Author: Amelia Yeager

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Giving Back with Give Bags: Supplies for Students

Posted on by Amelia Yeager

Pictured: Mitch Kovalsky, Project Engineer at Asphalt Materials, Inc., with his Give Bag

Last month, the Heritage family of companies collected supplies for local schools and organizations benefitting students as part of the Give Bag campaign. First launched with a diaper drive in March, this year’s campaign features four opportunities throughout the year for Heritage employees to give back, culminating in a Day of Service in November. Each collection aligns with The Heritage Group’s strategic giving priorities: sustainability, STEM education and families. In May, locations across the country collected items for foster youth, which were donated to dozens of local organizations. As the school year approaches, everything from backpacks to notebooks to art supplies went into Give Bags this July, resulting in a total of 15,763 items. 

“We all need help sometimes, and I’m more than happy to help out in any way that I can. It’s great to work for a company where helping the community is a priority.” — Rebecca Rivers Duncan, business administrator at Asphalt Materials, Inc. (AMI) and a member of the Social Impact Task Force

THE RIGHT PATH

Interns Nate Foy and Fergus Washington-Smith pack some of the 5,116 items from AMI to be donated to the Glick Center.

At Heritage Construction + Materials’ (HC+M) Indianapolis location, donations were delivered to The PATH School (TPS), a free public charter school for grades K-8 that supports students’ social and emotional – as well as academic – growth. Their mission hits close to home for HC+M executive assistant Maly White, who sits on TPS’s board. “My passion is to show the youth that they can make it,” she said. “I’m a product of the LA Unified School District, and the trajectory of there to where I am now is my ‘why.’ People invested their time, energy and knowledge in me along the way, and now it’s my turn to do the same.” 

Maly joined the Heritage family following a 20-year career in social services, where she worked with students and adults with special needs. “Most recently, I worked at the Center for Leadership Development, which had a partnership with The PATH School,” she said. “When I came to Heritage, I wanted to maintain that connection in serving youth. I was approached about being a board member, and I accepted.” Since joining the board, Maly has become immersed in the school’s mission, students and environment. 

The school supply drive is only the latest example of HC+M’s involvement with TPS. Several Heritage co-workers have joined Maly in volunteering with students and donating items, including hats, gloves and scarves last winter. “Here at The Heritage Group, we’re serving people from the heart,” Maly said. “That’s the connection I make with The PATH School: albeit in a different capacity, we’re serving people.” By harnessing the power of the Heritage family, her HC+M office gathered 2,275 school supplies for the students at TPS. 

THG’s commitment to serving local families extends far beyond the first day of school. In September, employees will fill Give Bags with donations for domestic violence shelters and victims of abuse, and in November, employees at THG’s Indianapolis headquarters will partner with the Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood Center at Cooked Creek for a nationwide Day of Service. For more information on THG’s giving and service efforts, visit https://thgrp.com/community/. 

 

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Talking Talent: Fellow to Full Time

Posted on by Amelia Yeager

Pictured: Annie outside the Biosynthetic Technologies lab

Finding Heritage

Annie (left) with Fellows on a hike during 2020 winter retreat in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

When Chicago native and chemical engineering major Annie Hynes began her senior year at University of Notre Dame in 2018, she wasn’t sure what career she’d pursue after graduation. By the time she walked across the stage at commencement, though, her next two years were set: Annie had accepted an Orr Fellowship. That meant she’d have a full-time job and a whole lot more. Orr Fellowship supports young professionals with a community of peers and opportunities for continued learning and community involvement.

As a senior at Notre Dame, Annie had already explored career options within her major. “I had interned in research at a biotech company in college, but I wasn’t convinced that engineering was the right place,” she said. Orr Fellowship gave Annie a chance to learn about all areas of a business, which appealed to her curiosity. “The Fellowship is two years to explore, to get new experiences and figure out what you want to do — and I liked that,” she said. At Finalist Day, the last step of Orr’s application process, Annie and her fellow candidates interviewed with a handful of Orr’s dozens of Partner Companies — including The Heritage Group (THG).

Annie had no idea what to expect going into her interview with THG, but she was “happily surprised that Heritage had both science and engineering opportunities as well as business opportunities,” she said. The interviewers from THG, Matt Kriech and Kierstin Janik, were happy with Annie, too. Orr Fellowship matched her with THG for three eight-month rotations.

Exploring Heritage Companies

Annie’s first rotation began in June 2019 with Biosynthetic Technologies (BT), which had been recently acquired by The Heritage Group. Her degree in chemical engineering translated well to her research work with Biosynthetic, where she circulated samples to generate interest in the company’s capabilities.

Recognizing the benefits of the company was easy. “With The Heritage Group, you’re being backed by the security of a 90+ year old company, but you still get innovative entrepreneurial experiences from a startup as well,” Annie said.

“Annie reacted quite well to the challenges of an early-stage company, which can be chaotic to say the least,” commented COO Matt Kriech, Annie’s supervisor at BT. “She worked with a diverse team to create technical data packages that greatly accelerated our time to market by reducing the amount of technical development our manufacturers had to do.”

Annie on the job in her current role at Asphalt Materials, Inc.

For her second rotation, Annie relocated to Houston, Texas, to work as a production engineer with Monument Chemical. Orr Fellows are typically based in Indianapolis, so Annie’s time in Houston was unique. “I had never worked at a plant before, so that was my introduction to manufacturing, and I loved it,” Annie said.

