The Pipeline - November 2021

With Respect, Honor, and Gratitude THANK YOU VETERANS!

A Message From Our CEO

Dear W. W. Gay Family,

First and foremost, I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you for the support you showed me with the passing of my mom. It is hard to find the right words to express how much the outpouring of messages, kind words, constant food deliveries and unwavering care truly meant to me and my family.

Losing Mr. Gay and then the fire just months later was devasting, but to lose my mom on top of it all so shortly after was unimaginable. She was such an important piece of this operation, and just like Mr. Gay, I know her legacy and light will continue to shine brightly. I also know that through any tragedy, you need the help of others around you to make it through, so I thank you for being that for me.

While I’m aware that any discussion regarding COVID-19 vaccination is difficult, it’s crucial for you to know my position on this matter. Above anything else, your safety, security, and trust are of the utmost importance to me. We continue our journey through a challenging environment full of hurdles, unknowns, mandates, and court decisions which affect our company’s future.

Last year, we were deemed essential and now this year we are facing mandates that affect our people, our business, and our community. Please know that I am taking every effort to be extremely diligent in how to best navigate this issue, but the wellbeing of our people will always remain in the forefront of my mind with every decision.

“The wellbeing of our people will always remain in the forefront of my mind with every decision.”

We are in a very strange place when it comes to the status of our world, but through it all, I’m so proud of the way each of you have embraced change and continued to move through it. When tough times arise, let’s remember to lean on one another for support. If we continue to be that for each other, we will see this through to the other side!

Thank you for always being the best in the business!

Paul Jones President & CEO

Even with all the constant change 2021 has brought, it’s thrilling to know that we are in the midst of a record setting year for our company. With that being said, the one and only reason we are in that position is because of you! Our people and your skills, capabilities and passion are what drives this ship in a successful direction each and every day.

Marketing Update

Boy, has it been a crazy few months since the new logo rolled out late August! As each of you know, that process took nearly 10 months, and it was so exciting to finally have it out in the world. I had such a blast planning all 3 logo launch parties, but even more so getting to see them come to life, so THANK YOU to everyone that attended and for making them such wonderful days in our company’s history. With 60 years of history, the process of switching everything over will take time, but it’s been fascinating watching our fleet of vehicles switch over, new signage go up, and to see the new logo plastered on our never-ending sponsorships companywide.

I know the questions on everyone’s minds have been, “When are we getting new apparel?” and “Where are the new hats?”. I understand, more than anyone, that you have been waiting for the release of new apparel, and I certainly appreciate your patience as I am learning to navigate the supply chain issues we are facing due to COVID-19. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought we’d have trouble getting our hands on polos, shirts and hats, but unfortunately this is the state we’re facing at the present time. However, I do want to provide everyone with an update on our new online store. I’ve been working daily with my supplier to stay up-to-date on items that have enough stock so that all our employees orders can be fulfilled.

We are finally in the finishing stages of securing the items for the store, and it is scheduled to be live within the next few weeks. As I mentioned previously, this first opportunity to purchase apparel and swag will be the 50/50 sale where you pay half and the company pays the other half. For those who have purchased before, you will see some familiar items, as I know many of you really enjoyed those selections. The store will be updated frequently, so be on the lookout for exciting, new items throughout the year. When the store is ready to go live, I will communicate this companywide with more detailed information. Again, thanks for your continued patience as we journey through this together!

In other big news, I’m so excited to announce the newest member to the Marketing Department, Peyton Beasley. She joined my team just a few short weeks ago as the Marketing Coordinator and will be helping me in so many ways, including The Pipeline, social media, graphic design and more. Peyton is a Jacksonville native and just recently graduated from Flagler College with a degree in Graphic Design. Like many of us, Peyton has family ties to the company and grew up knowing all about W. W. Gay. When asked why she wanted the job here, Peyton quickly said, “There is no other place in Jacksonville that I want to work!”. We’re so glad to have her here, so please help me in welcoming her to the family!

With Peyton on board, I’m very much looking forward to extending our company’s reach. If there’s anything that you need, whether that be help with sponsorships, presentations, documents revised with new logo, etc., please reach out to myself or Peyton and we’ll be thrilled to help.

