for your help in producing this edition of High Spirit.
David Aungst
Rose Crandall
Brad Dillman
Darryl Gordon
Gary Hambright
Laura Krehling
Sarah Maser
Lisa Masters
Kristen Munro
Dave Nicholas
Melissa Reid
Nathan Rhoads
Elaine Richard
Laurèl Rolle
Fritz Shaak
Mike Shirk
Robin Stauffer
Scott Werkheiser
The High Family has made a unique and lasting gift to the communities in which High coworkers live and work. See pages 1-3 for details.
l A Message From The High Family
F Envisioning a Higher Purpose: High Family Transfers
Ownership of High Industries to High Foundation
l Industry Leadership
F The Pinnacle of Good Measure:
Avacyn Quinn Wins the GMA Grand Prize!
F Thaddeus Stevens College Grows in Greenfield
F It’s a “Freight Day” for HSSC’s Rail Line!
F Annual Summit Celebrates Safety Excellence
F HT Welcomes Thaddeus Stevens’ Diesel Technology Program Students
F HSS Delivers 16,000 Tons of Structural Steel for the Southern Beltway Project
F HCG Comes to Fire Department’s Rescue
F High Awards
F High Honors
l Environmental Stewardship
F Adopt-A-Highway Clean-Up: Making a Positive Impact on Greenfield
l Community Commitment
F United Way Campaign Supported by Generous High Coworkers and Retirees
F High Supports STEM Programs for Young Students
F High Contributes to Lancaster Science Factory
Computer Science Program
High Spirit is published as a service to High® coworkers and retirees, and their families.
Submissions, comments, and suggestions are welcome and should be submitted to:
Laurie M. Newmoyer, Editor lnewmoyer@high.net l 717/293-4479
On March 2, 2022, S. Dale High and the High Family announced the transfer of family ownership of High Industries Inc. to High Foundation. This new structure will result in millions of dollars being invested into the communities where High companies operate.
This new structure gives coworkers a direct line to creating more thriving, vibrant communities where they live and work. Profits will be invested into High Foundation for the good of the community, toward initiatives that address community transformation, affordable housing, cultural and economic vibrancy, and collaboration and social innovation.
“This is the creation of a new kind of company,” said Dale High, “where High Foundation has become the major shareholder and the community is the recipient of the profits of High Industries moving forward. This allows our coworkers the satisfaction of knowing that the profits they help generate will go back into the community. So, every day when they are building value, they are building it for the community.” To celebrate this milestone, each coworker was invited to direct $100 from High Foundation to a partner organization of their choosing. So right away, High Foundation is providing over $150,000 in new investment into communities in which we operate.
High Industries will continue to thrive and grow under the leadership of its existing Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer Mike Shirk, the High Executive Committee and High Industries leadership teams. High Industries will continue to maintain a healthy financial position and have the capacity to invest in its strategic plans, while The High Philosophy of building trustworthy relationships and being innovative leaders will continue to define corporate culture and values.
“In the past, dividends distributed from High Industries went to the High Family. Now they will go directly to High Foundation for investment in the communities where our companies operate. This immediately grows the resources available to High Foundation. It’s the ultimate commitment to social responsibility and doing business for good in an impactful and lasting way. It’s a truly bold and unique move made possible through Dale High’s vision and dedication to making it happen,” noted Mike Shirk.
Since joining the family business in 1963, Dale High has led High Industries to success through the thoughtful, intentional approach of putting people, community, and business for good above all else. As he began to plan for the next chapter of High Industries, Dale envisioned a change in the structure of the company—an inspired model that continues the company’s legacy and work in the community. He asked the question, “What if we could create a company that directly benefits the community?” This shift continues the legacy of Dale High’s transformative and innovative leadership, which has guided High Industries in using business as a force for good in the community for decades, and High Foundation as a committed community partner for the past 40 years.
“I am proud of Dale and our family for making this move,” said Suzanne High. “The High Family wholly supports this change as a continuation of its legacy and philosophy. While ownership of High Industries is changing to High Foundation, the High Family will remain in the companies in a number of ways. For me, as Vice Chair of High Foundation, I have seen first-hand the life-changing impact of our investments, and I am excited to see that continue to grow.”
Since 1980, High Foundation has been a thought leader and community partner, contributing over $25 million to projects and initiatives that help eliminate the cycle of poverty and enable the dignity, diversity, equality, and inclusion of all people. High Foundation’s 40-year legacy of impact spans improvements in education, health and human services, arts and culture, historic preservation, environmental stewardship, and social enterprise in Lancaster City and beyond.
Robin Stauffer will continue to lead High Foundation as Executive Director and work with key community partners. High Foundation has put a strong governance structure in place to support future growth and collaboration. Additional Trustees have recently been added to the Board, and Committees have been created. High Foundation will be scaled
appropriately to handle the growth that will occur as a result of the new structure, and the High Family has ensured that sufficient reserves are in place to maintain financial durability for years to come.
“This is a remarkable gift from Dale High to High coworkers and our communities,” said Robin. “This new structure multiplies the already generous impact High Foundation has had and emboldens the Foundation for even greater impact.”
This closer bond between our companies and High Foundation will transcend Dale’s life and the Family’s philanthropic giving -- truly a “higher purpose.” It is the ultimate commitment to doing “business for good” in a lasting way. We thank Dale for his dedication to a vision that will positively impact our communities for generations to come.
All Good Measure winners for the 2020-2021 nomination period were celebrated on October 13, 2021, at The Exchange in the Lancaster Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. Winners, along with their managers and nominators, were invited to enjoy great food and fun games, and to witness the main event: the awarding of the Good Measure Award Grand Prize. This year, the coveted $3,000.00 award was presented to Avacyn Quinn of High Hotels.
When it comes to giving Good Measure, it’s tough to find a more deserving reason than helping to save a coworker’s life, and that’s just what Avacyn Quinn did! After completing a full shift at the Homewood Suites in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, she received a call in the middle of the night from a coworker who was feeling under the weather. Knowing the coworker and his communication style, Avacyn knew something was seriously wrong. Avacyn came back to work and made arrangements for the coworker to go straight to the hospital. According to doctors, this was a bad medical situation that could have turned critical had Avacyn not taken this action.
Congratulations, Avacyn, and thank you for giving Good Measure when it was needed the most!
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is a leader in providing highly qualified workers for Pennsylvania businesses. Founded in Lancaster in 1905 with 15 students, Thaddeus Stevens College has grown to nearly 1,200 students and 24 high-skill, high-wage technical programs. Its mission is to educate Pennsylvania’s economically and socially disadvantaged as well as other qualified students for skilled employment in a diverse, ever-changing workforce and for full effective participation as citizens. The growing school has established and expanded several of its competitive programs in Greenfield. “Our Greenfield campus offers state-of-the-art facilities, proximity, and amenities our students appreciate,” said Laurie Grove, the College’s Director of Career Services. “This customized learning environment makes our College even more attractive to students as they train for today’s technically advanced jobs that are in great demand.”
In August, Thaddeus Stevens College opened its new Transportation Center located at 400 Ben Franklin Boulevard. In total, about 86 students are enrolled
in the automotive technology, collision repair technology, and the new diesel technology programs in the facility in its inaugural year. The 86,000-square-foot building has the capacity to educate up to 200 students across the three programs. Greenfield Architects Ltd. designed the building. The general contractor was High Construction Company.
Thaddeus Stevens College also provides computer software engineering technology, masonry construction technology, and welding technology programs in a 50,000-square-foot facility at 1812 Colonial Village Lane, where 159 students are enrolled. A new road extending Walnut Street to Ben Franklin Boulevard will increase Greenfield connectivity with the Thaddeus Stevens College main campus and Lancaster City. Depending on the time of day, the road will save five to eight minutes from what is today a 10- to 13-minute trip. Construction of the road will begin by summer 2022 with targeted completion in fall 2023. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is one of four institutions of higher learning in Greenfield. Central Penn College, Eastern Mennonite University, and Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences also have teaching campuses on-site. Taken together, the total college population in Greenfield is more than 2,000.
