

Dear W. W. Gay Family,
I get asked a lot of questions. Some questions I can answer right away, while others may require extra time and thought. But the question I look forward to the most is this: “What makes W. W. Gay so special?" It’s one of my favorite questions because I don’t have to search for the answer; it’s always top of mind. The answer is easy because it is and always will be… YOU! Every single one of you makes this place so special. The saying “Our Employees are the Best in the Business” is so much more than our motto. It’s a statement that we all, including myself, believe in whole-heartedly. It’s displayed in our buildings, in advertisements, and even on a billboard off the side of I-10 in Jacksonville. I hear many of you say that “our people” are the reason why you have been at this company for decades, or that “the family atmosphere” is why you love working here. This is truly a special place and this has to continue for generations to come. I know I’ll do my part in ensuring that unique culture carries on, but I cannot do it alone. It is something we all must work together to accomplish.
For another sports reference, Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, made this statement in an ESPN interview with regards to what makes an organization tick:“I think sometimes people forget what really makes an organization… The people make the organization. The people make the business. Sometimes that gets forgotten. Culture is built brick by brick, the foundation of it by the people. Not by the organization.”
Now it’s my turn to ask each of you a question: “What will it take to keep our company special?” I know there are many answers to that question, but “positivity” is one that always comes to mind. We all have a choice to make when we walk into work each day. We can choose to dwell on the negative aspects of our surroundings, or we can choose to focus on the positive. The latter, choosing positivity, is the approach that will keep leading us in the right direction. Don’t get me wrong, some days will be more difficult than others, but remember that there is always a silver lining in every situation. Winston Churchill said it best when he said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”.
While each of us must make that choice on our own, let’s not forget about one another. If you know a fellow coworker is struggling, reach out to them and offer your help. A little support and positivity from someone else can go a long way. Whether you realize it or not, one person can change it all! Be the positive difference in our organization.
In closing, if we continue to be there for one another, look for the silver lining in difficult situations, and choose positivity each day, W. W. Gay will remain a place where we all decide to stay for decades to come.
Thank YOU for always being the best in the business!
Our women's group, EmpowHER, had some fun at work late last month with a self defense class! Our instructor was Dave Benson who is an accomplished security professional with over 40 years of Public and Private Sector expertise in the areas of Security Management, Protective Operations, Contingency Planning and Vulnerability/Risk Assessment & Mitigation.
Dave not only showed the group helpful techniques but also taught us important principals, too. We had such a great time!
The Jacksonville office was excited to sponsor Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC)Florida First Coast Chapter's annual Cornhole Tournament last month. Hosted by Allstate Steel Company, they welcomed close to 100 members for a hot, fun-filled evening.
While none of the W. W. Gay teams walked away cornhole champions, they did sweep the competition when it came to the other games! Great job and looks like everyone had a great time!
Tom Smith had a very special visitor for his birthday last month! Megan McIntire (Gainesville) and her daughter Ella suprised him with his favorite cupcakes. According to Tom, he cannot celebrate his birthday without the homemade banana cupcakes, so it was, of course, a nice surprise.
Megan and Ella are quite the bakers as the cupcakes definitely didn't last long in the Jacksonville office!
The Jacksonville Ironworkers team recently finished a successful outage at the Georgia Pacific Hosford Plant. With 30 men on dayshift and 30 men on nightshift, the team worked around the clock for five days to install new bottoms in five cyclones. After much hustle and hard work, the team managed to finish approximately two shifts early. Great work and special thanks to the team:
Shannon Jervis, Bucky Tyson, Shane Stenbeck, Doug White, Josh Lord, our Safety Team, and especially our Ironworkers Union Hall for furnishing hard working men to make this outage a successful one.
Laura Jones and Kelly Poff out of the Orlando office are doing great work in strengthening the office's team building! Last month Laura had breakfast catered in for the Sheet Fabrication Shop in Port Orange with the following photo and message:
"Today we want to take a moment and say 'THANKS' to our team in Port Orange! They primarily support our sheet metal division and can pump out some ductwork in record time. Linda and her team are always willing to tackle everything we throw their way and we appreciate everything they do to support us!