“Usually, when we get someone that new out of school, they focus on one area until they’re comfortable,” said Operations Manager Jake Moehring, Annie’s supervisor at Monument. “Annie made it a point to branch out and take the opportunity to get involved with as much as she could.”

In March of 2020, Annie and many of her co-workers at Monument went remote due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the new virtual environment, she developed experience in the manufacturing field by monitoring production processes using automatic data collection from the plant. “I was still using my degree, but in a way I didn’t really know was possible,” Annie said. “I liked the creativity of the work and I loved my team there, so it was a really positive experience.”

During each of Annie’s rotations, her Heritage leaders made a difference. “I was given a lot of responsibility off the bat because of how much my managers trusted me and believed in me,” she said. “I liked the ability to make an impact early on in my career.”

Annie’s experience echoes other young professionals who are met with trust and responsibility when they join the Heritage family. For example, “I make it a point to treat our college interns as close as possible to a full-time new hire engineer,” Jake said. “I want them to be engaged and exposed to all areas of the plant to get a real taste of the role so they can make a good decision for their career path.”

Annie’s third and final rotation was completely remote, so she spent her final eight months of the Fellowship working from home in Chicago. Annie worked as a financial analyst for Heritage Environmental Services’ accounting and finance department, an area new to her academically and professionally. “To get that experience in accounting and finance was really beneficial to any job I might have in the future,” she said. “It’s nice to have a well-rounded picture of how our businesses operate from end to end. That has definitely benefited me, even in my current role in engineering.”

Joining the Heritage team

Annie (right) with colleagues at AMI

After her Orr Fellowship ended, Annie became one of the 57% of Fellows who stay with their Partner Companies by accepting an offer from Asphalt Materials, Inc. to work as a manufacturing engineer. Her work is primarily remote, but she travels to locations where J-Band is produced in Illinois and Indiana. “The work I do now is more like production planning and working out the kinks,” she said. “With some of our products, there are unique obstacles that I can help troubleshoot, which can be done remotely.”

Annie was one of The Heritage Group’s first two Fellows, but she is far from the last. THG has hired two Fellows from the class of 2020 and two from the class of 2021, and three more Fellows joined the Heritage family after their graduation in May 2022.

THG’s Early Career Talent Specialist, Lexie Seward, was an Orr Fellow at another Partner Company before joining the Heritage family. “Orr Fellows’ eagerness to participate in a wide range of experiences allows us to be creative with the rotations and make sure we fit company need with a Fellow’s interests,” Lexie said. “Overall, Orr Fellows bring curiosity and adaptability to THG. Because they’re agile and hungry for experience, there’s no limit to what they can do here.”

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Building a Safer World

Posted on by Amelia Yeager

For each of our more than 30 businesses, safety is a top priority. Because we tackle the big problems, we need processes that ensure the safety of our people and our environment. These are just two of the safety stories that happen at our locations every day, one close to home and one across the ocean.

Kallo’s Safety Milestone

from left: Manu, Gretel and Monument CEO Paul Raymond celebrate the milestone on site.

On Thursday, March 17, 2022, Monument Chemical’s Kallo, Belgium, team hit 1000 days without a major safety incident or lost time injury. And with 130 employees and 70 contractors working on site at any given time, the focus on safety has a large net to cast.

“Safety is all about behavior, and repetition is how you change behavior,” Manu Gyselinck, Kallo site manager, explained. “So here at Kallo, the conversation never stops. We’re constantly reiterating the importance of reporting incidents, no matter how small. These ongoing discussions are designed to make people feel more comfortable speaking up. We want our team to understand that when you make something visible to everyone, it can become an opportunity to learn and improve.”

While it’s important that these efforts start from the top, teamwork is the only way they can actually be executed.

“When you’re talking about safety, you’re never alone,” Manu added. “We focus on tiered accountability. As a site manager, I have to push and pull these efforts forward through my own actions. But I always expect everyone on site to keep safety top of mind and motivate one another to share this mindset. Our teams know the impact these efforts have on themselves, their colleagues, and their families, so in this way, they become stakeholders in the process.”

Much of this success is due to the implementation of the “STOP Principle” that encourages putting safety first before production.

“If something is not going in the right direction, we have to stop and evaluate,” Manu shared. “Everyone has the right to raise their hand and stop the process to help keep things on track. In the end, it’s about taking care of the customer, our colleagues and the livelihood of the plant. And with a stronger plant, lower costs will follow.”

“With all the challenges on our plates each day, it’s easy to slip into a reactive mindset,” Adam Pingel, VP of operations, explained. “But that only makes it tougher to get in front of issues. Constantly reevaluating what we’re doing and how we can do it better can help us resolve issues more effectively and efficiently – and hopefully prevent them from ever happening in the first place.”

A week after the team reached the milestone, the site hosted a food truck serving a delicious lunch of hamburgers and french fries to everyone in the main office. It was a small way to show appreciation for the great effort from everyone on the team, and a reminder that safety isn’t just about hard work—when achieved together, it can also be fun.

“When we win in safety, there are great opportunities to celebrate,” Adam added. “And there are opportunities to do that every single day. Our milestone celebrations are great, but our real wins happen every day thanks to every single person on this team.”

Flying the Black Flag at AMI

Hands-on confined space training at AMI’s Eau Claire, Wisconsin, location.

Stop-work authority is a policy that permits any employee to halt a job when they recognize a potentially hazardous or dangerous situation. At AMI, stop-work authority is called the Black Flag Safety Initiative — and it’s vital to maintaining a safe and empowering workplace culture.

If at any time an employee feels uncomfortable about a situation or task, they can stop and call “black flag.” This initiates a timeout that allows others to assess the potential for risk and put together a plan to address it, even if the risk seems small.

“Black flags can be as simple as an employee recognizing they need a different tool for a job or checking with a teammate if they’re getting too hot and need a break,” said Crystal Hudak, Regional Safety Director at AMI. “Many black flags are simply employees working hard, recognizing something isn’t right, and removing or mitigating the hazard as part of their everyday work.”

Crystal on the job in St. Elmo, Illinois.

A recent example of the black flag safety initiative comes from AMI’s Utica, Illinois, location. “An employee noticed that the amount of hot material a driver requested to load would put the total amount very close to the trailer’s maximum gallons,” Crystal said. “If there was an error in loading hot material, the trailer could have overflowed or material could have leaked out of the vent while the trailer was traveling down the road.” Recognizing the risk, the employee called black flag.

Ultimately, the driver and employee agreed to load less material, avoiding the potential for a leak. “This is a fantastic example of an employee noticing a potential safety or environmental issue and taking steps to address the hazard,” Crystal said.

Throwing the black flag – notifying your immediate supervisor of a hazard or concern – is everyone’s responsibility. Each employee is empowered with the same authority to stop work, meaning even AMI’s newest hires have the ability to ensure safety if an issue arises. “All employees are empowered to call a black flag, regardless of how many years they have on the job site,” Crystal said. “All of us can notice a hazard that someone else misses.”

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Talking Talent: Intern to Employee

Posted on by Amelia Yeager

Cole Radel had never heard of The Heritage Group when he applied for an internship with THG in fall of 2020, but after a few weeks into his role as the group’s Learning Management System (LMS) intern, he knew he’d found a place to call home. Cole said he’s always felt like a valued part the Heritage team — as an intern, as an employee and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Cole at his May 2021 graduation from IU-Kokomo

During his 9-month internship, Cole served as a main point of contact for anything related to Lessonly, the group’s LMS, uploading lessons and running reports for HR partners and managers. He was also pulled into other human resources projects, making connections across the HR team. Cole reported to Kaitlin Odom, an HR Shared Services project manager who recognized his talent and gave him meaningful projects. “I never felt like an intern,” Cole said. “Kaitlin and the rest of the HR team just treated me like a valued employee from the start.”

By May 2021, Cole had finished his bachelor’s degree at IU-Kokomo. The internship experiences on his resume helped him decide that he wanted a career in HR, so when he told Kaitlin and others from the HR team that he had ideas for improving the employee experience, they were all ears. “I told them that I wanted to be in front of people, interviewing, playing ‘hostess with the mostest’ for the company,” he said, “and I felt like they were on my team, encouraging me.”

So Heritage decided to bet on Cole. Because people were impressed with the work he’d done on the corporate orientation program, they found a position on the Talent Acquisition team that matched his interests. “Lisa Minter [Talent Acquisition Partner for THG] and I are two peas in a pod,” Cole said of his manager upon joining the Corporate HR and Talent Acquisition team. “Our personalities are so alike — so we have a lot of fun working together!”

People at THG have been warm and welcoming, but that’s not been the case in Cole’s previous workplace. Because of some uncomfortable experiences, he knew what he was looking for in an employer: one who would welcome him to be his authentic self at work, where he could talk about his personal life when everyone else was talking about theirs.

Cole (first row, right) with members of the summer 2021 intern cohort

“When I joined The Heritage Group as an intern, I took a risk,” Cole said. “It was a test, really, sharing with Kaitlin that I had a boyfriend during my first week. And Heritage passed that test with flying colors.

“To be authentic in the workplace, compared to previously experiencing discomfort elsewhere, leaves me feeling free: free to be happy, free to be vulnerable, free to bring my best and entire self to work. Ultimately, being authentic at work leads to the best experience for me and those around me. I cannot thank Heritage enough for providing this inclusive culture.”

Being his best and authentic self, Cole recently earned a promotion to Talent Acquisition Specialist, with plans to earn his SHRM certification. And because he wanted the full-circle experience, Cole is now mentoring a group of THG’s summer interns.

THG’s internship program is proving to be an invaluable part of our talent pipeline, introducing talented young people to our business and giving them a chance to experience our culture first-hand.

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Supporting Foster Families

Posted on by Amelia Yeager

Family: The cherished framework of our Heritage culture and one of the big reasons I was drawn to work for this company. Healthy, loving families come in many forms, foster families being one.

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Foster Kids & Families

On any given day in the United States, nearly 424,000 children live in foster families. Foster families open their homes to provide a safe place for kids who’ve experienced physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect or other dramatic family disruption. Research shows that kids who experience highly stressful, traumatic experiences in their young lives have a higher risk for chronic health problems, mental illness and substance use problems in adolescence and adulthood. Early abuse can also negatively impact educational achievement, job opportunities and earning potential. However, a stable, supportive relationship with an adult can help children do well, even when they have faced significant hardships.

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Supporting Foster Families

May is National Foster Care Month, a cause near and dear to our Heritage family. Several employees serve as foster parents and other advocates, and we have former foster kids — including myself — among us too. To show our support for foster kids and families, our collective Heritage family is conducting a Give Bag collection May 2-20. The focus on foster support also aligns with the work of the J. E. Fehsenfeld Family Foundation (JEFFF) and is squarely in the center of Heritage’s strategic giving pillar which focuses on thriving children.

