Sundt is committed to hiring a diverse workforce and we are continually looking for chances to employ the industry’s best people and introduce others to exciting opportunities in construction. We are proud to feature a series on our blog that provides insights into accomplishments made by our company’s veterans, women and minorities while highlighting successful careers and opportunities. We’re proud of our diverse culture and thankful for each employee-owner’s contributions. Please follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter as we celebrate the things that make Sundt an employer of choice where people thrive in a culture of diversity.
Jodie Marsh is a US Army veteran who works for Sundt as an Area Quality Manager. He served his country from 1985 to 2007, enlisting after the job he had to pay for college working the wheat fields in Montana was eliminated after a drought killed the crops. In the Army, he was stationed across the United States as well as Germany, Kuwait, Iraq, Japan and the Ukraine. Jodie filled various roles, including Platoon Leader, Company Commander, Intelligence Officer at the Battalion and Brigade levels, Brigade Logistics Officer, Assistant Brigade Operations Officer and Forward Observer.
Jodie began working for Sundt in 1994 as a carpenter. Following that project, he was transferred to Phoenix and made it his home base. He has held several positions with the company, including Concrete Foreman, Recruiter, