Employee Spotlight | George Franklin Justice, III

Western would like to recognize George Justice as this month's Employee Spotlight.

Kudos, George—and thank you for being a valued member of the Western team!


Q&A with George Justice

01

What is your role at Western?

I am a sales/project manager with St. Louis Concrete.

02

What do you like most about Western?

I like that Western employees strive to help each other. Whenever I have a question or want to learn something, there is always someone willing to assist me.

03

What are three words to describe Western?

Innovative, efficient, and professional.

04

What is your proudest moment at Western?

The proudest moment I had was during my first year with the company. A project we were working on was just about finished and the customer we were working for came out and said that he was beyond pleased with Western’s work and professionalism. Ever since we have been his go-to contractor and I love doing business with him.

05

What has been your favorite project at Western?

My favorite project so far would have to be Monsanto K Café. It was an underground café that needed to be excavated around and then waterproofed. It was the first big job I ever sold, and it helped me become a better project manager with all of the obstacles it presented.

06

How did you first learn about Western?

I first learned about Western from one of my college professors at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Dr. Chris Gordon reached out to me after I graduated and recommended that I look into Western since he thought the company would be a good fit for me.

07

Before working at Western, what was the most unusual or interesting job you've ever had?

The most interesting job I had prior to working at Western was as a drone pilot. We would use drones to conduct surveys on the exteriors of buildings that weren’t easily accessible and then compile a report for the customer.

08

What advice do you have for prospective Western candidates?

I would say try your hardest and always listen. You may not begin as the best, but everyone values a hard worker. If you always listen, you will always learn something new.

09

What have you gained from Working at Western?

I’ve gained a deeper understanding and respect for all of the trades in our industry. Our jobs wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t have a great team.

10

What is on your wish list for the next 10 years with Western?

Eventually, I would like to become a branch manager if the right opportunity arises.

11

If you could switch your job with anyone else within Western, whose job would you want?

Carter Pogue. He is an excellent mentor, very knowledgeable, and knows how to run a branch efficiently.

12

What about you? What do you personally enjoy?

I love competing in obstacle course races, half marathons, marathons, and strong man competitions. Also, I enjoy offering personal training to anyone who wants to better their life. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing someone positively change their life.

Click here to view all of our Employee Spotlights.

George Justice exemplifies the definition of a team player. Despite only having four years of experience, George is a constant go-to guy in our office. He often helps senior staff with IT questions, shows foreman's projects, assists with takeoffs for other project managers, loads trucks, and is the first to volunteer to carry in supplies & snacks. He never complains and is always eager to help.

‘Excellent; thank you, George! We appreciate you and Western (in that order 😉).‘—Lena Vitale Gunn, Senior Real Estate Manager.

George inspires everyone around him to be better at their job and, most notably, a better person.

During the holiday season/holiday break, our branch had some employees that had to quarantine. George volunteered to help those out who were unable to go to job sites. He would start his day 1-2 hours early to visit job sites and work 1-2 hours late to stay on track.

Carter Pogue
Senior Branch Manager | St. Louis, MO (Concrete)
Western Specialty Contractors

Waterproof Coating System | UOM Boathouse, MN

(St. Louis, MO, March 11, 2021) The University of Minnesota is one of few universities in the country to boast an on-campus boathouse. Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, the two-story Irene Claudia Kroll Boathouse features a 35-seat erg room, full locker-room, boat storage, coaches’ offices, and indoor tank for the team to practice.

Western Specialty Contractors – Minneapolis Branch teamed up with Minnesota-based General Contractor Gardner Builders to make repairs to the facility’s second floor where the 7,500-gallon practice tank is located.

Over time, water that had splashed or leaked out of the tank had seeped through the existing flooring to the space below. The facility had been constructed in 2007 with precast flooring planks and a nonstructural topping slab.

Gardner Builders removed the tank, failed waterproofing, and installed a drainage system for a new tank.

Western’s crew then repaired the concrete around the new drains, as well as cracks in the concrete slab where the water had leaked through.

After all the repairs were made, but before the new tank was installed, Western installed a new 125-mil Tremco PUMA waterproof coating system to protect the concrete floor and prevent further water leakage.

“The waterproofing is a very heavy duty and durable system that comes with a 20-year warranty but will actually last much longer than that,” said Minneapolis Assistant Branch Manager David Grandbois. “To ensure that the floor was monolithic and free from variances, Western performed an electronic leak detection test on the floor, which found no discrepancies.”

Grandbois said the project was challenged by coordinating the timing of the coating application with work performed by the general contractor and the other trades on the job. Because the facility was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, the construction team did not have to coordinate their efforts around the rowing team’s activities.

The project started at the end of November 2020 and was completed in March 2021.

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational, and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit https://WesternSpecialtyContractors.com.

Media Contact

Jennifer Beidle
314-607-9459
jennifer@jbeidlepr.com