Lisa Ziemba, President, J.E. Fehsenfeld Family Foundation shared, “I’m excited to see The Heritage Group companies supporting an issue that is so important to the family foundation. For many years, JEFFF has provided regular support to a variety of foster care organizations across the country.”

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Families in the Trenches

Mike Wagley, plant operator at Asphalt Materials Inc.’s Warsaw plant, and his wife, Misty, have served as foster parents for 16 years. The children they’ve taken in through the program have ranged in age from 1 year to 17 years old. “Most kids only come into the home with a bag of clothes to their name,” Mike shared, “and most of the clothes aren’t fit to use.” Mike and Misty help their foster kids find a sense of normalcy by encouraging them to participate in school activities, sports and music. As a foster family, they enjoy going bowling, camping and visiting local racetracks.

Brandon and Rachel Roll’s family

Brandon Roll, leadman at US Aggregates’ Flat Rock quarry, and his wife, Rachel, saw a post on social media about the number of foster children in Indiana and the lack of available homes. In their hearts, they knew they had to do something. For one year, they’ve been foster parents and have welcomed 14-year-old twin girls into their family. When asked what items would be most helpful to collect for foster kids and families, Brandon suggested, “Clothes are always good (our foster children came to us with hardly any), gift cards for the foster kids so that they can purchase things that they want — this also gives them the chance to make decisions in a time when a lot of decisions are made for them — and their favorite candy and snacks.” He added, “Tickets to sports games, amusement parks, the zoo, etc., are a great gift! These fun times empower kids to be kids, something many foster children desperately need!”

Keely and Todd Hillard

Todd Hillard, senior purchasing manager for Asphalt Materials Inc., and his wife, Keely, had a desire to give back and began opening their home to kids in need last year. They currently have two foster kids, ages 2 and 4. Todd described the 2-year-old as quiet, sneaky and silly and the 4-year-old as energetic, caring and wild. Both children enjoy parks and playing. Regarding the May give bag collection for foster kids and families, Todd said, “I’m glad that our organization is supporting those in need. Foster families need support through both material needs and emotional needs.”

My Own Family

My kindergarten photo – You’ll see I got myself ready by cutting my own bangs.

I was a foster kid, too. I was part of the system my entire adolescence, in and out of different children’s homes, institutions and foster care as the cycle of poverty and addiction kept getting ahold of my young single mother. Her rights were eventually terminated when I was 13, and I aged out as a ward of the state with early emancipation at 17 years old. It wasn’t an easy time for me. I felt abandoned, like no one loved me or cared enough to protect me and help me succeed. So, personally, my heart goes out to the kids who are part of the system. It is hard to understand that this time won’t last forever when you are living through it.

The truth is countless people gave to me, from a kind word to a space in their home. Those experiences shaped me into who I am today. With my husband of 31 years, I’ve established a home where our children know the door is always open. I am an exception to the statistics. I had nothing when I was released at age 17. I worked retail to survive. It wasn’t until I was in my 30s while working full time at Riley Children’s Foundation that I put myself through Indiana Wesleyan’s evening adult program to earn a business management degree. Much of what I’ve been able to accomplish for my own family has been a result of hard work and becoming a part of this big Heritage family nearly nine years ago. I am grateful that they bet on me!

My work on the Social Impact Task Force and research into children in need of services recently led me to complete training with the Morgan County CASA program. I now serve as a court-appointed special advocate for abused and neglected children in my county.

Submitted by Patti Gault, Strategic Communications Director, Heritage Construction + Materials; Vice Chair, Social Impact Task Force, The Heritage Group

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The Heritage Family Represents at World of Asphalt and AGG1

Posted on by Amelia Yeager

Boasting 400 exhibitors and 120 educational sessions for team development, World of Asphalt and AGG1 brought members of the Heritage family together in Nashville, Tennessee, in late March. Part trade show, part industry conference, the events’ 20th anniversary broke records with more than 11,400 asphalt paving and aggregates professionals in attendance. Representatives from across the Heritage family of companies showed up both to learn and to lead. 

Increasing Diversity

Marquisha (right) with Ashly Rieman of Milestone Contractors.

One of the 100+ professional development sessions was a roundtable on Increasing Diversity hosted by Women of Asphalt and featuring Marquisha Williams, safety representative at Milestone Contractors. Marquisha, who is also on the board of Women of Asphalt, participated in the roundtable discussion focusing on diversity and inclusion among workforces in the asphalt industry. “Speaking on the panel was an amazing experience. It’s something I’ll look back on for years to come,” Marquisha said. “Being able to see yourself represented is important in this industry. Companies have to be intentional when hiring to become more diverse and inclusive organizations.” 

Heritage Construction + Materials (HC+M) has deep ties to Women of Asphalt. In 2021, The Heritage Group contributed eight of the 84 total participants in Women of Asphalt’s inaugural Mentorship Program. This year, 16 of the 118 Mentorship Program participants – both mentors and mentees – are members of the Heritage family. “I’m sure I can speak for most of The Heritage Group ladies when I say that THG’s participation reassures us that we belong, and that this company is always striving to keep a culture that fosters diversity on many different levels,” Marquisha commented. 

Among the attendees was Patti Gault, strategic communications director for HC+M. “Marquisha really made me proud in the Women of Asphalt roundtable. She had great insight and there was a good group of us cheering her on,” Patti said. 

