting complete buy-in from everyone involved is extremely important. We all have to row the boat in the same direction.
I married my high school sweetheart last October. I like playing acoustic guitar in my free time. I also like woodworking, building anything and everything I can (furniture, crafts, etc.) I will play any sport and I am very competitive when I play no matter how bad I am. (I hate losing!
I enjoy the team atmosphere and fun culture at RJM. I also love that at the end of a project, you can physically see the hard work you’ve put in!
There is always something more to learn.
I love gnomes
I enjoy working with my co-workers.
I’ve learned how much teamwork goes into a public bid.
Most people don’t know that I played the violin for twelve years.
I like working with the people at RJM, it’s a great organization. I also like the diversity of projects.
I have learned there are many ways of doing things to obtain the same outcome. Doing as much as you can today will help with the curveballs that come at you tomorrow.
I love to go to swap meets and garage sales early on the weekends, even if I don’t buy anything. I’m in constant search of the rare finds.
It’s a rewarding experience to be involved with new technology and healthcare services that have such a big impact the lives of so many, including my personal family members.
We really become entrenched in the everyday business of our clients and the patients they serve, which offers rewarding experiences. There are a lot of great people in the industry that I have had the opportunity to work with and develop long-term friendships.
I worked on the family tobacco farm in central Minnesota, Eden Valley, as a kid. Yes, they used to grow tobacco in Minnesota, and my grandparents had the largest tobacco farm in the upper Midwest. They retired in 1990.
I enjoy the variety each day, never a dull moment.
There is more to construction than meets the eye.
The first apartment my husband and I rented had a ghost in it and it got so violent we had to break our lease and move out.
I enjoy collaborating with a team to bring a set of plans to life. Seeing the tangible results of hard work is extremely satisfying.
Documentation is critical.
I aspire to one day have an aquarium.
It’s always a new challenge because no two projects are the same. This keeps my days interesting and rewarding.
It’s important to maintain consistent communication with the project team. Knowing how to effectively work with others as a team makes life significantly easier for everyone involved.
My wife and I love camping and backpacking. Our goal is to visit all of the National Parks so almost every vacation we take has at least one National Park visit on the agenda. So far my top recommendation is Acadia National Park, with Zion as a close second.
I really enjoy the team interaction at RJM. Simply a great group of people to work with.
I have learned that you never stop learning.
In a much younger life, I was a weatherman on an aircraft carrier in the US Navy.
I really enjoy the team aspect of each job we work on. It is really neat to watch how a new team can be assembled for a job, but yet everyone works together towards the same goal.
I have learned to be flexible and how to problem solve in a more creative fashion. I have also learned how much planning goes into a job, even on the accounting side.
I am kind of a metal-head and really enjoy going to concerts on the weekends.
The people make RJM what it is. I don’t think I could find a more helpful and fun group of coworkers anywhere else.
The construction industry is very fast paced and keeps you on your toes! Each day I am learning something new.
I’ve had 22 teeth pulled… I still have a few left though.
I like the variety of subs and suppliers that I work with. I also enjoy my co-workers, never a dull moment.
Nothing is black and white. I am always learning something new. Be very careful how you communicate to others, people tend to hear what they want to hear.
I love to out-fish my husband.
I enjoy being part of such a collaborative and forward-thinking culture. Everyone at RJM shares the same vision and is dedicated to bringing those visions to life.
Always keep a positive attitude, a smile on your face, and don’t be afraid of hard work.
I love spending time on the lake!
I enjoy solving the day-to-day challenges that come up.
I have learned that you can get more accomplished when a team works together to solve any problem that comes up.
I love to get out fishing.
I enjoy working and being a part of a team that creates and helps build something that lasts for generations.
Everyone, no matter big or small has a role in completing a successful day.
I enjoy event planning and creating gift baskets.
I enjoy interacting with people here. We have a lot of employees that are willing to adopt new technology. It makes my job really fun!
It takes a lot of different people to make a project come together. From the office to the field everyone plays a unique and critical role in make sure the job gets done right.
In my less than 8 years in the industry I have worked as an Estimator, a Site Safety representative, QA/AC for several projects, a Mechanical Engineer and now I work in IT. I did all of this at 1 company.
I enjoy working with the RJM project team.
Every day is a new set of challenges; take it one day at a time.
I enjoy working on classic cars.
To have been part of the growth since RJM was first founded.
You don’t know what the day will bring. Always evolving and interesting.
Married on the 1980’s Olympic rink in Lake Placid (for those of you who are hockey fans).
I enjoy the culture and team here. RJM has been very intentional about investing in our employees and their futures which I really appreciate.
Each project has a story to tell. Creativity and collaboration is key to successfully communicate those stories.
While in Africa I went cage diving with sharks and went on a four-day camping safari.
I enjoy sharing work experiences with the younger generation of RJM’ers, while at the same time learning a few things about construction techniques native to Minnesota in return.
Pre-planning, communication, and organization is a must in our industry. But there’s nothing more vital than to be adaptable in your projects when curveballs are thrown your way, because they will come.
I played both football and baseball at Cornell University and got my name forever immortalized in Cooperstown. It’s on a commemorative brick, but that still counts, right?