Way to build up one another, team. Keep these great initiatives coming! A special shout out to the hardworking Sheet Fabrication Shop team in Port Orange:
Shop Foreman: Malinda Bostic - Journeymen: Starlina Hunt & Robert Fakess
Helper: Melinda Rea, John Songer, Jr. & Deano Godsil - Welder: Dylan Julio & Adam Dupee
In early May, team members of the Gainesville office had the opportunity to participate in a fishing tournament hosted by one of their customers, SiVance. The tournament, held over the course of two weekends, benefited the spouse of a SiVane employee who is currently battling cancer. Along with their participation, they also donated several gifts to serve as tournament prizes. The Gainesville team received the heartfelt note below from SiVance:
"The SiVance site has considered W. W. Gay a strong business partner for over 25 years. And yet we are still overwhelmed by new ways that the partnership expands, even for unofficial events like the fishing tournament to benefit Georgia VanZant in her fight against cancer. The generosity and support from W. W. Gay is beyond anything we imagined! We are so thankful for the generous gifts that W. W. Gay donated as tournament prizes, and for the participation of many W. W. Gay employees, including Steve Beatty, Tiffany Allen, Daniel Pridgeon and others. With all the negativity in the world today, it is refreshing to have business partners that genuinely value employees and their families. Jacob Ivey (Production Manager and tournament organizer) and I extend our sincere thanks to the W. W. Gay Team."
What a great way to be involved in the community and give back to a great cause. Keep it up, Gainesville!
This Jacksonville HVAC team has been hard at work installing a new Computer Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) system for T-Mobile. These A/C systems are typically found in data and telecommunication areas where the operation of its servers are extremely critical. The system helps to maintain the temperature by pulling humidity out of the air.
The work being done here has found the team in tight spaces, installing hangers and piping. As of April they have installed 500 feet of piping with much more to come.
Thank you for your continued hard work, especially in a live building involving such crucial information for its customers. Great job, Trevor Craven, Adam Snellgrove and Mark Brinley!
6/1 - Megan Gordon: 6 years (Jacksonville)
6/1 - James Smith: 23 years (Gainesville)
6/1 - Peggy Tipping: 23 years (Jacksonville)
6/2 - Jessie Ransom: 4 years (Orlando)
6/2 - Richard Tison Jr.: 39 years (Jacksonville)
6/3 - Samuel Asker: 2 years (Jacksonville)
6/3 - Timothy Connor II: 2 years (Jacksonville)
6/3 - Cyndi Gundy: 1 year (Jacksonville)
6/3 - David Windisch: 2 years (Jacksonville)
6/5 - John Baird: 1 year (Jacksonville)
6/5 - Ryan Hovsepian: 26 years (Gainesville)
6/5 - Alain Joseph: 2 years (Orlando)
6/5 - George Lee: 26 years (Jacksonville)
6/5 - Tom Nazworth Jr.: 32 years (Jacksonville)
6/5 - Austin Remsen: 4 years (Jacksonville)
6/6 - Barbara Carlson: 5 years (Jacksonville)
6/6 - Jerry Rewis: 5 years (Jacksonville)
6/7 - Wyatt Andrews: 5 years (Jacksonville)
6/7 - Bobby Crawford Jr.: 22 years (Jacksonville)
6/7 - Troy Townsend: 22 years (Gainesville)
