Master Builders of Iowa

By Dave Lott (Point Builders)

I have been in the construction business for 25 years and have always been intrigued by people in this profession that have committed and excelled in this line of work. It seems to be rare these days to find people that are willing to pick an occupation and stay with it their entire career. That is why I selected Bob, who is now a retired sheet metal worker, and spent 42 years working and trying to understand all aspects of the business to interview.

After interviewing Bob it was quit evident that he is defiantly one our heroes in the construction industry. He has a true appreciation for his acquired skills and a respect for his fellow tradesmen and their knowledge and craftsmanship. Something that Bob liked about being in this profession was that no matter how long you are in the business you never get to the point you stop learning. There are continually changes being made to the current technology and equipment lines that are available. These changes make the challenges in the trade endless. Like so many people in the construction fields he likes to give credit were credit is due, and his list of credits are extensive, from his teachers at apprenticeship school to the craftsmen working at his side. Everyone has his respect in one form or another.

During our formal interview, Bob told me that he came from a blue-collar household in the Iowa, where both his father and mother worked in factory positions. Even though he grew up in this type of environment, it never crossed his mind to work in a factory setting. He felt the construction trades offered him more flexibility than factory work ever could. I asked Bob what he meant by flexibility, and he told me the construction trades will provide you with a ‘skill’, something that you can take with you and it will provide you work opportunities anywhere you want to go. With this in mind he signed up for a co-op program his senior year in high school and was able to work half days with a sheet metal shop and go to school half days. Even though he did not know it at the time, this was to be his first taste of what would eventually become a long career as a sheet metal worker.

After he graduated from high school Bob and some of his friend joined the Navy and served our country for 4 years. This experience gave him the chance to see the world and experience many new cultures outside of Iowa. Once finishing his commitment with the military, he decided to come home to Iowa and enter an apprenticeship program for sheet metal workers. He felt that a 4-year college program was not something that he was interested in, and the sheet metal apprenticeship program could offer him a training program where he could keep earning money while learning. This was important to him at the time, because he had a wife and son to support.

Forty-two years in the sheet metal trade brought many challenges for Bob, the biggest being slow economic times. Fortunately, for Bob the sheet metal trade provided him a “Skill” and that skill never left him without work. As long as he was willing to travel there was work available. Bob also worked for a company that decided one day to close its doors. If Bob had made the career decision to go to work in a factory it could have meant the unemployment line, but instead he went to work for a cross-town sheet metal shop.

During his career as a sheet metal worker Bob was able to work on numerous noteworthy projects. Unfortunately, there was not enough time during our interview for him to elaborate on them all, but he did tell me about a couple that stood out in his mind. The first project we talked about was a 10’x 6’ stainless steel cross that he built for Wartburg College. It was welded together and buffed out, then hung between two steeples on their campus. I have seen the cross, and it is quite impressive. I’m sure it will be there for many years to come. Another project he was associated with was the HVAC system for a country club. This building had 8 zones for the heating and cooling system. When completed you could not see the ceiling, because of all the ductwork attached to it. Bob said “it looked like a spider web of ductwork”.  This project stood out in his mind because of how challenging yet personally rewarding it was to see all the prefabricated sections of duct that he had built go together and fit like they were supposed to.

Through the course of his career, Bob went though many stages as a sheet metal worker. He started out working as an apprentice, became a journeyman, and even taught apprenticeship classes. I asked him if he had ever considered moving into the office, and possibly taking on the role of estimator. He said: “he really wasn’t interested in that type of work”. I could tell by the way he answer that question that he defiantly preferred the “hands on” part of the trade, over working in an office, and I’m sure his coworkers in the field are glad that he made that choice.

When the interview was finished, I felt thankful that Bob was willing to share his story with me. He embodies what the construction industry is all about: hard work, respect, appreciation, technical skills, friendships, and a vast knowledge of a trade that has been around for a long time. Even though Bob is now retired, as long as we continue to fill his shoes with people that are motivated to succeed, our industry will continue to be strong and our stories enlightening.