The opportunities that Brasfield & Gorrie
gives us are unreal. Our field training program covers so many classes and provides a huge resource for us in the field.”
STANTON
General Superintendent
Stanton was studying construction management at Mississippi State University when he began his construction career working for a contractor. Stanton joined Brasfield & Gorrie after he graduated 15 years ago, and now he has extensive experience in large-scale healthcare projects.
How did you get into construction?
I’ve been fascinated by construction for as long as I can remember. My dad was always working on projects around the house, and I would bug him to let me help him. I remember being young and “helping” him build a shed behind the house. I think I played in the dirt and got in his way while he worked around me.
I started sweeping floors in high school for one of my neighbors, who had a small contracting business in my hometown. I got extremely lucky when I was at Mississippi State University. The same neighbor started working on jobs on campus, and I was able to talk him into a job while I was in school. I learned an incredible amount from different trades and watched them build different types of buildings from start to finish.
How has your career grown since starting at Brasfield & Gorrie? Have you had training opportunities?
My first day at work with Brasfield & Gorrie I was asked by the superintendent what I wanted to do with my career. When I told him my goal had always been to be a superintendent, he said OK, now I know how to train you. I’ve never forgotten that, and I try my best everyday to live up to the standard that he set for me. Every jobsite I’ve worked at, I have learned how to better myself as a superintendent and as a person from the people around me.
The opportunities that Brasfield & Gorrie gives us are unreal. Our field training program covers so many classes and provides a huge resource for us in the field. With the new assistant field manager class, we are giving younger employees a better foundation to start their career. These programs are only getting better as they are constantly being tweaked and improved. I can remember sitting in superintendent training classes 10 years ago, when I was in the youngest in the room. Now I see the next generation moving in and I feel extremely confident in the future of our company.
What do you like most about your job? What are you passionate about in construction?
First off, the people. When you travel, your team becomes your family. Now living and working in Dallas, the family just keeps getting bigger. I’ve maintained relationships with people for more than a decade, and I know if I need help all I have to do is call them.
My other favorite thing about my job is setting the plan at the beginning of the job and seeing that plan come to life through the course of the job. I love working through the challenges we know are there and then solving issues when they come up during the job. Every day is different, and there’s no such thing as a simple or easy job.
I’ve always been passionate about the building process and completing the job. Over the past couple of years, I’ve become more passionate about training and teaching the next generation of people coming through. I’ve been very fortunate in my career to have people take time and teach me, and the best way for me to repay that is to pass that down to those coming behind me.
What is a valuable lesson that you’ve learned during your career? Any advice you’d like to share?
There’s so many to choose from, but a few stand out:
- The Golden Rule
- You get out what you put in
- You are only as good as your team
What can you do without being able to rely on the people around you? You have to cultivate relationships with people and be able to trust and be trusted in order to accomplish anything. If you don’t put in effort into a task, why are you surprised when it doesn’t succeed? Nothing is given in this job, everything must be earned.
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