The Next Hundred Years 3 Who We Are The people are the company As an archer pulls his arrow back to send it toward the target, so must we take a look at where we come from to launch ourselves into the future. Our past experiences, hardships, and successes greatly defne who we are today and where we are headed. This book tells the story of the people who literally and fguratively laid the foundation of P&CG, Inc. and built it into the industry leader it is today. Over 50 of them contributed their stories. Through their voices, you can hear the passion and commitment they have to something larger than themselves. In building P&CG, we have also built the region’s infrastructure. When former and current employees take a drive around town with family and friends, they often point out with a bit of pride, “I built that!” “That” might be the podium from which the mayor of Rochester delivers speeches; a gas distribution or transmission line, which services anything from a small community to the Bufalo Bills’ stadium; an electric substation or hydroelectric generating facility; an underground duct bank system; an overhead powerline, streetlight, or signal system; a bridge or culvert; even an entire streetscape— foundations for commercial and residential structures, roads, and landscapes using materials that came from our aggregate facility over the last 100 years. These things were built to last and will be standing long after the builders have passed. You will see that our growth has taken us in many directions over the years. It wasn’t a linear projection but a many-armed expansion. This might best be illustrated by the aggregate plant at Valley Sand & Gravel (see photo on opposite page) with its many spider arms of crushing and screening, and conveyor systems that reach in diferent directions. This is by design. Our founders and current leaders have given all employees the latitude and authority to explore opportunities as they arise. They have fostered the free fow of ideas central to our growth in multiple business lines. A culture of ‘yes’ P&CG has an entrepreneurial growth style that has enabled its rapid climb over the last 10 years. Management places a lot of faith in the individuals who do the bidding and those who perform the work. They know how to encourage people to step outside their comfort zones to take on new projects, and they provide guidance along the way. Successful growth means having a solid understanding of the people, the clients, industry partners, resources needed, work to be done, risks involved, and potential for gain, while leaving a cushion for failures. Current president Scott Ingalls likes to say, “If we’re not growing, we’re dying.” Of course, not every endeavor ends in the black, but P&CG empowers its leaders to pursue opportunities to solve business problems as they present themselves—with assurance that there will be no backlash if they fail. If we don’t make room for failure, we won’t have room for success. A unique trait of P&CG managers is that they work for the employees, not the other way around. Their job is to remove obstacles and to ensure that the employees have the tools they need to get the job done—quality work, done safely and on time, at a fair price. They recognize that the people are our most valuable asset. Former president Jack Streeter believed that in order to have a great company, you need to have happy employees. You must take care of the people, because the people are the company. This sentiment echoes throughout the organization at every level.
