Richard C. “Dick” Mack Dick learned the meaning of hard work at a young age while tending the family farm. Born in Rush, N.Y., in 1950, he was young when his father died, and he was forced to grow up fast. Hunting was deep in his blood. In the woods he found solace, inspiration, and space to work through life’s challenges. Dick found comfort close to the land throughout his life, purchasing a small farm of his own where he kept his beloved horses and built a home. This one man built the foundation we stand upon today. Dick had a dream of one day starting his own business and becoming the largest merit-based contractor in the Rochester area. He started his construction career as an operating engineer at age 20, gaining an intimate knowledge of what it takes to make a project successful. After several years, Dick advanced to the ofce as an estimator and learned the administrative side of the construction industry. Shortly after forming Mack Construction Co. in 1992, Dick bought the assets of KBH, a small street sweeping and ofce trailer rental company that had been in business for 22 years. KBH was a known brand in the industry, so he changed the name to KBH Construction Co. Inc. a few months later. Although most construction leaders drove trucks and dressed like the feld employees, Dick didn’t believe he had that luxury. He had gotten his start in the feld, but he was no longer “one of the guys.” He wore a tie and sport coat, and he drove a car—clear signs that he was now management. But that didn’t mean he left the work to others. Dick exuded endless energy— He was on the clock from predawn until late evening and regularly showed up on overnight jobsites. With a business just starting out, every penny counted. This sometimes meant being the bad guy: One of his mentors, Dick Ash, coached him through the difcult tasks of layofs just before the holidays. Another mentor, Jack Streeter, instilled in him the precision for which he was known. Dick carried a small notebook and pen in his shirt pocket, and he often pulled them out to jot reminders in tiny penmanship and cross things of his to-do list. In those days, before email, he left little sticky notes on ofce desks and on the trucks of feld staf to relay his messages. His standards were high— for himself and for the team—and success meant everything had to be done the right way. When he needed to blow of a little steam, Dick could be found many evenings in Jack’s milkhouse along with Chuck Wolcott, cold drinks in hand. Dick was known to always return missed calls within 15 minutes. On November 19, 1997, Dorothy “Mom” Cauwels grew concerned when he didn’t answer or return her calls. She checked in with Chuck, who said he, too, had been unable to reach Dick. Later that day we received the news: Dick had passed away suddenly while hunting. While shock reverberated through the company, there was some comfort knowing he had left this world doing what he truly loved. What Dick started as a little, cash-strapped local company of a dozen or so employees and a small book of work has grown to a 14-division, hundred- million-dollar corporation that reaches across several states. Today’s stewards of the company are honored to walk in his footsteps and shape the next generation of leaders. To Dick—we are forever grateful. 10 The Next Hundred Years