Best,

Emily Vurnakes Marketing & Community Relations Director

November Birthdays

11/01- Kevin Bright (Jacksonville)

11/01- James Arrington (Gainesville)

11/01 - Seth Mobley (Jacksonville)

11/01 - Kyle Davis (Gainesville)

11/02 - Juan Cerda (Orlando)

11/02 - David Hawkins (Jacksonville)

11/02 - Kelly Fish (Jacksonville)

11/02 - Robert Wheeless (Jacksonville)

11/02 - Cody Fearington (Jacksonville)

11/03 - Brad Sullivan (Gainesville)

11/03 - Cheryl Zimmer (Jacksonville)

11/04 - Benjamin Biscuit (Jacksonville)

11/04 - Zachary Breitenfeld (Jacksonville)

11/05 - Douglas White (Jacksonville)

11/05 - Stephen Sistrunk (Jacksonville)

11/05 - Jason Dowd (Jacksonville)

11/06 - Ernest Reier (Jacksonville)

11/06 - Weldon Lane (Jacksonville)

11/06 - David Hartley (Jacksonville)

11/06 - Steven Sutton (Jacksonville)

11/06 - Zachary Rice (Jacksonville)

11/07 - Anthony Dozier (Jacksonville)

11/07 - Sandra Binger (Jacksonville)

11/07 - John Traxler (Gainesville)

11/07 - Jeremy Caulder (Jacksonville)

11/07 - Cole Thaler (Jacksonville)

11/08 - Michael Kratky (Jacksonville)

11/08 - William Bowles JR (Jacksonville)

11/08 - Rayvon Lewis (Jacksonville)

11/08 - Patric Oliver (Orlando)

11/08 - Larry Brown Jr. (Gainesville)

11/08 - Montrell Rolle (Jacksonville)

11/09 - Robert Zink (Jacksonville)

11/09 - Thomas Johnson (Jacksonville)

11/09 - Brandon Mercer (Jacksonville)

11/10 - David Olitsky (Gainesville)

11/10 - Joseph Seeman (Orlando)

11/10 - Ricky Rigdon (Jacksonville)

11/10 - Jonathan Gullion (Jacksonville)

11/11 - Travis Dale (Jacksonville)

11/11 - Jason Conn (Jacksonville)

11/11 - Michael Stenbeck (Jacksonville)

11/11 - Matthew Furlong (Jacksonville)

11/11 - Joshua Lord (Jacksonville)

11/11 - Bryan Kingery (Jacksonville)

11/11 - Joseph Tedesco III (Jacksonville)

11/12 - Norman Castle (Jacksonville)

11/12 - Joshua Studt (Jacksonville)

11/12 - Joshua Suber (Jacksonville)

11/13 - Claudio Salinas (Gainesville)

11/13 - Ryan Beckelheim (Gainesville)

11/14 - Donald Oneal (Jacksonville)

11/14 - Kyle Worth (Jacksonville)

11/14 - Joseph Cannady (Jacksonville)

11/14 - Yovany Salas (Orlando)

11/15 - Donald Palmer (Jacksonville)

11/15 - Jason Craven (Jacksonville)

11/15 - Cory Lee (Jacksonville)

11/15 - Peyton Welch (Gainesville)

11/16 - Michael Fenwick (Jacksonville)

11/16 - James Vennard (Jacksonville)

11/16 - Joseph Anderson (Jacksonville)

11/16 - Brad Crawford (Jacksonville)

11/17 - William Stewart (Orlando)

11/17 - Randall Glisson Sr. (Jacksonville)

11/17 - Matthew Nettles (Gainesville)

11/17 - William Stewart (Orlando)

11/17 - Randall Glisson Sr. (Jacksonville)

11/17 - Matthew Nettles (Gainesville)

11/17 - Wyatt Andrews (Jacksonville)

11/18 - Ronald Creel (Jacksonville)

11/18 - Adam Snellgrove (Jacksonville)

11/18 - Simeon Shelton (Jacksonville)

11/19 - Christopher Lifka (Jacksonville)