This year, HC+M was one of the organization’s diamond sponsors. Heritage attendees of Women in Asphalt programming, including Marquisha, recognized the impact of the organization in their industries: “It is amazing that The Heritage Group has seen the need to support women, but to see that we are going all in and becoming Diamond partners with Women of Asphalt makes me speechless.” 

Growing a Great Workforce Culture

From left: Paige Guedri Gill, Melissa Brooks, Patti Gault and Bronwyn Weaver, panelists.

Across the street at AGG1, HC+M’s Strategic Communications Director Patti Gault spoke on a panel of aggregates industry professionals called Growing a Great Workforce Culture. In front of a standing room-only crowd, Patti presented on THG’s culture, “which paved the way for me to talk about some of the special employee and community initiatives at the Heritage Group,” she described.  

Among these initiatives were Lean Six Sigma training, Kids Science Camp, the ONE Heritage Fund and THG’s internship program. “Also, starting up the Social Impact Task Force garnered a lot of interest, and I was grateful to be able to share some of the terrific work we are doing to support our local communities,” Patti added.   

“It was wonderful to spend time with my Heritage family away from our normal daily work in a great city. I was impressed to see the level of representation from across Heritage at the workshops.” — Patti Gault 

The impact of AGG1 didn’t stop in Nashville; Patti returned to Indianapolis ready to share what she learned with her HC+M team. One major takeaway was the opportunity for community contribution that exists in the construction industry. “Building the roads that connect society makes construction workers a part of something bigger,” Patti noted. “They help families get to work and school — and ultimately makes their community a better place to live.” 

An Accelerator Alumnus at World of Asphalt 

BroadLoop representatives demonstrate cone flipping at their booth.

Last year, BroadLoop Founder and CEO Nick McRae spent his fall at The Center as part of The Heritage Group Accelerator powered by Techstars. BroadLoop, a software platform that streamlines construction fleet management, has carried on the energy and attitude of creativity from their time in the Accelerator. BroadLoop’s booth featured cone flipping, a game typically played during downtime with construction cones, for visitors: “contractors don’t have time to flip cones while waiting on trucks any longer,” Nick said, “because BroadLoop gives them control over their virtual fleet.” 

World of Asphalt was BroadLoop’s first trade show, “so we learned a lot,” Nick said. “We were actually placed on a waitlist when we initially applied last year, but a THG connection from the Accelerator was able to send an email on our behalf and we were assigned a booth very quickly.” 

Much like the Accelerator, the trade show floor offers a chance for innovators in related industries to connect. Along with new interest in their product, the BroadLoop team reconnected with acquaintances from THG. “We had met a few of the AMI and J-Band team already as part of the programming run by HG Ventures,” Nick commented. “It was very exciting to see the effectiveness of that program continuing long after it had formally concluded.” 

World of Asphalt and AGG1 will return to Music City in 2024 for another gathering of industry professionals. Whatever the industry – and the world – have in store, the Heritage family will be there to take part. 

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Giving Back with Give Bags: Diaper Banks

Posted on by Amelia Yeager

Pictured: Social Impact Task Force Vice Chair Patti Gault, Strategic Communications Director at Heritage Construction + Materials, purchasing diapers to donate with her granddaughters Norah and Audrey.

THG’s Alex Ray, Director of Business Development, poses with his family at The Center’s diaper collection point.

During the month of March, 25 locations across the nation harnessed the power of the Heritage family to make an impact at a local level. The first of four collections to take place in 2022, our Heritage diaper drive encouraged thousands of employees to contribute to diaper banks in their communities. Altogether, the Heritage family donated 35,532 diapers and 30,473 other supplies, like baby wipes and baby powder, for a combined total of 66,005 items.

The sum is only one side of the collection’s impact. Each participating location chose one or more local organizations to receive their donations, ensuring that the items collected made a difference in our communities across the nation. Last month’s campaign was the Heritage family’s first chance to use their Give Bags, large reusable totes provided to employees to facilitate donations.  

From Ohio…

Candy Faloon of East Liverpool’s United Way poses with HTS’s donations.

Heritage Thermal Services (HTS) in East Liverpool, Ohio, collected 1,060 diapers and 1,435 other supplies, including baby wipes and baby shampoo. Raymond Wayne, HTS’s Public Affairs Specialist and a member of The Heritage Group’s Social Impact Task Force, which organized the nationwide diaper drive, saw an opportunity to serve the surrounding community. 

“When I came to East Liverpool, our team here began engaging with the community even before operations got underway, and those activities remain ongoing,” Raymond said. 

“The Social Impact Task Force is an opportunity to share best practices with others in the company who are committed to serving the communities where Heritage employees live and work. The diaper drive was the task force’s inauguration, and we were not going to miss the opportunity to help make it a success!” 

As HTS employees gathered diapers and supplies in their Give Bags, Raymond connected with Candy Faloon, director of the local United Way, to coordinate a recipient. Candy passed the donations on to Family and Community Services, the local social services agency with the greatest need for diapering essentials. 

…to Texas

David Flowers, Facility Supervisor, poses with donations at Monument Chemical’s Houston collection point.

Over 1,300 miles away, in Houston, Texas, Monument Chemical collected 9,683 diapers and 12,729 diapering supplies for multiple local organizations. Monument Chemical’s Health, Safety, Security and Environment Coordinator Gloria O’Bannon, who also serves on the Social Impact Task Force, organized the area’s Give Bag collection. For Gloria, the campaign was a team effort: “Our site champions did a great job of engaging our employees by establishing a dedicated drop-off point for donations, sending emails, and highlighting the drive on TV monitors out in plant. I also attended safety huddles to explain the Give Bag concept and our goals for the year.” 