6/7 - Michael Wenzel: 24 years (Jacksonville)
6/8 - Timothy Hunter Jr.: 5 years (Jacksonville)
6/8 - Matthew McFarland: 1 year (Jacksonville)
6/9 - Ethan Davis: 1 year (Gainesville)
6/9 - David Hartley: 7 years (Jacksonville)
6/9 - Kyle Williams: 11 years (Jacksonville)
6/10 - Gregory Boykin: 2 years (Orlando)
6/10 - Dylan Dominey: 3 years (Jacksonville)
6/10 - Johnathan Rabon: 11 years (Jacksonville)
6/10 - Ronnie Weston: 7 years (Jacksonville)
6/11 - Jack Kersey: 7 years (Jacksonville)
6/12 - Walter Shaver: 15 years (Jacksonville)
6/12 - Eston Taylor: 7 years (Jacksonville)
6/13 - Aaron Fosegan: 5 years (Jacksonville)
6/13 - Amy Messer: 3 years (Jacksonville)
6/13 - Charles Pyatt: 34 years (Jacksonville)
6/14 - Blake Crawford: 10 years (Jacksonville)
6/14 - Casen Crews: 11 years (Jacksonville)
6/14 - Hunter Groves: 4 years (Gainesville)
6/14 - Marcus Seyler: 4 years (Jacksonville)
6/14 - Jeremy Stout: 3 years (Orlando)
6/14 - Rosa Wilson: 21 years (Jacksonville)
6/15 - Morgan Andrews: 1 year (Jacksonville)
6/15 - Dustin Combs: 10 years (Jacksonville)
6/15 - Kelly Poff: 6 years (Orlando)
6/16 - Paul Hodge: 7 years (Gainesville)
6/16 - Joseph Shepard: 24 years (Jacksonville)
6/17 - Amanda Davis-Crider: 13 years (Jacksonville)
6/17 - Jakob Hatker: 1 year (Gainesville)
6/17 - Jospeh McCaffrey: 11 years (Gainesville)
6/17 - George McDonald: 6 years (Jacksonville)
6/17 - David McKinney: 2 years (Jacksonville)
6/17 - Scott Robinson: 6 years (Orlando)
6/17 - John Russell: 29 years (Jacksonville)
6/17 - Brent Schultz: 41 years (Jacksonville)
6/18 - Margaret Franck: 24 years (Jacksonville)
6/18 - Craig Rowe Jr.: 20 years (Jacksonville)
6/18 - Devin Townsend: 3 years (Gainesville)
6/19 - Cole Thaler: 2 years (Jacksonville)
6/19 - Jennifer Borum : 3 years (Jacksonville)
6/19 - William Clark: 2 years (Jacksonville)
6/19 - David Graham: 15 years (Jacksonville)
6/19 - Kenneth Pearce: 3 years (Jacksonville)
6/19 - Thomas Ponsell: 6 years (Jacksonville)
6/19 - Gabriel Riesterer: 8 years (Orlando)
6/19 - Timothy Romano: 2 years (Jacksonville)
6/20 - Austin Beaulieu: 3 years (Jacksonville)
6/20 - Brian Copham: 3 years (Jacksonville)
6/20 - Ona Long: 24 years (Jacksonville)
6/20 - Derrick Ross Jr.: 2 years (Gainesville)
6/20 - Robert Wilson: 10 years (Jacksonville)
6/21 - Joseph Brett: 5 years (Jacksonville)
6/21 - Will Croft: 21 years (Jacksonville)
6/22 - Ronnie Bowen: 6 years (Orlando)
6/22 - Ernest Jones: 15 years (Jacksonville)
6/22 - Darren Raulerson: 11 years (Gainesville)
6/22 - Beamon Sapp: 23 years (Jacksonville)
6/23 - Mercedites DePuy: 1 year (Jacksonville)
6/23 - Benjamin Gauch: 11 years (Jacksonville)
6/23 - Ricky Rigdon: 10 years (Jacksonville)
6/24 - Hampton Wildes: 2 years (Jacksonville)
6/25 - Kathi Jennings: 3 years (Jacksonville)
6/25 - Troy Lambert: 3 years (Jacksonville)
6/25 - Cassidy Musgrove: 1 year (Jacksonville)
6/25 - Jacob Sheridan: 1 year (Jacksonville)
6/26 - Blaine Carter: 3 years (Orlando)
6/26 - Kevin Taylor: 4 years (Jacksonville)
6/27 - Eric Dyer: 10 years (Jacksonville)
6/27 - Hunter Wheeler: 4 years (Gainesville)
6/28 - Gregory Murdock: 4 years (Orlando)
**If you find that any of the above information is incorrect, please reach out to Marketing Manager Emily Vurnakes at evurnakes@wwgmc.com so that it can be corrected in our system.