11/19 - Jody Chappell (Gainesville)

11/19 - Kenneth Mitchell (Jacksonville)

11/19 - Samuel Winchester (Jacksonville)

11/19 - Danny Bryant Jr. (Jacksonville)

11/19 - Matthew Losco (Jacksonville)

11/19 - Daniel Paulson (Gainesville)

11/20 - Brian Donnely (Gainesville)

11/20 - Terry Manning (Orlando)

11/20 - Cole Hughes (Gainesville)

11/21 - Todd Selby (Jacksonville)

11/21 - Wesley Foster (Jacksonville)

11/21 - Raul Diaz (Jacksonville)

11/21 - Michael Hawley (Jacksonville)

11/21 - Samuel Horton (Jacksonville)

11/22 - Crystal Gaskins (Jacksonville)

11/22 - Leroy Brown (Jacksonville)

11/22 - Keith Thomas (Jacksonville)

11/22 - Ito Simon (Gainesville)

11/22 - Marco Guevara (Jacksonville)

11/22 - Brittney Hutchins (Gainesville)

11/23 - Steven Cerimeli (Jacksonville)

11/23 - Kenneth Hohorst (Jacksonville)

11/23 - Val Kazia (Orlando)

11/24 - James Burrage (Jacksonville)

11/24 - Ryan Sergent (Orlando)

11/24 - James Williams (Jacksonville)

11/24 - Colby Isenberg (Jacksonville)

11/24 - Brynen Lafayette (Jacksonville)

11/25 - Jeremiah King (Orlando)

11/25 - Demetrius Brisby (Jacksonville)

11/26 - Larry Thompson (Jacksonville)

11/26 - David Bryan (Gainesville)

11/26 - Elizabeth Coley (Jacksonville)

11/26 - Michael Harper JR (Jacksonville)

11/26 - Eric Dyer (Jacksonville)

11/26 - William Chesser (Gainesville)

11/27 - Carl Naegele (Jacksonville)

11/27 - Stephen Driggers (Jacksonville)

11/27 - Zachary Bass (Gainesville)

11/27 - Jack Rhoden (Jacksonville)

11/28 - John Kennard (Orlando)

11/28 - James Davis (Gainesville)

11/28 - Jahnoy Davis (Orlando)

11/28 - Chase Smith (Jacksonville)

11/29 - David Boggs (Jacksonville)

11/29 - Chadwick Clark (Jacksonville)

11/29 - Joshua Curtis Jr. (Jacksonville)

11/29 - Ethan Davis (Gainesville)

11/30 - Lee Hodge (Orlando)

**If you find that any of the above information is incorrect, please reach out to Marketing Coordinator Peyton Beasley at pbeasley@wwgmc.com so that it can be corrected in our system.

November Anniversaries

11/01 - Andrew Mercer: 10 Years (Jacksonville)

11/01 - Larry Howland: 4 Years (Jacksonville)

11/02 - Leslie Chandler: 1 Year (Jacksonville)

11/03 - Kenneth Crews: 41 Years (Jacksonville)

11/03 - Nick Koulias: 7 Years (Jacksonville)

11/03 - Taylor Hill: 4 Years (Orlando)

11/04 - Thomas Smith: 29 Years (Jacksonville)

11/04 - William Brown Jr.: 19 Years (Jacksonville)

11/04 - James Davis: 2 Years (Gainesville)

11/04 - Anthony Wright: 2 years (Jacksonville)

11/04 - Robert Wical: 1 Year (Jacksonville)

11/05 - Brian Smith: 24 Years (Jacksonville)

11/06 - Jeffrey Carter: 25 Years (Orlando)

11/06 - Teddy Rebardo: 8 Years (Gainesville)

11/06 - Robert Zink: 7 Years (Jacksonville)

11/06 - Tyler Rollins: 2 Years (Gainesville)

11/06 - Zachary Bass: 2 Years (Gainesville)

11/06 - Adam Cascarano: 2 Years (Orlando)

11/06 - Samuel Browning: 1 Year (Jacksonville)

11/07 - Michael Farr: 10 Years (Jacksonville)