“Working for a company that cares about the community where our employees work and live is very important to me.” — Gloria O’Bannon, Monument Chemical

Because of the geographic scope of Monument’s operations, Gloria’s team had to get creative by coordinating the delivery of online donations. “It was fun getting Amazon deliveries and seeing our remote employees participate in the drive,” she said. Monument Chemical’s Houston location ultimately contributed one-third of the total donations from the Heritage family. “In fact, we had so many donations, we were able to support multiple organizations,” Gloria said, “including Arms of Hope and Meade County Community Action.” 

A Year of Giving

In May, the Heritage family will come together again to fill their Give Bags with donations for foster children and youth-serving organizations. By harnessing a network of over 5,000 employees nationwide, the Heritage family hopes to make a similar impact later this spring. Until then, locations continue to get involved in their local communities through educational initiatives, donations, household hazardous waste collections and volunteering.  

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Celebrating the Women of The Heritage Group

Posted on by Amelia Yeager

Thousands of women are responsible for making The Heritage Group — and our world — work. We asked women across the Heritage family of companies about their career inspirations, their work in our industries and the future of women in the field. Their answers revealed so many reasons to celebrate the women of the Heritage family, only a few of which are below. 

They power the work that connects our world.

“I started in the construction world at a young age working with my dad and have worked with other companies in the industry for five years. My mother (Deb Schriber) has been working with Milestone for 17 years now, so you could say she set an example for me. Working in the construction industry comes naturally.”

—Julie Schriber, Superintendent, Milestone Contractors

Maria Kraemer Gutierrez, pictured with her children Adrian, 7, and Amanda, 4

“I actually came to Tri-State Asphalt quite by accident. My husband was working at the plant as a manager, and they were in need of workers, and I came in to help him. I’ve been here for 19 years.”

—Lorraine Heffner, Lab Technician, Tri-State Asphalt. Before coming to The Heritage Group, Lorraine previously served in the military as a heavy equipment mechanic.

“In Venezuela, where I was born, oil was a big industry, but not a lot of women pursued that career. I wanted to do something meaningful and that I was really passionate about. The oil field was unstable, and I liked the specialty chemical manufacturing industry, so I wanted to explore career in that area. Ten years later, and now I get to make chemicals that are used for things like hand sanitizer during the pandemic, so you can see the impact more tangibly.”

—Maria Kraemer Gutierrez, Plant Manager, Monument Chemical. Maria taught Spanish and English in Thailand before becoming a Plant Manager at Monument Chemical.

They’re innovators.

Andrea Moberly

“When I was in high school, no one ever talked about women’s scientific discoveries. Now our culture is becoming more aware of the importance of telling those stories, and as those are told, more girls are thinking, ‘this is a choice I could make for me, too’. If someone needs to do the work, why not me? If there’s work to be done, why not me?”

—Andrea Moberly, Senior Analytical Research Chemist, Heritage Research Group. Andrea’s interest in science was sparked during a childhood trip to Yellowstone National Park.

“I feel lucky, because working in Portage, it’s an almost completely female lab. We do have a lot of guys out in the plant. When you go to a conference or any kind of schooling, everyone has been very supportive, very welcoming and willing to listen.”

—Penny Jacobson, Technical Coordinator, Asphalt Technologies Group. Penny has been working at Asphalt Technologies for nearly 16 years.

“When I presented a business opportunity in Turkey to Heritage leadership, they said yes. The Heritage Group believed in the business,  but more so, they believed in me. It doesn’t matter gender, ethnicity, background, culture, all that — if you create value and if you do the right thing, you have tons of opportunities.”

—Sibel Selcuk, Vice President of Global Research & Development and Strategy, Monument Chemical. Sibel started out at Heritage Research Group before establishing a startup in Turkey and then transitioning to Monument.

They’re pioneers in male-dominated fields.  

Maly White (right) and Rebecca Rivers Duncan (left)

“I hear about the lack of women in the industry, but my experience hasn’t been the same.  At my building, I’m surrounded by women in leadership roles who are skilled, intelligent—just the whole package.  They have seats at the table where decisions are made, and it is just one more reason I am glad to be working here.”

—Maly White, Executive Assistant at Heritage Construction + Materials. Maly is an army veteran and serves her community on the board of Indianapolis’s PATH School.

“I learn even more by being part of Women of Asphalt, which is a nationwide initiative. It’s great to partner with women who have worked in the asphalt industry for 20 years; they might live in Los Angeles, but I have that resource. It’s good to be involved in things like that, especially when you’re new to the industry. That’s advice that I would give to any woman coming in: Get involved, ask questions, take advantage of the resources.”

—Rebecca Rivers Duncan, Business Administrator, Asphalt Materials, Inc. Rebecca is mother to Jada, a future Doctor of Veterinary Medicine; the two have three rescue dogs between them.

“Coming from a farm community and having strong women in my family, I didn’t have preconceived notions of women can’t do this or that.  I think that has helped me the most.  I love our workers, the dirt, and the work itself.  I think the field employees realized I was there for them and cared and I haven’t had any major issues in the whole 25 years.”

—Amy Bingham, Senior Safety Representative, Milestone Construction

They support and encourage the next generation of women in the materials sciences.  