6/1 - Lee Mills (Jacksonville)
6/1 - Travis Parker (Jacksonville)
6/1 - John Shore (Orlando)
6/2 - Travis Camp (Jacksonville)
6/2 - Alton Christian (Jacksonville)
6/2 - Dakota DePontes (Jacksonville)
6/2 - Richard Harker (Gainesville)
6/2 - Beth Sikorski (Jacksonville)
6/2 - Vergil Sykes (Gainesville)
6/2 - Mika Ward (Gainesville)
6/2 - Garrett Williams (Gainesville)
6/3 - Corey Kelley (Jacksonville)
6/3 - Richard McManus (Jacksonville)
6/3 - Jordan Terrell (Jacksonville)
6/4 - Rickey Gooden (Jacksonville)
6/4 - Badi Mohamed (Jacksonville)
6/4 - Carlos Whitt (Jacksonville)
6/5 - Charles Gutbrod (Orlando)
6/5 - Harvey Sessions (Gainesville)
6/6 - Timothy Johnston (Jacksonville)
6/6 - Nicholas Miller (Jacksonville)
6/6 - Joel Prevatt (Gainesville)
6/6 - Charles White II. (Jacksonville)
6/7 - Kyle Dermody (Jacksonville)
6/7 - Leonard Dobson, Jr. (Jacksonville)
6/7 - Monte Graham (Orlando)
6/7 - Toussaint Louverture (Jacksonville)
6/9 - Cleveland Hill, Jr. (Jacksonville)
6/9 - William Priest IV (Gainesville)
6/10 - Clayton Goolsby II (Jacksonville)
6/10 - Juan Muniz, Sr. (Orlando)
6/10 - Kirby Osteen (Jacksonville)
6/10 - Jorge Tamayo (Jacksonville)
6/11 - Thomas Galtieri (Jacksonville)
6/11 - Marvin Parrish (Jacksonville)
6/11 - Blake Stewart (Orlando)
6/11 - Matthew Young (Orlando)
6/12 - Bruce Cox (Gainesville)
6/12 - Callon Lott (Gainesville)
6/12 - Keith Phillips (Gaineville)
6/13 - John Combs (Jacksonville)
6/13 - Ryan Felch (Jacksonville)
6/13 - Nathan Starling (Gainesville)
6/14 - Ronald Blatt (Jacksonville)
6/14 - Heather Liddon (Gainesville)
6/14 - Charlie Perry (Jacksonville)
6/14 - Theresa Tyler (Jacksonville)
6/15 - Gabriel Corbin (Gainesville)
6/15 - Michael Logan (Jacksonville)
6/16 - Gary Ford Jr. (Jacksonville)
6/16 - Clint Geer (Gainesville)
6/16 - Timothy Pavlisko (Gainesville)
6/17 - Pete Akers (Jacksonville)
6/17 - Kenneth Beck (Jacksonville)
6/17 - Devin Butler (Jacksonville)
6/17 - Richard Espinosa (Jacksonville)
6/17 - Brent Perry (Jacksonville)
6/18 - Jonathan Bravo Lopez (Orlando)
6/18 - Ryan Carpenter (Jacksonville)
6/18 - Shayanne Castleberry (Jacksonville)
6/18 - Sean Lee (Jacksonville)
6/18 - Gary Sharpe (Jacksonville)
6/19 - Fredrick Carter (Gainesville)
6/19 - Kory Price (Jacksonville)
6/19 - Draylon Wilson (Jacksonville)
6/20 - William Lang (Orlando)
6/20 - Seth Miller (Jacksonville)
6/20 - Jonathan Tedder (Orlando)
6/20 - Michael Whitener (Gainesville)
6/21 - Donald Chaney (Jacksonville)
6/21 - William Scola-Mitchell (Orlando)
6/21 - William Young (Gainesville)
6/22 - Rafael Cuevas (Jacksonville)
6/22 - Corey Griffin (Jacksonville)
6/22 - Jason Lambros (Gainesville)
6/22 - Melinda Rea (Orlando)
6/23 - John Fields (Jacksonville)
6/23 - David King Jr. (Jacksonville)
6/23 - Christopher Victor (Jacksonville)
6/24 - Noah Bartchlett (Jacksonville)
6/24 - Kenneth Dalton (Jacksonville)
6/24 - Christopher Shore (Jacksonville)
6/25 - Ona Long (Jacksonville)
6/25 - Bobby Finch (Jacksonville)
6/25 - Macie Ray (Jacksonville)
6/25 - Robert Swain (Jacksonville)
6/26 - Ronnie Bowen (Orlando)
6/26 - Darren Cushman (Jacksonville)
6/26 - Cecil Lowe (Gainesville)
6/27 - Dean Attawat Jr. (Jacksonville)
6/27 - Brandon Bulla (Gainesville)
6/27 - Elijah Hinde (Gainesville)
6/27 - Rory Singletary (Gainesville)
6/28 - Dalton Dietz (Jacksonville)
6/28 - Stephen Clawson (Jacksonville)
6/28 - Steven Lane (Jacksonville)
6/28 - Brian Smith (Jacksonville)
6/28 - James Sprunt III. (Jacksonville)
6/29 - Jesse Andrews Jr. (Jacksonville)
6/30 - Henry Billings Jr. (Jacksonville)
6/30 - Lucas Nelms (Jacksonville)
6/30 - Daniel Pole (Orlando)
**If you find that any of the above information is incorrect, please reach out to Marketing Manager Emily Vurnakes at evurnakes@wwgmc.com so that it can be corrected in our system.