11/07 - Jonathan Johns: 5 Years (Jacksonville)

11/08 - Nabil Touloum: 3 Years (Orlando)

11/08 - Jorge Cruz: 3 Years (Orlando)

11/09 - Dylan Hamilton: 15 Years (Jacksonville)

11/09 - Kevin Bertie: 10 Years (Gainesville)

11/09 - Sean Lee: 5 Years (Jacksonville)

11/09 - Christopher Hohorst: 1 Year (Jacksonville)

11/11 - Jessica Norman: 1 Year (Jacksonville)

11/12 - Matthew Young: 6 Years (Orlando)

11/13 - Angela Lowe: 7 Years (Gainesville)

11/13 - William Priest IV: 2 Years (Gainesville)

11/13 - Joshua Studt: 2 Years (Jacksonville)

11/13 - Eldridge James: 1 Year (Jacksonville)

11/14 - Antonio Ayala Jr.: 4 Years (Orlando)

11/17 - Joseph Collier: 12 Years (Jacksonville)

11/17 - Brett Crenshaw: 1 Year (Jacksonville)

11/18 - Charles Colgate Jr.: 12 Years (Jacksonville)

11/18 - Yalier Roman: 2 Years (Gainesville)

11/19 - Michael Runge: 42 Years (Orlando)

11/19 - Frederick Miller: 35 Years (Jacksonville)

11/19 - Gary Ranard: 23 Years (Gainesville)

11/19 - Alvin Coats Jr.: 9 Years (Jacksonville)

11/19 - Alexander Carusone: 2 Years (Gainesville)

11/19 - Jermal Keen: 2 Years (Jacksonville)

11/20 - Ernest Reier: 14 Years (Jacksonville)

11/20 - Jason Blong: 9 Years (Jacksonville)

11/21 - Robert Lovett: II 10 Years (Jacksonville)

11/21 - Joshua Bishop: 4 Years (Jacksonvillle)

11/24 - Joseph Vennard: 18 Years (Jacksonville)

11/24 - Matthew Taylor: 17 Years (Jacksonville)

11/25 - Franklyn Mack: 40 Years (Jacksonville)

11/25 - Kermit Strickler III: 19 Years (Jacksonville)

11/25 - Jason Lambros: 2 Years (Gainesville)

11/25 - Humberto Rodriguez Cordero: 2 Years (Jacksonville)

11/26 - Mark Warwick: 2 Years (Jacksonville)

11/27 - Malinda Bostic: 9 Years (Orlando)

11/27 - Robert Duke III: 4 Years (Gainesville)

11/27 - Alexander Valdez: 4 Years (Jacksonville)

11/28 - Valerie Day: 5 Years (Jacksonville)

11/28 - Jayton Willis: 5 Years (Jacksonville)

11/28 - Jamie Blankenship: 4 Years (Orlando)

11/29 - Carolyn Woolsey: 4 Years (Jacksonville)

11/29 - Justin Adamkiewicz: 3 Years (Orlando)

11/30 - Andrew Stenbeck: 10 Years (Jacksonville)

11/30 - Jeremiah King: 4 Years (Orlando)

11/30 - Timothy Pavlisko: 3 Years (Gainesville)

**If you find that any of the above information is incorrect, please reach out to Marketing Coordinator Peyton Beasley at pbeasley@wwgmc.com so that it can be corrected in our system.

In The Know Striking To Perfection

A group from the Jacksonville Service Team got together for a fun team building event last month! It was a great opportunity for them to come together outside of work for a bit of fun with pizza and bowling. More importantly it was a way to say thank you for all the hard work and dedication that they have put in dealing with customers, billing, and collections.

Congratulations to Gainesville’s very own Ron Lowe and Brian Fogarty on pulling another first place at the 14th Annual Horseshoe Mixer & Tournament.

A Fang-tastic Halloween

Employee Spotlight

Warren Shearin

Jacksonville

For the last 43 years, our November Employee Spotlight has been someone that you could always count on, come rain or shine. Affectionately known as “War Dog”, Warren Shearin from the Jacksonville office always greets everyone with a wave and would give anyone the shirt off his back. Even more recognizable, though, is the American flag he proudly flies on the forklift he drives around property. Two things sum Warren up perfectly: his love for our country and the commitment he has to our company.

