PAVING THE WAY
+ PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS + AWARDS AND RECOGNITION + NEW ENDEAVORS + COMMUNITY OUTREACH + BUILDING MORE THAN ROADS
2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OUR PEOPLE CEO Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 In Loving Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 President Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 VP Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Estimating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Our mission is to have a team of motivated professionals that drive positive relationships and deliver construction services and products that exceed expectations on safety, quality and value.
Project Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-19
OUR CULTURE Safety Best Practices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21 Plants & Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23 2021 Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25 Shop & Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27 TPR Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-31 Service Awards & Retirements. . . . . . . 34-35
OUR COMMUNITY
CORE BELIEFS & VALUES • Customer Focus • Teamwork • Innovation • Risk Taking • High Energy
• High Achievement • Sense of Urgency • Do What You Say You Will Do • Safe Work Practices • Relationship Building
Annual Photo Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37 Pave it Forward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38-39 Family First. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40-41 Mail Bag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42-43
cult times in 2021 with hanging in there during some very diffi Congratulations to our Ajax Team for es. I cannot be more and high-speed traffic in our work zon ing, pav ht nig r, me sum wet a , tion COVID, infla t year. work ethic everyone exhibited this pas proud of the great attitudes and strong of an important This year was not without a great loss for ht brig s look re futu the and ng, Roy “Gator” Patrick Our backlog is stro person in the history of our company. ent rnm gove ral Fede The stry. Indu n Gator was already a the Road Constructio passed away on September 14, 2021. that bill e ctur stru infra e hug a pass to y ration as a paving is working diligentl 10-year veteran from our Michigan ope iate allev to ida Flor of ple peo the of 1981 to help with will reap benefits for foreman when he arrived in December the be to s inue cont Ajax re, awa are in Placida, Florida. congestion. As you construction of our first asphalt plant n give s way high and orts airp in set the standard of Contractor of Choice Gator was our first paving foreman and nt rece Our . cies agen l enta rnm people to settle on 7 the chance by all gove excellence when he went through 105 in seen is t men rove imp lity qua l tota very first Florida crew. concentration on men that he we would train to be the ent ipm equ k, wor lity qua our ple, peo that never wavered the caliber of our His expectations were always high and s. ertie prop e offic our of all and ition philosophy condition, plant cond for the 45 years he worked for Ajax. That t plan llent exce our ics, han mec ge te to a great man and Kuddos to our gara man remains here today and is a tribu Fore Our e. don well very job a for s big personality, Foreman and crew friend. Gator will be remembered by his all in ip ersh lead show to inue cont him we would not are top quality and work ethic, and people skills as without Our . tion truc cons alt asph on ucti g we remember all aspects of high prod be the company we are today. It is fittin with g alon s, crew ing grad and d oun s to the success of concrete, undergr the past employees for their contribution an e don have man Fore and , Staff rol for a better place. our Quality cont the company who have left this earth re enti our of ort supp in year past this outstanding job to all involved. operation. A huge thank you goes out hard working I would be remiss if I did not include the Onward and Upward! their perseverance administrative staff and engineers for and dedication in these crazy times. ks to the Plant 8 in Lake Wales is up in running than rew Kilpatrick, Mike hard work of Barney Dominquez, And Tim Smith, Vinny Schwabach, as well as grade Foreman all the support staff, Ferrone and crews. Congratulations to agement on a job well subcontractors and vendors, and man 4 Central Florida done. We look forward to the new Area Cross and Scott operation under the leadership of Clay was a good year for Gilliard to do great things and grow. It our people for their the company and again we thank all of efforts.
Mike Horan CEO
JT Taylor
Area Manager
Our deepest sympathy goes out to the families who lost their loved ones. ones Ozzie Huff
QC Lab Technician Ajax Paving: 2021 Annual Magazine
Truck Driver
Gator Patrick
AJAXPAVING.COM
4
Bobby Wolfe
Service Truck
John Eagens
Project Superintendent A Year in Review 5
Commitments - I tell everyone never to put it into ink unless you want the world to know what you have said, so here is what we will work on in 2022. When I prepared my article for last year’s newsletter, I was ecstatic that 2020 was a piece of history. Now that 2021 is behind us, I am even more thrilled that 2021 has passed. It was a “bumpy ride”; however, the future looks bright. I would first like to say thank you. Thank you to our employees. More importantly, thank you to the family members for allowing us to borrow them during the nights when the family sleeps. Thank you for allowing us to borrow them while their children participate in sporting events, spelling bees, church events, and thank you to the significant others for understanding when they are late for dinner or when they leave before breakfast Thank you to our partners, vendors, material suppliers, independent truckers, subcontractors, subconsultants, the list goes on. Without you, we are nothing. While the world has seen darkness over the past twenty-four months, we continue to have many reasons to give thanks. Most of those reasons involve the human forces in our life. Take a moment and think about that. Have you been reminiscent of saying thank you?