Our June Employee Spotlight has always worn many hats during his 29 years with W. W. Gay. Jamie Webb, a true jack of all trades, began his career in June 1992. Before finding his way to Quality Control (QC), he started out as a truck driver and laborer. From there he was promoted to a Field Officer position where he worked on his first job at JEA Northside. In 1997, after nearly 6 years in that position, Jamie then became a Project Manager. During his time as a PM, Jamie was asked to also help out the Quality Control department as they were short-handed. While this was only meant to be for a short amount of time, Jamie excelled in the position. He has enjoyed managing both responsibilities since 1999.
Quality Control is made up of just three employees: Jamie, Steve Sistrunk and Steve Beatty. Jamie is responsible for keeping track of all welding procedures and welding certifications for close to 300 employees company wide. This means that when new material pops up, he must qualify all relevant procedures. Once a sample of the material is received, it must then be welded and sent out into the field for destructive and non-destructive testing. When emergencies arise on a jobsite involving boilers, pressure vessels or specialty materials, Jamie is typically one of the first to be called. With the team out in the field, he will assess the situation and devise a plan to quickly and correctly make repairs. Jamie enjoys that his job allows him the opportunity to work both in the office and out in the field, as things are always interesting.
Jamie has called Macclenny, Florida home his entire life and enjoys the small-town feel. The area is so near and dear to him that he recently purchased the farm property he grew up on and is spending time revitalizing the land. He has even started his own garden on the farm and is enjoying growing fresh vegetables. Jamie has been married to his high school sweetheart, Melissa, for 26 years and they have two children. Their daughter, Brittany, is an RN at Shands Hospital while their son, Ryan just completed his sophomore year in high school. Jamie also has two nephews, Shane & Cole Hughes, who are both Pipefitters in the Gainesville office.
When he’s not working in the office or out on the farm, you can find Jamie busy with his two favorite pastimes: hunting and fishing. While he will fish anywhere he can, he prefers hunting in Fargo, GA. Nowadays, Jamie and Melissa spend their free time tending to their vegetable garden and cooking up what’s ready to be picked. Their selection has grown and includes corn, beans, peas and okra, which happens to be their personal favorite!
Thinking back on his almost three-decade career with W. W. Gay, Jamie has enjoyed the relationships he’s built the most. Jamie explains, “The fact that I get to interact with so many different employees makes my position so rewarding. Not only am I helping people right here in the Jacksonville office, but I also get to know other employees in all of our other offices, too”. He closes by adding, “No day has ever been the same here, which is great. Plus, there’s always something new to learn and that keeps the job fun and exciting”.
Thanks for your continued dedication across so many facets of the company, Jamie! What you do is appreciated!
Favorite quote: "Quality is not an act, it is a habit" by Aristotle
Last movie you saw: "Avengers: Endgame"
Dream dinner guest: Nikola Tesla
Best Jacksonville recommendation: Check out Kickbacks Gastropub. It’s a unique place with good food. Ask for the cellar tour, you won’t be disappointed.
