We pride ourselves on service, quality product, and being a good neighbor.  As I look at the jobs we’ve completed and the continuing procession of projects coming in the door, I see great results from all three goals.  On Thursday, May 11th, Jerry DeVries and I were Manatt’s representatives at the Grand Opening of the new addition at the Grundy County Hospital.    This addition has given the hospital and its patients a great improvement in the services that are available locally.  As you all know, our small, rural hospitals are struggling to meet the needs of local residents.  This addition has drawn specialists out to Grundy Center.  People now get help that before, they had to drive a minimum of 45 minutes to get.  It was extremely satisfying to be thanked so many times for our donation to this project.  During the last few months, I’ve had the privilege of participating in several home shows.  All of them benefited us and enabled our employees to meet potential customers, local contractors, and just local people in general.   It makes a person feel great when the organizers thank you for participating in their local show, even though I know it helps us just as much.

We also organized an open house for the Prairie Lakes Church with United and the Iowa Ready-Mix Concrete Association.  We wanted to highlight this 52,000 square foot, award-winning facility because of its usage of insulated concrete forms all the way to the roofline, even in the 30 feet tall sanctuary.  The church’s members were great hosts and showed us a truly remarkable facility that meets the needs of its members.  Several members have told me that, as their congregation continues to grow, insulated concrete forms will be a part of any new additions.  They love the quiet environment ICF’s have created. We are spending more and more time developing our places in the community.  This slow process has and will continue to pay benefits to our customers.  I greatly appreciate the time local managers and drivers spend helping out in their hometowns and the towns in which they work.   It’s a great way to show how much we care.