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Ajax Paving: 2021 Annual Magazine
While there is much to be grateful for, we did have a year of family loss. COVID-19 proved to be brutal in Florida over the summer of 2021 and within the Ajax Family. We were unfortunate to lose four members of our team. John “JT” Taylor, Bobby Wolfe, John Eagan and Ozzie Huff. JT was a lube technician in the Tampa Area and was an Ajax employee For sixteen years. I had the opportunity to work with JT on a CLAIRE event, and all I can say is, JT was an energetic man who had a genuine desire to educate the newcomers on a professional and personal level. Bobby was the most loyal employee a company could want. He was continuously garnering the Ajax wardrobe whether at work or out and about. Bobby was an Ajax employee for nearly nine years. We also were unfortunate to lose John Eagan and Ozzie Huff after their long battles with cancer. John was a powerful superintendent that got the job done. John struggled to take no for an answer as he was always looking for the “yes we will get it done mentality.” Ozzie was a knowledgeable and respected six-year laboratory technician at the Nokomis facility. I also want to acknowledge two previous team members, Roy ‘Gator’ Patrick and Ernest Williams, who succumbed to cancer battles. My comments
on Gator are limited as I know that Mike has unique words for his long time friend. I will say that I owe Gator and Susan (Gator’s wife) a lifelong thank you for introducing me to my wife, Stacey. Many of us are aware that the lesson learned is that life can be unfair and can bring you down. Knowing “JT” and listening to his family at his memorial; I also know that life must go on. That is what JT would want, and that is what his family requested. I firmly believe that Bobby, Ozzie, John, Gator, and Ernest would also say the same. While there is sadness in their loss, let us all remember the positivity they brought to the Ajax Team. Thank you for making us a better operation. With the implementation of Competency Models we saw continued progress throughout 2021. There is now a structure in place to guide our employees with measurable steps to advance their careers. Our Lake Wales operation completed some of its first projects safely, on time, and within budget. The initial management team of Clay Cross and Sharon Radford have further developed their team and are off and running. Plant 8 in Lake Wales was officially in operation on October 25. The first ton of asphalt was sold to Tucker Paving. Thank you to all of our customers for being part of our Vision as a “Partner of Choice.” Commitments - I tell everyone never to put it into ink unless you want the world to know what you have said, so here is what will work on in 2022. • Leaders of the organization will work harder at living up to Ajax’s Core Beliefs & Values • Leaders of the organization will work harder at receiving input from employees • We will work harder at communicating “organizational” change before implementing • I pledge to continue the mission of pushing state lawmakers and agencies to make not only our work zones safer for our employees but the roads safer in general for all
There are many other things to work on; however, let us get this right, and then we will add them to the list. Oh, by the way, the first three above came from the independent survey performed by the Best Companies Group that listed Ajax Florida as one of The Best 2021 Contractors to Work for In Construction in the United States. That is what the employees said, not management or ownership. I can tell you that I was not one of the 250 interviewees that the Best Companies Group randomly selected. Were you? Now let us hit on SAFETY. Safety is not the last topic because it is the least important; it is last because I want you to read this last and recall it first. Safety takes priority. Listen to this: SAFETY TAKES PRIORITY OVER EVERYTHING, INCLUDING PROFIT. Close behind safety is TPR, then Quality, and last but not least, Production. Why this order? Without a safe environment for our employees, we have nothing. We want you to work without fear of injury; however, we want you to work with the knowledge of how to avoid injury. That is Mandy, Bob, and Eric’s mission each time they visit a job site. How can they protect you? They are there working for you and not against you. TPR – if we check our fluid levels, clean our equipment, and report issues to the garage, we will have safe equipment. Safe equipment with an educated employee will provide a quality product. Do the above, and production will take care of itself. In the end, all that we want is for everyone to participate in Boots on, Boots off. That includes our subcontractors, inspectors, delivery vehicles, the traveling public and our surrounding communities. Everyone deserves to go home safely and your dedication makes that possible.
Be safe out there!
Vince Hafeli, President
A Year in Review 7
MANAGING CHANGE
Strategic Plan: Our Six Keys to Success
BY: ANDY DECRAENE, VICE PRESIDENT
Success in business for generations does not happen by accident. We must adapt to the everchanging environment in which our company operates. Benjamin Franklin once said, “When you finish changing, you’re finished.” His statement couldn’t be more accurate in today’s digital era, where things change fast. Fortunately for us, we’ve been able to pivot when needed. The company’s past leadership has placed us in a winning position, but this doesn’t guarantee tomorrow’s win. So we must continue to adapt and change. A business change is simply the improvement of systems, processes, or procedures. Many minor changes happen with little effort, but some are major and take the entire organization’s involvement. A great example of this is TPR; our entire organization came together for the betterment of Ajax. Most changes can be categorized into three types; Developmental, Transitional, and Transformational. Developmental changes are minor improvements to existing processes, like introducing new technology. Transitional change is more significant. It could be an expansion, merger, or a considerable process change like TPR. Transformation changes are the most disruptive to a company because it is a radical change in how you do business—for example, a new product line, starting a new venture, or completely changing your mission.
• • •
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Ajax Paving: 2021 Annual Magazine
The only way to change with the times and resist natural human tendencies is to manage change. No matter what type of change you have at a company, you must manage it. It may sound simple, but it can be challenging given that everyone has a job to do daily, and most change results in some extra individual effort. In addition, the human brain is hardwired to resist change, viewing change as a threat, even if the benefits outweigh the risk. The only way to change with the times and resist natural human tendencies is to manage change. Change management is a systematic approach to dealing with the transition of an organization’s goals, processes, or technologies. Change management aims to implement strategies for effecting change, controlling change, and helping people adapt to change. It starts with a well-thoughtout plan.
Each individual can make a difference, so get involved when you can. That is why we put together our strategic plan for the company. It’s to help manage change and focus on what is important to us. It will most likely get adjusted as needed, but this will serve as our long-term program for improvement. The program includes six key areas; talent development, processes and operations, innovation, risk management, community outreach, and growth. We want to improve these focal points over the next several years. Remember the plan is long-term, and many items will fall within these key areas. For example, we’re now working on target recruiting, more efficient on-boarding, training, assessments, truck management technology, e-ticketing, and better overall communication, to name a few. I will ask you to educate yourself on the company’s direction by reading the strategic plan, asking questions, and giving feedback. Each individual can make a difference, so get involved when you can.
1. Talent Development We believe that teamwork is the road to our success. At Ajax we put a great deal of emphasis on our people. We focus on finding, training and retaining the “right people” which results in Ajax continuing to be an industry leader.
2. Process and Operations We have a Safety, Quality then Production culture. In all of our operational endeavors, we are constantly evaluating real time information to identify and institute a best practices approach to operational excellence.