I'm happiest when... I hear the sound of the hounds.
With temperatures on the rise, it is critical to touch on heat awareness. Labor-intense activities in hot weather can raise body temperatures beyond the level that normally can be cooled by sweating. Heat illness initially may manifest itself as heat rash or heat cramps but can quickly escalate to heat exhaustion and then heat stroke if simple preventative measures are not followed. During these summer months, it's more important than ever to ensure you and your crew are staying hydrated. A little prevention can go a long way! I recommend drinking plenty of water before your shift even begins, as that will help keep you hydrated throughout the day. However, drinking water during and after your shift is just as important. As a general guideline, drink 1 cup (8 ounces) of water every 15-20 minutes. Talk to your crew and encourage them to stay safe and healthy in the heat.
This month I would like to introduce one of our newest team members, Jane Sanders. While she has only been with us for a few short months, Jane has already made a big impact. If you see Jane out in the field or in the office, be sure to give her a warm welcome to the team. To read more on her story, please see below.
Stay safe,
Steve Ray Director of SafetyThe newest addition to our Safety Team is Jane Sanders, based in the Jacksonville office. She has been with us since March and is currently the on-site Safety Specialist at the FIS project. While she may be new to our team, Jane is not new to the construction industry. Before she was hired here with us, Jane worked with the Ironworkers Local Union 597 since 2017. While she enjoyed working in the field, she felt drawn to the safety side and began investing in her own future with OSHA safety courses. During her time in the field, she also made connections with members of our safety team, which helped her decide this was the path for her.
Jane ensures the safety of the hardworking crew on the FIS jobsite each and every day. She not only works directly with our team, but also communicates with safety teams from FIS and other subcontractors. Her days are kept busy with safety meetings, walk-throughs of each floor, daily reports, and any other issues that may arise throughout the day.
Jane is always wearing a smile and never takes the job for granted. "The most important piece of my job is keep everyone safe. The easiest way for me to accomplish that is to constantly keep the lines of communication open between me and each person on the site. I want them to know that I am always here for them". Welcome to the team, Jane! We're so happy to have you!
• Being hydrated when you start work makes it easier to stay hydrated through the day
• Drink before feeling thirsty. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already behind in fluid replacement.
• When working in the heat, drink 1 cup (8 ounces) of water every 15–20 minutes. This translates to ¾–1 quart (24–32 ounces) per hour.
• Drinking at shorter intervals is more effective than drinking large amounts infrequently.
Demolition on the Jacksonville office main building is still moving right along! Once the building is completely down and the space has been cleared, we will continue on with concepts for what the new building will become. We look forward to sharing that information with you when it becomes available. In the meantime, be sure to keep up with the demo progress by following our social media accounts and the weekly Flyover Friday video segments, which can be found in your email or on our official YouTube page.
An exciting project in the works for the Gainesville office is the University of Florida's new football training facility. Once completed, the James W. "Bill" Heavener Football Training Center will serve as a world-class, 140,000 square foot indoor training facility and day-to-day home for Florida football student athletes and staff. According to UF, "the state-of-the-art training center will include meeting rooms, locker rooms, strength and conditioning areas, training rooms and coaches’ offices, all located adjacent to the practice field, creating maximum efficiency for the team. The front lower quadrant of the building will be for all University of Florida student athletes and will include a dining hall, lounge and various outdoor activities and amenities."
Parrish-McCall is heading up the project as General Contractor, while our team will be handling all mechanical and plumbing aspects. As for subcontractors, Rays Metal Works Construction will spearhead the sheet metal on the project. Construction officially began in the summer of 2020 and is well underway!
Key team members on the job: Austin Carroll (Foreman), Caleb Smith (Superintendent) and Adam Hildebrand (PM). Great job!
It's time to invest in you! Join us for a fun series of skill-building workshops, in-person and virtually.
June 9
July 14
August 18
September 15
October 13
November 10
Effective Meetings: Tips for Meeting Organizers & Participants
Business Etiquette
Positive Assertiveness
Staff Pick - TBA
How to be a Linked-In Allstar Having Difficult Conversations
Location: Service Building Banquet Room
Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm (Lunch will be served!)
RSVP: To the Outlook Invite