As young children, we all thought of the way we grew up as normal. It wasn't until we became a little older that we discovered the different ways people live. Livia and Wade (shown above) are growing up in a construction family, which they each showcased at a recent career day at school. The lanyard around Livia's neck carries an old badge from an Associated General Contractors Conference that her dad, Aaron, had attended more than a couple of years ago. Wade wore an old C.D. Smith Construction sweatshirt and hard hat and grabbed a tape measure before heading off to school to showcase his father's collection of construction tools and swag.
Aaron Westhuis is a son, father, husband and Director of Field Operations here at C.D. Smith. Like Aaron, we all have various family and job titles. And work and life are bound to overlap and influence everyone in our lives. But I've noticed that overlap to be more pronounced in a construction family. So I asked Aaron a few questions to find out why that seems to be the case.
Q: What parts of your career inspired Livia and Wade?
AW: I feel that visiting a variety of jobs over the years inspired them. At some point, wherever I was working, my wife would bring the kids for a visit. They saw different stages of completion on all sorts of projects. The biggest part was remodeling our house - bathroom addition, flooring, landscaping, kitchen remodel... They were always trying to get involved with whatever I was doing, especially Wade.
Q: Are there any particularly impactful moments or projects that come to mind?
AW: Yes. Two projects come to mind: the UW-Madison Witte Residence Hall and the Hills Farms Parking Structure. The above picture with Wade was taken on July 22, 2017. The kids and my wife came down to the Witte Hall project on my birthday. Wade really liked the 250-ton crane. Livia came to the Hill Farms Parking structure when I was on that project the previous summer (August of 2016) and saw a 275-ton crane.
Q: What do you think gets Livia and Wade most excited about construction careers or the industry in general?
AW: I asked them, and here's what they said.
LW: I love seeing the interior design on the insides of the buildings.
WW: I really like the equipment and teamwork.
In addition to inspiring his own kids, Aaron actively promotes growth opportunities in the construction trades. He's contributed knowledge from personal experience to promote field careers during industry events, such as Construction Appreciation Week. He speaks to students about valuable trade skills in preparation for careers in construction and life in general as part of C.D. Smith's K-12 School Partnership Program. Thank you, Aaron, for sharing a little bit about your construction family and living an awesome example of what it means to be a leader for your family and the industry.
Date: Mar 31, 2021 | Author: Tracy Lisowe
K-12 School Partnership Program
Construction Appreciation Week
UW-Madison Witte Residence Hall