Starting his long career in 1978, Warren has dedicated much of his life to W. W. Gay, lending a hand wherever it is needed most. Like many employees, Warren found his way to us through a friend that recommended him for a job. A true jack of all trades, he started out in the warehouse where he pulled orders and learned the long list of materials. After only a short month in that position, he quickly moved up and began driving trucks to deliver material to job sites.

Spending the next 8 years in that position, he enjoyed the opportunity as it allowed him to be out on the road, making trips to both the Orlando and Gainesville offices multiple times a week. For material that was located out of state, it became obvious that traveling to collect what was needed was much cheaper than shipping, so Warren became the point person on those runs, too. Being entrusted with the task of long-distance trips across the United States gave Warren the chance to travel our beautiful country, making stops in New York, Illinois, Arkansas, Texas and many more. After several years on the road, Warren then moved to the field as a laborer for 9 years where he had a hand in many projects including Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Mayport Naval Station, and Wolfson Children’s Hospital. After a broken ankle injury, Warren left the field and spent the next 7 years in a role at C&G to assist in routing materials to job sites with Frankie Mack.

“This company has always looked out for me, so I do my best to take care of it in return”

For the last 15 years, Warren has overseen all yard responsibilities, a position he loves because every day is different from the last. Though you may not see him often, he is always busy, ensuring the job is done to keep our operation moving. He enjoys the challenge of unloading the large amounts of freight delivered each day. Most people may not be aware of the danger Warren’s job brings, especially when he is rigging heavy equipment, so remaining safe is always his top priority. “This company has always looked out for me, so I do my best to take care of it in return”, says Warren. “W. W. Gay is truly the best company in Jacksonville to work for”.

A Jacksonville native, Warren enjoys any opportunity to be outdoors. Hunting and fishing are two of his biggest passions and he’ll take any opportunity to spend time out in the Osceola National Forest. When he’s wanting some peaceful time, he’ll head to Heckscher Driver and post up with his fishing pole for the day. He also loves the game of golf but claims that it doesn’t love him, which has never stopped him from getting out there.

Warren has been married to his lovely wife Georgena for the last 42 years and together they have two daughters Amy and Stacy. The couple are certified homebodies and prefer to spend time with their family, especially with their four grandchildren. On most weekends you’ll find them cooking out together just enjoying the company.

If you chat with Warren for any amount of time, you’ll quickly learn how much this company truly means to him. When asked what has kept him here for all these years, he was fast to say, “I’m so blessed to be here and to work for such great leadership. It truly takes every single one of us to keep this place going and I am just grateful to be part of it all”.

Thanks for your many decades of loyalty, Warren! It wouldn’t be the same without you.

Quick Answers

Favorite quote: “Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes” –American Proverb

Favorite movie: Saving Private Ryan

Dream dinner guest: My father T.P. Shearin

Best Jacksonville recommendation: Camping at Osceola National Forest

I’m happiest when.. I’m around my friends.

Jacksonville Logo Launch Party

Gainesville Logo Launch Party

Orlando Logo Launch Party

Safety Corner

FROM YOUR DIRECTOR OF SAFETY

With the holidays nearly upon us, I always find it necessary to discuss how distractions dramatically increase during this time of year. Many of you will be hitting the road to visit family, while others will be spending a relaxing long weekend at home. Wherever you may end up, safety should always come as a priority. If you find yourself traveling, please remember the following travel safety tips:

• Unplug all appliances to avoid power surge and electrical fire

• Lock doors, windows and other entry points

• Do not share your travel schedule on social media platforms

Did you know that Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires? Fire safety in the kitchen should be a big concern and here are some tips to help with that:

• Never leave the food during frying or on stove/oven

• If you’re frying a turkey, consider purchasing a quality fryer and only use it outside your home

• Keep your children and pets away from the cooking area

The upcoming holiday will be a well-deserved time off for so many of you who have spent long days at our current projects. I hope you enjoy the time with your loved ones.