• High has hired 60 Thaddeus Stevens College graduates in the past four years.
• In the past five years, High has hired 21 graduates immediately upon their graduation.
• High hires students who complete short-term programs as part of our Workforce and Economic Development Center.
• Graduates occupy positions at many levels within High. A prominent example is Kurt Engel, recently retired, who led High Associates’ Construction Services Group.
• High Industries’ President and COO Jeff Sterner serves on the Thaddeus Stevens College board of trustees and led the search for the school’s new president, former Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera.
• High leaders in Thaddeus Stevens College Industry Advisory Councils:
• Welding Technology – Ronnie Medlock, Vice President of Technical Services, and Rusty Wynegar, Vice President of Operations, High Steel Structures.
• Diesel Technology – Dino Kondos, President, and Nathan Rhoads, Fleet Manager, High Transit.
In 2021, investments were made in High Steel Service Center’s future by adding rail access to its Lancaster, Pennsylvania, facility. This rail access is a critical element in prioritizing the needs of its customers, enabling Service Center to provide products customers can’t get elsewhere in a very tight market.
Benefits of rail access include lower supplier transportation costs, reduced material handling expenses, more consistent transit times, streamlined inbound material workflow, improved coworker utilization, covered rail cars to maintain critical product quality and rail service extending inside Service Center’s facility that enables cars to be unloaded regardless of outside weather conditions.
Additionally, use of rail service protects Service Center from the volatility of the trucking industry, and increases flexibility in receiving and unloading material. While the financial justification was based on carbon flat rolled steel, it may provide future opportunities for stainless and aluminum products.
High Transit supports rail shipments and manages logistical challenges with their usual high level of expertise. And while trucking of materials and products will certainly continue at Service Center, the addition of rail service provides shipping options that benefit the business and its customers and enable the company to grow.
It was ten years ago that Service Center installed the Stretcher Leveler and, in 2016, made larger investments in people, inventory, and material handling equipment to accommodate growth of its stainless and aluminum products. When combined with the new rail service, these investments ensure High Steel Service Center is on track for future success.
The High Environmental Health and Safety Team held its annual Safety Summit on March 1, 2022, to recognize safety excellence throughout the High companies. During the Summit, Safety Circle recipients presented highlights of their safety records and programs in the hope of earning the coveted President’s Safety Award.
Following these presentations, High’s Executive Committee selected the 2021 President’s Safety Award winners. Earning the top spot in the Hotels/ Properties division were a three-property group –Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, and TownePlace Suites hotels in the Rossmoyne Business Center, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. In the Manufacturing/ Construction group, High Concrete Group’s Denver, Pennsylvania, facility took top honors.
Congratulations for your achievements in safety, and thank you for upholding The High Philosophy and for being “Each Other’s Keeper.”
Winner: High Concrete Group, Denver, PA
High Construction Company, Lancaster, PA
High Transit LLC, Lancaster, PA
Winner: Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton and TownePlace Suites, Mechanicsburg, PA
Hampton Inn-Middletown, NY
Bentley Ridge, Lancaster, PA
The Crossings at Conestoga Creek, Lancaster, PA
Eastwood Village, Lancaster, PA*
Greenfield Estates, Lancaster, PA
Greenfield, Lancaster, PA*
Greenview Terrace, Lancaster, PA
The Reserve at Greenfield, Lancaster, PA
Rossmoyne Business Center, Mechanicsburg, PA*
The Summit at Mill Creek, Lancaster, PA
Village Green, Elizabethtown, PA
High and Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology have had a mutually beneficial partnership for many years. For that reason, students from the college’s Diesel Technology program visited High Transit on November 3, 2021, giving them a glimpse into the daily workings of a fleet shop.