“When I graduated over a decade ago, women made up only 10% of my civil engineering class. Since then, I have seen nothing but significant growth in the number of females applying for and pursuing careers in this industry.”

—Rachel Lockhart, Plant Manager, US Aggregates. Rachel followed in the footsteps of her father, who owned a construction company and masonry business.

Kristin Sweeney

“The future is more than bright for women in the environmental industry, especially within Heritage. We have women in executive and leadership positions across the company. We have women in every type of position, from Drum Handlers to Senior Vice Presidents. If you look at any role within our company, you’ll see women working hard and excelling at what they do.”

—Raven Shyrock, Customer Experience Manager, Heritage Environmental Services. Over the past two years, Raven has leveraged her role to help clients meet COVID-related requirements for health and safety.

“When you do what you love and are passionate about it, it’ll show. Jump in! Find a mentor (a man or a woman) who will help you through the challenging times and celebrate your accomplishments with you.  I think girls should also know that the construction industry of today is not the same as it was 20 or 30 years ago. Technology has come so far that we have a variety of roles to suit everyone!”

—Kristin Sweeney, Director of Operations, US Aggregates. Kristin got hooked on the mining industry during a summer internship in 2004.

HAHDhAHSDHAHS

Cultivating Confidence

Posted on by Amelia Yeager

How an innovative female scientist launched a Turkish startup, forged a career in global research and development and created a legacy of leadership

A strong foundation

Sibel at her college graduation

When Sibel Selcuk joined Heritage Research Group (HRG) in 2006, HRG looked very different than it does today. “There were only three female scientists, including me,” said Sibel, who first came to the United States after graduate school in Turkey. “Now when you look at HRG, we have not only female scientists but female engineers. We’ve become more diverse in every angle you can imagine. And that’s really important.”   

Back in the mid-2000s, Sibel was new to Indianapolis and searching for a job. With a Ph.D. in chemistry and the help of the American Chemical Society, Sibel connected with Erin Clark, a senior analytical research chemist at HRG.   

Erin introduced Sibel to The Heritage Group. Soon after, Sibel joined HRG as a research chemist, working on everything from asphalt emulsions to shampoo. The diversity of the job brought surprise and satisfaction.  

“What I ended up doing for the Heritage Research Group — I didn’t even know a job like that existed,” Sibel said. “One day I’d be working on an asphalt-related project, and then it would be an environmental customer’s project, and the next day I’d be doing analytical work.”

 “You work with something new every day, and you make new things out of the things that people can’t use. It’s always problem-solving, and that’s the part that I love.”  

Launching innovation

Sibel networking with young professionals

In addition to her dedication to the work happening in the lab, Sibel formed a bond with her HRG co-workers. “When I joined HRG, I had just gotten married, and I had absolutely no family in town,” Sibel said. “Everyone in that group became my family — and they treated me like family. It doesn’t matter where I am. I know they’re there for me and I’ll be there for them.”  

After finding a home in the lab, Sibel began to consider how total waste management could apply to new settings. Observing a coworker’s business venture abroad, she sought out new opportunities for the business to grow internationally. “I came up with a couple of ideas and I presented them, and for some of them they said no,” Sibel noted. She remained determined to keep her eyes open for opportunity. “Then I presented the opportunity in Turkey, and they said yes.”  

“When they said, ‘we’re going to do this,’ what they meant was: ‘We’re going to do this because we believe in you.’ That meant a lot to me.”

International insight

Sibel’s daughter Ada, an aspiring scientist

Starting a business in her native Turkey was a turning point for Sibel’s career. “The Heritage Group believed in the business,” she recalled, “but more so, they believed in me.” Betting on Sibel paid off: İnteraktif Çevre, Heritage’s Turkish waste management venture, was established in 2015.   

Sibel had experience in market intelligence and technology evaluation, and the Turkish startup was her first foray into business management. But she was ready. Her background in science had prepared her for much more than working in the lab.  

“In chemistry, graduate study is more like problem solving, so it teaches you how to approach a problem or an opportunity and figure it out. That’s similar to building a business and doing a startup,” Sibel said.  After seeing her success at İnteraktif Çevre, Heritage leadership recognized Sibel’s talent. “I was so lucky. Amy (Schumacher, CEO of The Heritage Group) was my mentor throughout my career. She always supported me, so when she asked if I would consider a position at Monument, it turned into my best experience at Heritage.”  

“I did lab work, I did development, I did a startup, but until joining Monument I was never part of an operating company. Seeing how Monument works has dramatically changed my perspective on research and how we do things.” 

A lasting bond

Sibel during her first year of PhD studies

In her current role as vice president of Global Research & Development and Strategy for Monument Chemical, Sibel unites her passion for chemistry with business savvy to solve problems for customers across the globe. She credits her experience at Monument with a new perspective on the chemical research process.   

“When we develop something in the lab, we’re fairly good about thinking big picture. But when we live it day in day out, it’s really different,” Sibel said.  

“It takes big-picture thinking in a real-world context to take opportunities to the next level. We need more scientists and engineers who lead with practical applications in mind. It’s really important for them to develop themselves, but it also helps the businesses overall.”  

“Within Heritage it doesn’t matter gender, ethnicity, background, culture, all that—if you create value and if you do the right thing, you have tons of opportunities.”  

Facing the future with confidence

Reflecting on her career as a woman in a male-dominated field, Sibel noted that gender shouldn’t hold anyone back from their aspirations.   

The key is to build self-confidence, something Sibel prioritizes when mentoring young scientists. She encourages her mentees to build their confidence in the lab before venturing out: “Giving yourself time there will strengthen your leadership skills and your contribution to the business in the long run.”  

Linda Osborn (left) and Sibel at The Center

Scientific skills have value in the business realm. That’s just one reason, Sibel said, that all scientists should feel confident that they can contribute beyond science and technology.  

In addition to mentoring, Sibel prioritizes giving back to the American Chemical Society, which helped her secure her first job at HRG. In 2013, she and Linda Osborn, Director of Analytical Research at HRG, worked with ACS to plan an event for children to celebrate science. The event was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), which has benefitted from HRG’s research on and development of asphalt and aggregates.   

Sibel hopes that her passion for mentoring and inspiring young people will encourage more kids — especially more young girls — to explore science. Her advice for them? “Whatever you want to do as a woman, you just have to believe in yourself and go after it. Being female or male is not a differentiating factor.” 

HAHDhAHSDHAHS

Meet the Recipients of the Brothers Scholarship

Posted on by Amelia Yeager

pictured: Brothers Scholarship recipient Ashlyn Halstead (right) and her dad, Robert Rood.

The Heritage Group is proud to announce that 114 dependents of Heritage family employees have been awarded a Brothers Scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year. The program awards renewable scholarships of $2,000 to recipients to assist with the cost of higher education. By investing in students’ futures as they pursue a college degree, we’re sharing the passion for education held by the Fehsenfeld family—including the brothers for whom the scholarship is named.

Among the future leaders awarded this year’s scholarships are 40 first-year recipients, many of whom began their undergraduate studies last fall. These students represent 27 colleges and universities across the United States, reflecting the breadth and diversity of the Heritage family. The remaining 74 recipients are in their second, third, fourth or fifth year of receiving the scholarship.

“The Brothers Scholarship is an outstanding opportunity for our organization to give back to the families of our employees and to help invest in the educational attainment of our future leaders,” said Early Career Talent Specialist Lexie Seward. “Brothers Scholars are uniquely situated not only to benefit from our scholarship program, but also from the unique opportunity to participate in our summer internship program, which many have done so far.”

Meet the Scholars

Ashlyn and her dad Robert

Ashlyn Halstead, a third-year recipient, is a Marketing major with a sales management concentration at Indiana State University. She spent last summer as an intern with Milestone Contractors, where her dad Robert Rood is an Asphalt Manager.

“The Brothers Scholarship has been a blessing to me and my family for the past three years. As a student who lives outside of my parents’ home, I have a lot of financial obligations. Receiving the scholarship has given me financial security when it comes to school and has helped ensure that I have enough financial aid to cover tuition and book fees for the year. I want to thank the Heritage Group for the support they have given me and the help they have provided in reaching my academic success.” – Ashlyn

“The Brothers Scholarship has been a tremendous gift to my family! To see them support my daughter’s educational dreams brings me pure joy. I would like to thank The Heritage Group for all that they do!” – Robert

Conner and his dad Jason

Former THG intern Conner Woods is a second-year recipient majoring in biochemistry at North Park University with plans to pursue a PhD after graduation. His dad, Jason Woods, is a Bulk Dispatcher at Heritage Environmental Services.

“The scholarship allows me to venture outside of Indianapolis and my family and I to breathe comfortably financially. Our main worry heading into my collegiate career was cost, and The Heritage Group has helped greatly in that sense.” – Conner

“Our family is grateful that Conner received the Brothers Scholarship. His goal of attending school in Chicago was able to come to fruition, in part, due to the scholarship. His goal is to graduate debt free and pursue a PhD, the scholarship has eased the financial burden for him. I am extremely thankful to work for a family-owned company that has the vision to invest in young individuals and talent.” – Jason

Lauren and her dad Brian

Lauren Sliger is a second-year recipient majoring in psychology and minoring in chemistry at Butler University. She plans to go to dental school after graduation and finds inspiration in her dad, Milestone Superintendent Brian Sliger’s, work ethic.

“When I first realized I received the Brothers Scholarship, I felt very honored. It definitely motivated and drove me to focus on my academics without having the financial burden and stress. College is so expensive, so having this scholarship meant a lot to my family, especially to my dad through his work. It motivates to help out my community as well.

“Watching my dad in his career, I was very inspired to work hard through whatever I was doing. He’s always been passionate about getting the job done, teaching people, being a leader—and I knew that whatever I was doing, I wanted to bring the same attitude and leadership. I’ve been inspired through the scholarship to focus on school and bring the same passion to my community that I learned from my dad.”

Hunter and his family

Hunter Assenmacher is a second-year recipient enrolled in a five-year masters program in architectural engineering at Lawrence Technological University. His dad, Scott Assenmacher, works in sales at Asphalt Materials, Inc. Hunter’s sister Hanna Assenmacher is also a Brothers Scholarship recipient.

“The Heritage Group made me feel like I’m part of the family, and part of something bigger than just myself. My family and I have always put family first, and it’s really nice to see how a large company like this has the same values, just on a much larger scale. So as a student, it’s really furthered my desire to learn and work towards a career where I can find myself in a supportive community like this and eventually give back in a similar way.” – Hunter

“It starts with family, and I’m really proud to be part of the Heritage family. I’m happy to be the catalyst that gets to tie it all together so that my kids can benefit from this scholarship.” – Scott

To learn more about the Brothers Scholarship and how you can apply for next year’s funds, visit https://thgrp.com/brothers-scholarship/.