3. Innovation Innovation within our industry is critical.
Innovation will always be one of our Ajax core values. Beyond technology and much like success, innovation carries no boundaries. We will remain dedicated in forward thinking and leveraging innovation to find better solutions to succeed.
4. Risk Management Ajax is not risk averse. Ajax constantly evaluates risk regarding our operations, partnerships and growth opportunities. A well-disciplined team will manage risk thorough pre bid reviews and a diligent vetting process regarding vendors. We have the equitable stability to prudently investigate and pursue opportunities that our competitors may not consider.
5. Government and Outreach Relationships are essential.
Continuous involvement within our community and government agencies is pivotal in keeping to our core values by building good relationships. We need to connect with, listen to and understand our local officials, but more importantly they need to know Ajax.
6. Growth Building since 1981. Ajax has been a company of opportunity. Since 1981 we have grown from a single plant location to eight state of the art asphalt plants with four areas of construction operations, spreading from north of Tampa to south of Naples and west of Lake Wales. We will strive to continue being in a cash strong position and ready for future opportunities. A Year in Review 9
ESTIMATING MESSAGE
2021: Notable Contracts by Estimator
Onward and Upward: Steering a Succesful Estimating Team Ajax is currently sitting at an 18.72% success rate for bids submitted during the 2021 calendar year, and we have added over 600,000 tons to our schedule backlog. While these numbers are impressive, they are slightly down from last year’s pace. The reason for this - we manage our bidding process in a proactive manner in which we intentionally lead the market with accurate cost forecasting. This year was more difficult than most as we have seen both increases in the costs of materials and labor along with supply shortages in the same. Therefore, it was important that we not react to competitors who slashed numbers to pick up work in the wake of pandemic economy concerns. In addition, we watched as several “Ajax” contracts were awarded to competitors at lower than normal prices – which is not easy to stomach. All the while, we stayed the course and as a result, we have been able to increase our anticipated profit margins on work we picked up. Additionally, we still rest on a healthy backlog of work that carries us into the following year. The forecast for the next five years in Florida’s road building industry is unbelievable. Each Ajax area office is looking at over $400 million of work planned to bid over the next five years. The Tampa market anticipates in excess of $500 million. This transportation funding includes many resurfacing and reconstruction contracts that fit us perfectly, as well as some large highway interchange projects that will afford lucrative project teaming opportunities. We are currently planning to bid over $200 million of work in the first quarter of next year. With our competitors overbooked with cheap contracts, we anticipate taking advantage of a strong market and adding a profit rich coffer of contracts. This year was great in the estimating, with many successes along the way. Next year is shaping up to be bigger and better for Ajax.
DAVE REED
CHRISTIE ALVARO
Senior Estimator
Director of Estimating
SHARON RADFORD Estimator
Runway 9-27 Rehabilitation Hernando Co
Charlotte County Road & Bridge Paving Program
City of Winterhaven Taxiway B Rehabilitation
I-275 Howard Frankland Bridge Paving Package
City of North Port Road Rehabilitation and Maintenance
T1825 SR 70 @ US 27 Intersection Improvements
I-75@MLK Design Build Joint Venture
Corkscrew Road Phase 1 Lee County
E1U28 SR 60 Polk Resurfacing
Written by: Christie Alvaro, Director of Estimating
Newest Member of our Team: Sharon Radford Estimator, Lake Wales Sharon is a professional engineer who comes to us with over 30 years of experience in roadway engineering and construction. She is bidding and managing jobs in our newest area office located in Lake Wales. Sharon was hired in March of this year and has already picked up over 50,000 tons for the new area backlog!
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DUNCAN MCKILLOP
JAYSON BROWN
Private Estimator
Private Estimator
T1794 Polk County SR 37 Sidewalk improvements & Mill/Resurface
E7R28 Fowler Ave Safety Improvements Design Build
City of Cape Coral- Local Road Resurfacing FY2021 Phase 2
T7412 SR56 & I-75 Diamond Interchange (DAB Surety Relet)
E1T87 SR35 (US17) Charlotte County Mill and Resurface
Pasco Co. Annual Sidewalk A Year in Review 11
Taxiway Bravo RehabilitationSarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) Airport projects always pose challenges due to strict safety and security measures as well as stringent compliance requirements. It takes a team of dedicated individuals to meet and exceed the airports expectations while satisfying the contractual needs. Luckily for us, Ajax had a great pool of experience to rely on for assistance when it came to difficult tasks. The first obstacle was finding an answer to, “how can we achieve quality paving while meeting the constricting phasing of the contract?” Since the airport divided the project into multiple phases, it minimized our area of paving while utilizing GPS and 3D modeling. Fortunately, our team, through several discussions and field meetings, came up with plausible solutions to get past that hurdle. On the other hand, the highlight of the project was the development of a sinkhole in the middle of the Taxiway and the piney point reservoir incident which delayed our paving schedule for several weeks. But the best part is, the realization that Ajax has many talented individuals, from laborers to management, who possess valuable experience and positive attitude toward their roles and are more than willing to help when faced with complex problems. Great job to everyone involved in making this project a success!
Sarasota County Resurfacing Project The Sarasota County Resurfacing Project Fiscal Year 2020 Increment 3 consists of roads in a busy section of the County. This project included base repairs, milling and resurfacing, curb work and ADA improvements. The work was in the Gulf Gate neighborhood area. It was inclusive of the Gulf Gate mall area and the main artery of Gulf Gate drive. Paving Gulf Gate and it’s location of the mall area was a large undertaking in order to accommodate the traffic and parking in the area during the duration of this project. The crews and support staff successfully managed this project efficiently and displayed great teamwork.
