DAVID (D.J.) JACOB HUGHES JR PASSES AWAY AT AGE 80

David (D.J., Dave) Jacob Hughes Jr. passed away March 26, 2022, in Thomasville, Ga., at the age of 80.

Mr. Hughes was the fifth child of eight children born to David Jacob Hughes and Viola Johnson Hughes. Along with his siblings, he grew up in Avery County in the small community of Frank, N.C.

After being a single parent and attentive father for several years to his daughters, Monique and Angie, he married his high school girlfriend and love, Norma Ann Buchanan Hughes (aka “Pete”), to whom he was married 31 years, and became father to Lisa, Fritz and Daisy.

Mr. Hughes was a 1959 graduate of Cranberry High School where he excelled in academics and sports. Under the mentorship of his basketball coach David Odom, he earned many awards during his high school career and was awarded a basketball scholarship to Mars Hill College (now University). He started every basketball game for four years. During his junior and senior years, he was chosen as captain and was the team’s leading scorer.

Mr. Hughes served as the very first senior class president in Mars Hill’s history when it transitioned from a junior college to a senior institution. A Dean’s List student, he earned a B.S. degree in Physical Education in 1964, was selected for Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities and was inducted into the Mars Hill University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.

During his college years, a summer job cleaning service bays for EF Craven Company (at the time the state’s oldest heavy equipment construction dealership) led to a change in his planned career path of coaching and teaching. Immediately after graduation, he was hired by EF Craven Company and began a highly successful career in sales and management. From 1964 to 1988, he worked for EF Craven in Asheville, Greensboro and Knoxville. In 1988, he became the Asheville branch manager of LB Smith Company and when LB Smith was acquired by ASC Volvo, he continued to work for them until his eventual retirement in 2013. During his professional career, he cherished the numerous friends he made. Mr. Hughes’s reputation as a businessman and supervisor was best described by his co-workers and clients. “D.J. was one of a kind, a class act, a giant among industry associates, a wonderful friend, great mentor and a fine man who created excellent customer service, a family working environment and was respected and loved by both colleagues and customers.”

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a brother, Jack Hughes (Lois) and a sister, Sandra Kay Phillips

(Clinton). He is survived by his wife, Norma Ann; children, Monique Worley (Brian), Angie Hughes, Lisa Hamm (Jeff), Fritz Roberts (Conley) and Daisy Anthony; siblings, Louise David (D.J., Dave) Jacob Hughes Buchanan (Vance, dec.), Mary Helen Henley (Pete), Betty Jr., passed away March 26, Robbins (Doran), John Wayne Hughes (Jackie) and Lynda 2022, in Thomasville, Ga., at the Hodges (Pat); 18 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren age of 80. and a multitude of nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association on the “DJ Hughes Tribute” page on Facebook, or a check may be made out to the Lions Athletic Club, Office for Institutional Advancement, Mars Hill University, P.O. Box 6792, Mars Hill, NC 28754 or online https://www.mhu.edu/athletics/lions-athletic-clubjoin/. 

Immediately after graduation from college, Mr. Hughes was hired by EF Craven Company and began a highly successful career in sales and management.

Great Recession Forces Miller’s Construction to Work Smarter

MILLER from page 20

PC138USLC, PC210LC, PC290LC and PC360LC excavators; four HM300 articulated trucks; and a WA270 wheel loader. Mike notes that the iMC equipment helps the company save time and money throughout the lifespan of a job.

“If you’re not running an intelligent machine then you’re paying a surveyor to go out and do all of the work the machine does for you,” said Mike. “One of the most effective areas we’re able to utilize the iMC machines is creating water retention ponds. Almost every job requires one, and they’re always uniquely designed with strict tolerances. We can use the 360 to contour a slope and cut a pond to grade without over- or under-diggings. We use the 61s for mass earthmoving and getting within a couple tenths of grade. We use the 51 to dress up behind the 61s and take a job to final grade. The 51 is just as good as a motorgrader, and I say that as a longtime motorgrader operator. Together, the iMC machines can bring a pond to grade on the first try.

“We’re wrapping up on 30 months at a school job site, and the ponds that we built at the beginning of the project are still exactly where they need to be,” said Mike. “We’re so confident and comfortable with the process that we were able to hydroseed and net the pond ahead of schedule.”

The Komatsu iMC equipment is also helping Miller’s Construction combat its newest challenge: a labor shortage.

“A lot of our older operators have either retired or are nearing retirement, and there aren’t many young kids with experience to replace them,” said Matt. “With the iMC machines, I can take someone without any operating experience, put them on a dozer, and they can grade as well as the retiring operator within a couple weeks.”

Finding Solutions, Not Excuses

Linder Industrial Machinery Company and sales representative Tyler Halbert work closely with Mike and Matt to help Miller’s Construction find the right machines for its jobs. Mike notes that during the COVID-19 pandemic, dealer support has been key to the company’s success.

“COVID has created lots of supply chain problems where it’s challenging to find parts,” said Mike. “Linder and Tyler didn’t make any excuses — they found solutions to keep us running.

“Product support is important to any organization, and Linder’s support of our company beats anybody else out there,” said Matt. “We know that we can call our sales rep and he will answer the phone or get back to us quickly. I’ve called him at 8 at night, and he always responds.”

Miller’s Construction relies on Linder’s technicians to service its Komatsu Tier IV equipment through Komatsu Care, a factoryscheduled maintenance program for three years or 2,000 hours.

“The technicians notify us when a machine is due for maintenance and plan