Students had the opportunity to explore HT’s incoming fleet of tractors and learn the importance of a thorough maintenance program. HT also expressed the need to adhere to strict safety protocols within the fleet shop, as well as efficiency practices to boost productivity.
After the students exhausted all questions regarding the details of our tractors, they were given a complete tour of the rest of the fleet shop, including the parts room. Students’ insightful questions demonstrated engagement and attentiveness throughout the tour.
This visit solidifies High’s need to continue to engage and partner with community organizations to educate and inspire future generations of workers.
The middle section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s new Southern Beltway opened to traffic in October 2021. Located between US Route 22 and I-79 near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this 13-mile limited-access highway was built upon challenging terrain requiring 28 bridges.
The project was bid in multiple construction contracts with High Steel Structures winning all seven. The contract required a total of 16,000 tons of steel plate girders to be fabricated for six different general contractors over an eight-year period and marks a significant achievement for the HSS Team.
The most complex structures in the project are dual multi-span steel bridges with eight-foot-deep girders. At 1,500 feet long, the eight-span curved structures are flared at the west end to accommodate ramps for a full diamond interchange.
Mike Kennedy, HSS Project Manager, credits the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Trumbull Corporation and Amelie Construction for their team approach surrounding the supply of the steel for these bridges. According to Mike, “High Steel’s fabrication and transportation teams did an outstanding job fabricating and coordinating the delivery of these structures safely during the pandemic.”
When complete, the Southern Beltway will connect the regions south and west of Pittsburgh, spurring economic development and easing traffic on area roadways. The final section, still in design, will connect to the Mon-Fayette Expressway.
When the new Fire Department of New York (FDNY) Firehouse Rescue 2 facility in Brooklyn, New York, was in the design phase, it was clear that selection of appropriate building materials for its unique uses were crucial. Specifically designed and constructed for training and staging emergency simulations, the architect determined that precast concrete construction was ideal, and High Concrete Group was selected as the precaster.
At its Denver, Pennsylvania, facility, HCG fabricated the precast concrete insulated sandwich wall panels with strategically placed windows and openings. The interior voids and openings in the façade allow fire personnel to practice rescue scenarios and to mimic emergency conditions and situations in urban environments.
The insulated sandwich wall panels are thermally-efficient and have an R-value of 16. This reduces HVAC system needs and, along with the facility’s green roof, geothermal system and solar water-heating system, helps to lower the building’s carbon footprint.
The limited off-site storage presented difficulties that required close attention to the delivery schedule and coordination. Permits were required to transport these large panels across bridges and through the city.
This unique project underscores the durability, adaptability, and functionality of precast concrete, making it a desirable and increasingly in-demand product for a variety of construction needs.
High Associates Ltd... was named Top Commercial Real Estate Firm and Best Property Management Company – Commercial and Residential by Central Penn Business Journal’s 2021 Reader Ranking Awards. Congratulations to the HAL Team on earning this prestigious award!
CyndiLou Foster.. was named to Central Penn Business Journal’s Women of Influence. Honorees were selected by a panel of judges based on professional experience, community involvement and a commitment to inspiring change. CyndiLou joined High Hotels in 2018 and serves as Director of Sales and Marketing for its three Harrisburg properties.
Adam R. Gracey...
graduated from Elizabethtown College in August 2021 with a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Adam joined High Concrete Group in 2014 and serves as Preconstruction Designer.
Robert A. Cisneros...
earned a New Jersey Professional Engineer license in August 2021. In addition to this new license, Bob is also a registered Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and Virginia. Bob, Chief Engineer for High Steel Structures, joined High in 1996.
Laura M. Krehling...
earned a Certified Hotel Administration (CHA) certification in May 2022. Laura serves as General Manager of HHL’s Homewood Suites in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and joined the company in 2019.