“It was a large undertaking, when paving Gulf Gate and the mall area, to accomodate traffic and parking in the area during construction.” Quote by Cam Milliken, Superintendent
CONTRACT AMOUNT $2.1 Million
TONNAGE 6,107
SCOPE OF WORK • Taxiway milling and
overlay • Concrete ramp reconstruction • Taxiway edge light demolition • Installation along airfield signage and marking modifications.
Project Write-up by Sam Loumani, Project Manager
PROJECT BID $3.2 Million
TONNAGE 24,000
SCOPE OF WORK • • • •
Base repairs Mill and resurface Curb work ADA improvements
Project Write-up by Nate Hassler, Project Manager 12 Ajax Paving: 2021 Annual Magazine
A Year in Review 13
RSW Cargo Ramp Rehabilitation at Southwest Florida International Airport This project started in the beginning of January 2021 and was a 212 calendar contract with eight separate construction phases. This made for an exciting schedule. Any project that is airside at a major airport is completely different from Roadway construction. The tightened security and restricted access makes planning crucial, along with the many layers of communication. There is always a learning curve when venturing into an airport project. Luckily, our AJAX team had already begun another project at the RSW airport and already knowing the expectations. Knowing the expectations ahead of time helped make for a smooth project. This project is expected to finish ahead of schedule. Great job to everyone who played a part in making this project a success.
“What made this project special was being a part of such a major establishment that was being built in this area.”
$3,865,984.25
TONNAGE 9,490
“Any project that is airside at a major airport is completely different from Roadway construction.”
Asphalt Paving at Sarasota Memorial Hospital This project consisted of paving the new Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Venice, FL. Thank you to Robby Popielarz’s crew, Wally Cabral’s crew, Cody McKeand’s crew, Tommy Richardson’s crew, Phil Nace’s crew, Matt Ford’s crew, Albert Dowling, and Mike Woody for all of your hard work and dedication in seeing this project through to a successful finish. Ajax was so honored to be apart of such a major addition to Venice.
CONTRACT AMOUNT
Project Write-up by Joe Dutton, Project Manager
CONTRACT AMOUNT $901,890
TONNAGE 9,200
Project Write-up by Lauren Taylor, Estimator
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A Year in Review 15
Coral Oaks Golf Course Rehabilitation This project was Coral Oaks Golf Course, which is owned by the City of Cape Coral. The project consisted of some concrete ADA ramp modifications and curbing repairs completed by Tincher Concrete. The 10,900 sy of milling (complete removal) and cleanup was done quickly and efficiently by South Florida Milling. Lee Lamb’s crew did all of the leveling, base repairs of root damaged areas and S-III asphalt paving. Lee’s crew did a great job as they faced challenges in a parking lot that had a lot sand, unleveled areas, drainage concerns and potholes. Southern Striping wrapped up the project with a beautiful striping job that included new ADA sign installation and strategically placed car stops. The project was started on a Monday and 100% completed and signed off by Saturday morning. Well done to all involved.
$145,000
TONNAGE 800
SCOPE OF WORK • Mill and pave with
leveling • Root damage repairs Striping • Signage
“Lee’s crew did a great job as they faced challenges in a parking lot that had a lot sand, unleveled areas, drainage concerns and potholes.”
Immokalee Regional Airport Taxiway C Extension This project at Immokalee Regional Airport was let to extend the length of the current taxiway by approximently 2,800 linear feet, providing an additional route for aircraft to access the airport’s second runway. This project also called for installation of new lighting systems and signage, and improved the drainage adjacent to the taxiway. This project was very successful and all aspects ran about as smooth as a project could, with very few issues. The CEI, Collier County, and Ajax’s subcontractors all worked very well together to complete a timely and financially successful project with no deficiencies. As the job came to a close, there were some leftover funds that the CEI and County elected to utilize towards additional milling and resurfacing and provided Ajax with 400 additional tons of paving as a bonus. I would like to thank former Project Engineer, Jared Hardey, for managing the field; Chris Ance’s paving crew for providing a smooth taxiway; and the rest of the Fort Myers staff involved to help make this project successful.
CONTRACT AMOUNT
Project Write-up by Lee Strauss, Estimator
CONTRACT AMOUNT $1,616779.55
TONNAGE 3,100
SCOPE OF WORK • New extension of
current Taxiway • Airfield lighting • Drainage improvements
This project was very successful and all aspects ran about as smooth as a project could.” Project Write-up by Elliott Kresse, Project Manager 16 Ajax Paving: 2021 Annual Magazine
A Year in Review 17
I-275 (SR 93) Bus On Shoulder Design Build Project This project was the first of its kind in Florida. It involved the widening of the asphalt shoulder along the I-275 corridor in Pinellas County from south of Gandy Blvd to 22nd Ave for a pilot program to allow Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) to run express buses more efficiently through the area. The goal of the project was to help busses avoid congestion along I-275 by creating a “buses only” travel lane for use during specific traffic conditions on their route from St Petersburg to Tampa. For Ajax, the project consisted of designing and constructing the new widened shoulders, installation of new lighting along the roadway, and the installation of a ramp metering system on four specific ramps. The ramp metering systems help to control the flow of traffic from four specific onramps onto I-275 to ensure no busses traveling on the shoulder have any potential conflicts with incoming traffic. Construction was completed in February of 2021 with PSTA beginning services utilizing the upgraded corridor in June of 2021.
2020–2022 Countywide Pavement Preservation This was a three year County Work Order style contract, focusing on resurfacing main arterial roads and neighborhoods within Pinellas County. We have had many MOT and paving foreman on different work orders throughout the last two years. This project began in October 2019. Matt Ford, Donnie Plensdorf, and Chris Rutherford were all stand outs, constantly being recognized for the daily efforts, and going above and beyond. The amount of local recognition and ‘thank you’s’ from the community was truly a breath of fresh air this year. We received more compliments than complaints, and that is hard to come by these days. Thank you to everyone involved in making this project a success!
