“You’re only as good as your people in the field.”
That is the motto that the DSC family has lived and operated by over the past 80 years. And, we believe, that it is the reason for our success – and the reason so many of our fusers, welders, operators, truck drivers, foremen and laborers have spent big chunks of their careers here and have even passed the torch to the next generations of their families.
The long relationships we have developed with multiple generations of local families have grown out of mutual respect. Since the early days when the four Smith brothers formed the company, we have aimed to not only serve our clients and communities well, but to also treat our employees well, considering them an extension of our family.
The members of the Smith family that are currently at the helm of the company – Enoch, Nate and Teresa – grew up around many of our employees and consider them family. For example, Nate started out as a laborer and worked side-by-side on multiple jobs with Bo Velasquez, a current foreman and 40+ year employee whose own father worked for the company. Another long-time employee, Jason Ludwig, followed his father to DSC – and Jason’s been here for more than 30 years!
It is a source of pride for the Smiths that multiple generations of the same Utah families have worked here. It is the relationships we have on the job that make it enjoyable to come to work day-in and day-out. Make no mistake, there are plenty of headaches for both owners and employees at any company, but when you feel like family and you enjoy coming to work, it becomes easier to work through the headaches and issues.
That’s the only way we know how to do business and it works. We take care of our employees and they take care of us, with hard work and dedication. We expect each and every one of our crew members to do their best every day and we do everything we can to help them do so. We don’t set unrealistic goals and we provide them with the tools and training they need to stay safe and get the job done.
It all comes down to a mutual give and take – and loyalty. When employees are treated fairly (with competitive pay, the best equipment and support, benefits, paid time off, etc.) and they feel like they are an integral part of the success of the company, they reward the company with their hard work and dedication.
You might say that we aim to “keep everyone happy.” While we know that is over-simplifying matters, there is a good deal of truth in that statement, which has grown out of a daily interaction that Enoch and Nate have had with Bo Velasquez for years. When Bo sees one or both of the Smiths at the office or at the job site, he asks, “You happy?” The Smiths always answer, “We’re happy if you’re happy.”
As important as it is to nurture the relationships we have with our crews, in a family-run business like DSC it is just as important to foster positive working relationships between the family members. Over the years, we have had many of our Smith family members grow up in this business, including brothers, fathers, sons, daughters, nephews and nieces. From the four Smith brothers who formed the company back in 1942 to the current family members working here today (two brothers in the field, a sister in the office and their dad as an advisor), the importance of mutual respect and support has been instilled in us from the beginning, and the formula has worked for 80 years!
What it all comes down to, with both employees and members of the Smith family, is treating people like people and developing supportive relationships both on and off the job. That is always our goal.