Writing this book was a 26-month endeavor that would not have been possible without the contributions of many. To my friends, family, and co-workers who kept abreast of my progress, you provided the inspiration needed to push through as the reality of what it takes to complete such a project while continuing to work a full-time job and trying to juggle my personal life came down upon my shoulders. I’d like to thank my editor, Sally Parker, who not only provided editing, but researched topics that were short on details, connected me with other professionals we needed to get the job done, and most importantly, played the role of counselor when I struggled to keep it all in check. On weekly Teams meetings, we’ve become virtual friends through this process, and I hope to celebrate the publishing with her in person. Greg Barwald of Geyser Design provided beautiful visual layout with record speed, patience, and a quiet sense of humor. Proofreader Sheila Livadas worked with remarkable swiftness and perfection to ensure we met our printing deadline. I hope you two are available when the next edition gets underway! Holly Watson, Livingston County Historian, provided much of the content on the Seneca Nation. Deb Murphy gave me an inside peek at the entire process, provided helpful recommendations and examples, and convinced me that a good book cannot be written in under two years. “The Book Club,” composed of Dorothy Cauwels, Ron Lathan, and Bernie Morse, sat with me through over 50 interviews (which often got of track due to reminiscing about the past). These three provided context, fact-checking, and constructive criticism during the writing process. Dorothy went through every “Straight Scoop” article from 2003 to 2015 to fnd editorials that highlighted the topics covered. I spent many drives home from work chatting with Dorothy about the progress of the book, my job, and our families. She continues to be my friend, mentor, and inspiration to serve the companies by following in her footsteps. Bernie played the role of factfnder—He dug through our corporate and accounting fles to create a timeline, and I could always count on him to provide the dates and details of many of the events in the book. And it turns out that he’s not usually grumpy now that he’s retired. Eric Stappenbeck inspected all jobsite photos, and Jef Clark reviewed every written page to ensure I didn’t inadvertently get us into some sort of legal trouble with my wording. Photographer Beckie Crestuk of Websurge captured many great images to help tell our story. To Scott Ingalls, thank you for giving me the time and space to restructure the priorities of my “real job” to focus on telling our story. It is an honor to be entrusted with this project. I’m especially grateful for your belief in the importance of preserving our company’s legacy— not only to serve as a record of where we’ve been, but as a roadmap to where we’re heading. I hope this book refects the pride you have in our history and serves as a meaningful tribute to the people, projects, and principles that built our company. May it inspire the next generation to carry the torch with the same integrity and determination that have defned us from the beginning. And to all those who sat through interviews—sometimes multiple interviews—and dug through photos and project fles, you are the backbone of this book and the reason the story is told. Acknowledgments 168 The Next Hundred Years