“The amount of local recognition and ‘thank you’s’ from the community was truly a breath of fresh air this year.”
CONTRACT AMOUNT $4,924,003.24
TONNAGE 7,000
SCOPE OF WORK • • • •
Shoulder widening Resurfacing Ramp metering Roadway lighting
Project Write-up by Dee Rodriguez, Project Manager
CONTRACT AMOUNT $16,084,079
TONNAGE 118,500
SCOPE OF WORK • Resurfacing main
arterial roads and neighborhoods
Project Write-up by Isabell Troxell, Project Manager 18 Ajax Paving: 2021 Annual Magazine
A Year in Review 19
AJAX ITCP
Where’d You Get That? Ajax Invests in PPE! As Safety Director, I am often asked, where do you get Ajax’s P.P.E. (Personal Protective Equipment)? Ajax is always keeping an eye out for the latest and greatest P.P.E. For example, we switched over to class 3 vests with sleeves, and added leggings and the newest Halo lights for night work. We are also looking into different hard hats and safety glasses for the upcoming year. Please feel free to contact Eric, Bob or myself with any suggestions or ideas you come up with. Below is some general information on how much different items of PPE cost. While Ajax is proud of our investment in PPE for our employees, it is important to take care of your PPE just as you would take care of your equipment.
$120 Halo Lights
Safety Message: Are We an Industry Leader? Written by: Mandy Kustra, Director of Safety Take a moment to ask yourself, are we an Industry leader when it comes to ITCP (internal traffic control plans)? I am often asked just that. It is an important question I need to provide answers to when asked by contracting partners, FTBA associates and the insurance companies we work with. The answer is yes. We have improved the ITCP over the past several years to a point where we are the industry leader and continue to move the ball further up the field. The ITCP is the playbook with all the essential information needed to keep people safe for that job, on that day. The ITCP is loaded with vital safety information for workers on foot and it can also be used to defend the company for future lawsuits. We use symbols to label truck routes and give the trucks the big picture before they arrive. We name subcontractors as well as their scope of work, which lets everyone know who will be on site that day. Additionally, there is an index that details safety for inspectors, employees and drivers. If the ITCP of yesterday was helpful, todays ITCP is crucial for workers to get around safely in the work zone.
$150
$30 Hard Hats
$2 Glasses
CLASS 3 VEST
$2 Gloves
$8 Leggings
“If the ITCP of yesterday was helpful, todays ITCP is crucial for workers to get around safely in the work zone.” 20 Ajax Paving: 2021 Annual Magazine
A Year in Review 21
Record Breaking Year! Written by: Mickey Cox, General Manager of Plants Overall, the plants have had a great year. One area we are excelling is in outside sales, we excelled in outside sales where we had a great year. It takes a team to meet our customer’s needs. Thanks to Roger Owens, Sonny Webb and our plant operators for working together to keep our customers happy and making Ajax their partner of choice. At Ajax we are always excited to see employees within the company taking on new responsibilities. We are also happy to welcome new employees to our Ajax team. The personnel changes at the plants include Tanner Plensdorf who transferred from construction to be a new plant mechanic to train under and work with Mike Eaton. At Plant 3 in Palmetto, we have two new plant operators. Michael Bosco was hired in September and has quickly learned how to operate and maintain the plant. In July, Tyler Taylor made the move from Ajax construction to train as a plant operator. At Plant 5 in Odessa, Sarah Sexton came from an Ajax MOT crew to train as a plant operator. As part of her training, she also learned to operate a loader. Plant 8 in Lake Wales has a whole new crew. Matt Vogel has been promoted to be the plant foreman. Shane Stewart came from construction and is being trained as a plant operator. Pervis Stinson was hired this year as the loader operator. 2021 has had its challenges with the resurgence of Covid 19 which affected many of our employees. We are grateful that our plant employees who contracted Covid 19 have recovered and have been able to return to work. I would like to thank our great employees for their dedication, flexibility and hard work that all contributes to in making Ajax successful.
“At Ajax we are always excited to see employees within the company taking on new responsibilities.” 22 Ajax Paving: 2021 Annual Magazine
Updates All Around: 2021 Plant Advancements Plant 2 in Punta Gorda new baghouse over Christmas shutdown. Plant 3 in Palmetto has installed a new hot oil heater which is proving to be more energy efficient than the previous one. Plant 4 in Fort Myers has had many improvements in 2021. The silos became operational, and this has helped increase the plants daily throughput. The new lab is completed, and it is a welcome addition. The flow of truck traffic was reconfigured with a new road and the new route has reduced congestion. With great coordination, effort and planning we prepared for a large project involving modifications to the plant. In July we shut down for two weeks to complete this work. We replaced the drum and trunnions. We also reconfigured the collector for the cold feed bins. We removed the slinger belt and replaced it with a drum inlet chute. Plant 7 in Largo is finishing the work for our new control house at the plant. It will be finished in December 2021.
The long-awaited completion and opening of Plant 8 in Lake Wales has finally come. On Oct 25th the plant opened for business. Thanks to all of those involved in this process for their hard work in getting everything completed in order to get this plant open for business. We look forward to working and supplying asphalt in this new market.