Stay safe,

Steve Ray Director of Safety Safety Sense

“Holiday Season Safety Tips”

• Check all holiday light cords to make sure they aren’t frayed or broken. Don’t string too many strands of lights together— no more than three per extension cord.

• If are buying an artificial tree, look for the fire-resistant label. When putting it up, keep it away from fireplaces, radiators and other sources of heat.

• When decorating outside, make sure decorations are for outdoor use and fasten lights securely to your home or trees. If using hooks or nails outside, make sure they are insulated to avoid an electrocution or fire hazard.

MEET THE TEAM

Dennis Graybush

Dennis Graybush, one of Jacksonville’s Safety Specialists, has been helping keep our team safe for the last 3 years. He has experience with both the industrial and commercial sides of the business and had a long career before finding his way to W. W. Gay. No matter what company he was with, safety was always an integral part of each job, which quickly became a passion of his. On a day-to-day basis, Dennis does anything from providing oversight on projects (commercial and industrial segments) to planning and overseeing trainings across all offices. Dennis is also one of the few employees within the company that is both a certified CPR and First-Aid trainer. He is also a General Industry OSHA trainer. Currently, he spends most of his time at the Ascension St. Vincent’s St. Johns project, ensuring each team members safety.

It’s through training and his own life experiences that Dennis hopes he can instill knowledge to every person he encounters. “I believe it’s the little things that make the biggest difference,” he says. “We try to catch things before they happen, but it takes each person doing their job correctly to ensure everyone goes home at the end of the day. If you hurt yourself, no matter how big or small, the Safety Department needs to know immediately.

Dennis is a big believer on training and knows that for you to move forward, you must always be training the next man up. The goal of the Safety Department is always zero incidents and zero recordables, but to achieve that, everyone must be “hands on and eyes on”.

Dennis loves working for W. W. Gay for its family-like environment, but more importantly because of the way the company takes care of its employees. “I’ve had the opportunity to travel the world and see how other companies operate, and it’s not often that you find a place like W. W. Gay”, says Dennis. “It’s also so rewarding when you get to the end of a job and there are no recordables. That’s what it’s all about”.

Thanks for all you do for us, Dennis!

Jacksonville

A few sharp shooters from Jacksonville participated in the inaugural Sporting Clay Fundraiser for AEC Mentor Program of Northeast Florida on September 23. The non-profit raised over $31,000 with proceeds going directly to the organization’s 2021-2022 programming efforts.

Not only did Jacksonville help sponsor the event, but their team took 2nd place! Nice job to Scott Houser, Dwayne Palmer, Donny Fraser and Keith Griffin.

Gainesville

As we enter the final stretch of the year, Gainesville is focused on finishing current projects, starting new adventures, and setting new goals for next year. All of our teams are giving it their all to keep us the “best in the business”. As we all strive to get better every day, we must continue to lean on and help one another and make every effort to keep our team members successful. These are challenging times but together we can accomplish anything! We need to continue concentrating on growing our younger talent. This has always been one of the focal points that has kept us the best and it’s never been more critical than now...our future depends on it! Let’s all stay motivated on finishing strong and making each other better today than we were yesterday.

One Team, One Mission

Chris Stalnaker Vice President, Gainesville Director of Operations

Orlando

Orlando is currently working on a 3rd shift project within Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom “Tree of Life” attraction. They have been contracted to do an entire steam boiler renovation within the base of the “Tree of Life”.

This project features the demolition and replacement of a Cleaver Brooks Steam Boiler, associated flue piping, water softener and associated feedwater and condensate return equipment. The project has run into some mild equipment delays, however, the team should be wrapping up the piping work and boiler start up here soon.

The team is working in coordination once again with Facility Asset Management (FAM) on work procedures and our key subcontractors: Miller Electric, Fundamental Construction Practices and First Option Insulation. Our safety specialist Phillip Brundage has been inspecting the project to make sure we are up to par with our safety protocols.

Key Personnel on this job are:

Charles McLaurin – Superintendent

Billy Rispoli – Lead Foreman

Jeff Waters – Project Manager

Greg Murdock – Assitant Project Manager

We love seeing these fun Disney projects! Great job, everyone!