Ramon J. Marti Ramirez de Arellano...
graduated from Albright College in December 2021 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Ray joined High in 2018, and serves as Workers’ Compensation Claims Specialist.
Litter is a big problem along our roadways. According to a Pennsylvania Litter Research Study (January 2020) conducted by Burns McDonnell, “Pennsylvania roadways are littered with approximately 502.5 million pieces of litter.” Here is a brief snapshot of their findings:
• Most litter is composed of cigarette butts and plastic.
• Motorists and pedestrians are the leading sources of litter, regardless of the size or type of debris.
• Freeways and expressways had the most litter per mile.
For these reasons, High developed an ECO Task Force to organize environmentally friendly events, including regular Adopta-Highway clean-ups. These events are typically held on a quarterly basis. Coworker volunteers from across the High companies meet early on a designated Saturday morning to pick up trash along U.S. Route 30 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, at the Greenfield Road exit.
On Saturday, October 23, 2021, members of High’s Human Resources
Team took on the task of beautifying the area.
Along with the typical trash haul, the group found some interesting souvenirs, including a hub cap and a pumpkin. According to Darryl Gordon, Vice President of Human Resources. “The HR Team is scattered around the High companies, so this event was a great way to bring us together to build camaraderie!”
Thank you, HR Team, for giving your time and attention to this two-mile stretch of highway and making the gateway to Greenfield clean and appealing. Your commitment to environmental stewardship has made a positive impact for tenants, residents, shoppers, and coworkers.
High coworkers and retirees continue to show support for those in need by giving generously to the 2021 United Way Campaign. Companywide, a total of 424 pledges netted $232,590 during High’s annual campaign.
Campaign highlights include:
• Overall, High Steel Structures and the Corporate Office saw the biggest dollar increase over the prior year.
• Seven of the High Hotels properties exceeded their goals.
• There were 37 Leadership Givers that included five retirees.
• All High companies participated in special events which helped raise $5,500 toward total contributions.
Thank you to the company campaign coordinators and to all who volunteered or contributed to the campaign. Your generosity helps United Way support agencies that serve those in need in the communities in which we live and work, and tangibly demonstrates your commitment to Living United!
$2,236
$19,124
$80,834
$13,990
$4,927
$3,546
$19,748
$6,832
$45,837
$3,822
$3,539
$28,155
Greenfield Architects Ltd.
High Associates Ltd.
High Company LLC/Corporate
High Concrete Group LLC
High Construction Company
High Environmental Health and Safety Consulting Ltd.
High Hotels Ltd.
High Steel Service Center LLC
High Steel Structures LLC
High Structural Erectors LLC
High Transit LLC
High Retirees and Others
On December 15, 2021, Conestoga Valley Education Foundation dedicated the first of four primary STEM labs named in memory of a colleague and friend, Beverly Breniser. Dedication of the Brownstown Elementary School STEM lab marks the initial milestone in a two-year journey to raise over $100,000 to outfit four labs.
Once completed, these STEM labs will assist students and staff as a learning hub for creativity and innovation in each of Conestoga Valley School District’s four elementary schools. The first lab at Brownstown represents an investment in equipment, supplies, and materials that was made possible through a $20,000 contribution from High.
The labs will help to promote well-paying STEM careers with young students and is an investment that will net future dividends for High and other businesses that rely on these highly-valued skills.
High provided a $5,000 contribution through the State Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program in support of Lancaster Science Factory’s “Girls Code Club.”
Now in its seventh year, this LSF Computer Science program has introduced more than 275 girls to the field.
Computer science jobs are projected to grow dramatically by 2026, yet women earn only 18% of the Computer Science bachelor’s degrees in the United States. Providing early exposure to skills that are rarely covered in elementary and middle school opens a world of excitement, possibilities, and well-paying jobs.
As companies look toward the future, programs such as this will be key to ensuring the needs of the workforce are met and businesses remain strong. High is proud to support LSF in its endeavor to bolster great learning opportunities for young minds.