A Year in Review 23
2021 INDUSTRY AWARDS The hardwork and triumph from our crews and project teams continue to be recognized. Congratulations to all of the employees who worked on our award winning projects. O R G A N I Z ATI O N
AWARD T IT LE
PROJ E CT
Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida (ACAF)
A.P. Bolton Award District 1 Overall Champion
SR 82 Second Phase Expansion of Shawnee Road to Alabama Road
Design Build Institute of America (DBIA)
Florida Transportation Project of the Year Award
I-275 Bus on Shoulder lane between Gandy Blvd and US 19 in Pinellas County
Florida Transportation Builders’ Association (FTBA)
Best in Construction - Design Build Award
I-275 Bus on Shoulder lane between Gandy Blvd and US 19 in Pinellas County
Best in Construction - Special Significance Award
SR 80 expansion from Ft. Myers to West Palm Beach
Community Involvement Award
‘Pave It Forward’ Community Involvement Program
National Asphalt Paving Association (NAPA)
Quality in Construction Award
US 41 Bypass between Center Rd and Gulf Coast Blvd. in Venice, FL
National Asphalt Paving Association (NAPA)
Quality in Construction Awards
US 19 in from intersection with US 41 to Terra Ceia Rd. in Terra Ceia, FL SR 50 from Lockhart Road to east of Remington Road in Brooksville, FL SR 674 between US 41 and College Chase Drive in Ruskin, FL SR 674 between Commercial Center Drive and US 301 in Sun City Center, FL 66th St. North and Ulmerton Road intersection in Largo, FL I-4 between 50th Street and McIntosh Road in Hillsborough County
US 41 Blackburn Point Rd to Preymore St. in Sarasota, FL Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport Taxiway Bravo US 41 from 10th to 14th in Sarasota, FL SR 31 from Myrtle Slough to Desoto County Line in Punta Gorda, FL SR 80 between Indian Hills Dr. and CR 83 in Clewiston, FL US 27 from SR 78 to 5th St. in Moore Haven Immokalee Regional Airport Taxiway C I-275 Bus on Shoulder lane between Gandy Blvd and US 19 in Pinellas County, FL Cortez Road between 119th and 86th St. in Bradenton, FL
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The Equipment Division has embraced a culture that encourages continuous improvement through feedback. One example of this is our Morning Scheduling Meetings (MSM). Born from an idea during a training class, Eric Delaney said “Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all get together every morning and brief each other on repair status and daily plans?” One of Eric’s biggest challenges as Ajax’s Maintenance Scheduler was trying to coordinate activities all over southwest Florida. As a result, the team implemented MSM, a brief daily meeting (usually 15 minutes or less) where technicians discuss repair statuses, parts, or any challenges they may have. Using their smart phones, all technicians attend this daily conference call. This does three things: 1. It helps our maintenance scheduler stay on top of work orders in a timely manner 2. It creates a team atmosphere and reminds all of us to be safe and to have a good day 3. Improves our efficiencies through improved communication Almost immediately we saw our schedule compliance jump from 67% to 85%! Nice work Eric and nice work team!
Shop Mechanic Spotlights
Behind the Scenes: Shop Team Second to NONE! Ajax would like to recognize the hard work & dedication of our maintenance team and heavy equipment technicians. They work hard every day, and sometimes night, to ensure Ajax’s equipment is reliable and available for our crews. Pictured from Left to Right: Justin Scharping, Marco Rada, Dan Maitland, Frank Wills, Dean Gallant, Eric Delaney, Clay Collins, Charles Lindsay, Betty Myers, Harry Hoxsie, Kevin Kerr, Dennis Wilson, Jerry North, Dom Figueroa, Kenneth (Chip) Gaines, Dave Reed.
Recognizing all our area shop team members for their dedication and hard work! Stephen Collins Dan Maitland Eric Delaney Adriana Rahe David Reed
Dominique Figueroa Patrick Milardo Kenneth Gaines Dean Gallant
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Harry Hoxsie Kevin Kerr Charles Lindsay Jerry North
Marco Rada Sr. Justin Scharping Francis Willis Jr. Dennis Wilson
Justin Scharping is the Shop Foreman at our main shop in Venice. He supervises all maintenance activities within our main shop. Justin started out as a field mechanic in Fort Myers in 2013 and advanced to the Shop Foreman position in 2018. We appreciate Justin’s hard work and dedication to the success of Ajax Equipment Division!
Charlie is the Shop Foreman in our Tampa shop in Tampa and has been with Ajax for 12 years. He’s a 26 year Army veteran and enjoys finish carpentry when he’s not working. He likes the family atmosphere here at Ajax and enjoys working our equipment to keep the field team up and running.
Kevin Kerr is the Fort Myers Shop Mechanic. Keving stood out at his first safety day. Dan Maitland stated, “I still remember that day when multiple truck drivers stood and personally thanked the “new guy” for what he did in the shop for the trucks and drivers.” With that, and his greetings when you walk in, he has made a positive impact on the fleet and the Ajax Team. Kevin continues to provide great support and innovation in Fort Myers and across Ajax. A Year in Review 27
Skid-Steers (201668 and 201744) This event took place in Ajax’s Venice Shop from March 23rd to March 26th, 2021. The team transformed two Skid-Steers, equipment numbers 201668 /and 201744. Mechanic, Frank Wills, did a great job leading Team Clean Machine which consisted of Skylair Mrazik, Mike Wishart, and Stacey Newsome.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT At Ajax we believe in continual improvement across all parts of our business. We strive to achieve a culture centered on continual improvement, and to do this we have to adapt certain principles such as accountability, discipline, and standardization. We take pride in our equipment and it starts with the operators. Following operator care standards and performing CLAIRE (clean, lube, adjust, inspect, repair, eliminate) keeps our equipment healthy and reliable. Thank you for your continued hard work towards our continuous improvement program!
Service Truck (251636) and Trailer (301678) This event took place in Ajax’s Tampa Shop from May 17th to May 20th, 2021. The team transformed a Service Truck (251636) and a Trailer (301678). Mechanic, Tony Rada, did a great job leading Team Tony and The Gang which consisted of Nictavis Crawley, Darren Wiggins, Marc Swarrow, and Brett Wyrick.
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Dump Trucks (351734 and 351901) This event took place in Ajax’s Ft. Myers Shop from February 1st, to February 4th, 2021. The team transformed two Dump Trucks, equipment numbers 351734 /and 351901. Team Road Bandits consisted of Daniel Peters, Mike Wendt, Manny Valle and Kevin Kerr.
Service Truck (251946), Trailer (301901), and Skid-Steers (201522 and 201912), This event took place in Ajax’s Venice Shop from July 20th to July 23, 2021. The team transformed two Skid-Steers (201522 and 201912), a Service Truck (251946) and a Trailer (301901). Mechanic, Tyler Bowser, did a great job leading ‘The Conquerers’ with Wes Moore, Scott Sugent, and Charlie Prince by his side.
Scan QR Code to watch CLAIRE event videos! 28 Ajax Paving: 2021 Annual Magazine
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Komatsu Loader (200854) This event took place in Ajax’s Ft. Myers Shop from September 13th to September 17, 2021. The team transformed a Komatsu Loader (200854). Mechanic, Kevin Kerr, did a great job leading Team ‘Maximum Overdrive’ which consisted of Rickey Helsel, Todd McKay, Wes Moore, and Andrew Merriman.
Weiler Material Transfer Vehicle (951668) This event took place in Ajax’s Venice Shop from November 8th to November 12, 2021. The team transformed a MTV (951668). Mechanics, Tony Rada and Nictavis Crawley, did a great job leading ‘The Magnificent 7’ which consisted of Bobby Burrell, Orrin Arnold, Brandon Thomas, Kyle Elder, and Raul Munoz Solar.
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Ajax Paving’s Annual “Fill-that-Truck” Thanksgiving Food Drive Ajax Paving’s “2nd Annual Fill-thatTruck Thanksgiving Food Drive” was held between September 10 – November 10, 2021. The food drive was a great success and we were able to beat our collection goal. Yellow “construction collection barrels” were distributed company-wide in all three of Ajax’s corporate offices -- Tampa, Venice and Fort Myers. Ajax also enlisted support of our local community as “partner locations.” Ajax collected monetary and non-perishable donations from subcontractors and vendors as well. Opening up the food drive to the public gives more people and businesses the opportunity to get involved, thus allowing Ajax to have a larger impact with overall donation amount. New in 2021, Ajax decided to have area offices volunteer at the organizations they would be donating to. Employees spent three to five hours helping sort goods, hand out food and in one case paint and organize a new facility. In total, Ajax donated a total of 17,770 pounds of food. It was a record year! We would not of been successful without the support of our employees, our subcontractors and our friends within our local community. Thank you to all involved in helping make 2021 a record breaking year! Ajax’s 2021 Fill-that-Truck Thanksgiving Food Drive donations benefited the following non-profits. Tampa Donations – Metropolitan Ministries. Venice Donations – Charlotte County Homeless Coalition. Fort Myers Donations – Christ Central Church.
Ajax Paving’s 20th Annual Charity Golf Tournament Ajax Paving’s Annual Charity Golf Tournament took place on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at Legacy Golf Club in Sarasota. A total of 144 players and 35 Ajax volunteers attended. The day began at 7:00 a.m with a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. With the support from attendees, sponsors and the help of our volunteers, Ajax donated $72,000 to various non-profit organizations throughout Florida’s Gulf Coast with the funds raised. The planning of the tournament starts in December, and an internal group of Ajax employees deemed the “Golf Committee” begin meeting in January and then monthly leading up to tournament day. The involvement of our employees in our Ajax Annual Golf Tournament is paramount and it would not be as successful of an event without their support. New in 2021, Ajax organized a “Ryder Cup” on Friday, May 14th. The top sponsors of the tournament were invited to golf. The Saturday morning shift volunteers also went to the course on Friday evening to go over a game plan for the following day. This allowed for an even smoother morning on the day of tournament and some additional team bonding!
Congratulations to Southwest Hydrolics for winning 1st place!
Congratulations to Advanced Asphalt for winning 2nd place!
Congratulations to Rush Truck for winning 3rd place!
A big thank you to our sponsors and volunteers, we appreciate you!
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Thank You
Ajax is grateful for the hardwork and dedication you have given over the years.
5 Years
RETIREMENT
1 Year
Paul Anderson
Marquis Alford
Charles Prince Jr.
Omar Berry
Jeffrey Allen
David Ramirez Morales
Nathan Camp
Alex Berrios
Jason Reiff
Eric Delaney
Ivan Boychuk
Robert Richards
Joseph Dutton
Terrell Burdette
William Roseberry
Bruce Essex
Paul Cobo
Taylor Shaner
Jeffrey Garding
Charles Conway
McClendon Shaw
Osmani Gutierrez
Samuel Daniel
Joshua Sprague
Charles Hogue
William Ducher
Scott Sugent
Marcus Hudson
John Englerth
Michelle Thibeau
Alvin Hughes
Christopher Ferrara
Jonathan Tiffany
Jennifer Kline
Steven Francis
Jose Torres
Esequiel Llumbet
Daniel Gasser
Adrian Vazquez Gonzales
Todd McKay
Christopher Golly
Helver Velasquez
Alexander Moore
Jason Gosa
Steve Palenicek
Luis Hernandez Reyes
Michael Peery
Zachary Jahn
Sandra Philipps
Thomas James III
Andre Decraene
Gregory Reynolds
Jessica Kiesel
Jacob Gouveia
Javier Rodriguez Rosario Jimmy Lam
Tony Tovar
James Sirmons Jr.
David Lepeska
Howard Smith
Duncan McKillop
Isabell Troxell
Roman Mota Alvarez
Kyle Watkins
George Muncan
Eric Dasaro
Donna Weeks
Perry Newton
Carlos Dennis
Nathaniel West III
Tyler Noble
Matthew Desotell
Michael Wishart
Alexander Perez
Scott Gilliard
Austin Wright
Tanner Plensdorf
30 Years Rickey Helsel
25 Years Edward Batha Erica Washington
20 Years John Duncan Robert Popielarz II Matthew Vogel Robert Wadsworth
15 Years
10 Years Woodrow Armstrong
Mark Gracie Garland Hopkins Mark Parrish
Thank you for your hard work and dedication to our A-team throughout your career! The below are all of our Ajax employees who retired in 2021.
John Fleming John Fleming was a key member of the asphalt plants sales team for over fourteen years. John brought with him years of experience acquired from being a business owner in the asphalt laydown industry. John quickly grasped how we did things at Ajax and looked out for our best interest. One of the main things I liked about John was his willingness to question how things were and challenge Ajax to be better.
James “Jimmy” Frank Jimmy Frank was a plant operator at the Odessa facility for over thirty-two years, with twenty of those being with Ajax. Jimmy was one of the most trust worthy and loyal employees you could ever ask for. He was a stickler for having paperwork correct for the office staff and helped keep us in compliance with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Ronald Sweeris Ronald Sweeris was one of the first flowboy drivers that Ajax hired. Ron was always known for having one of the best maintained trucks in the fleet as well as being a leader in training and developing new drivers. Ron’s leadership and commitment to being at work each and every day will be missed.
Tyler Taylor
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Best Overall - Roman Mota
Best Crew - Wally Cabral
Best Equipment - Cameron Milliken
A jax Annual Photo Contest
Best Plant - Rusty Reynolds
Honorable MentionMcKenzie Brindley
‘Kids of Ajax’ - Cody Patsey
Best View From Office - Duncan McKillop Honorable MentionTaylor Shaner
Best Trucking - Eugene Hamlin
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Honorable Mention - William Gearheart A Year in Review 37
A group of Ajax employees attended Dishes and Wishes benefiting Make-a-Wish on October 15, 2021.
A group of employees from the Venice Division spend an afternoon cleaning a new facility for the Port Charlotte Homeless Coalition.
Andrew Cary, Superintendent; Donna Weeks, CDL Driver; Isabell Troxell, Project Manager and a student from Nelson Elementary school pose for a picture at the Great American Teach in at Nelson Elementary.
Josh Campbell, Vince Hafeli, Taylor Shaner and Adriana Rahe drop off pallets of food for Ajax’s Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.
Garrett Fons, Joe Dutton and Lee Strauss participate in the Dave Fons Memorial Fishing Tournament.
Jayson Brown and Mark Miller participate in a Clay Shoot benefiting the Boy Scouts of America.
The A-Team set a goal in 2020 to advance our community involvement initiatives by creating Ajax’s “Pave it Forward” program. This program is a multi-faceted approach to giving back to the communities we live and work in – which has a been a guiding principle since 1981.
72k
66
45
1,487
17,770lbs
Pieces of school supplies Dollar amount raised Employees involved Number of Amount of food donated to Title 1 schools and donated from in volunteer events in organizations Ajax donated in Ajax’s in Sarasota, Hendry and Ajax Annual Golf 2021. contributed to in 2021. Hillsborough Counties. Annual Thanksgiving Tournament. Food Drive
Roger Owens, Mike Morgan, Angela Wike, Scott Pittman, Isabell Troxell and Trish Moore spend an afternoon cleaning up the Gandy beach.
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Danielle Bentivigna, Mandy Kustra, Crystal Lesko and friends participate in a 5k for Suicide Prevention and Awareness.
A group of Tampa employees passed out “Boxes of Hope” for Metropolitan Ministries during the holidays. A Year in Review 39
S I D of K
Ajax Paving’s Scholarship Program
Congratulations! Emma Hudson (Marc Hudson) • Graduated in 2021 from Charlotte High School • Involved in FFA, Tarpon Leadership Academy, softball, swimming, track • Started at Charlotte Technical College this year part-time • Will finish LPN nursing program at Charlotte Technical College and then plans to go to UCF for the RN program
Samantha Johnson’s son Caleb checking out the trucks at the Tampa Office!
Lee Strauss’s daughter Mackenzi all ready to go to work with daddy!
Braxton Cox • Graduated in 2018 from Braden River High School • Currently working towards an associate’s degree before joining the Navy and applying to the Navy Seal program Colton Cox • Graduated in 2018 • 2-year mission in Brazil • Getting an associate’s degree before joining the Navy and applying to the Navy Seal/ Special Warfare program
Adriana Rahe’s son Maverick “working hard” in the office!
Chris Golly’s dauhter ready for a big day at work!
Myrtis Harrison showing off how the plant lab works!
Jordan Klein • Graduated 2021 from Venice High School • Involved in community outreach projects, and clubs at Venice High; Key Club, HOSA for future health professionals • Will be attending Meridian College in the fall studying sonography • Plans to be an OBGYN ultrasound technician
*Izek Thomas • Graduated 2021 from Wesley Chapel High School • Plans to attend USF and major in Animal Science, then NC State for veterinary degree
Danielle Bentivegna’s daughter McKenzie has excellent artistic talent!
Josh Campbell, Mike Woody and Dave Reid show their children the Ajax office for bring your child to work day!
*Josephine McCall • Graduated 2021 from George Jenkins High School • Plans to attend USF and major in Business/Marketing and wants to into Public Relations
Congratulations to Eddie Purnell and his wife on the arrival of their baby.
NEW_aRRIVALS
Cody Patsey’s daughter has a matching truck with her daddy!
Congratulations to Felipe Jaramillo and his wife on the arrival of their baby girl, Sarah Lizette Jaramillo.
Congratulations to Dee Rodriguez and his wife on the arrival of their baby girl, Scarlet.
Congratulations to Shane Stewart and his wife on the arrival of their baby girl.
*Not pictured but recieved Ajax scholarship in 2021
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Mail Bag
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An Annual Publication for Ajax Employees. Thank you for all that you do.
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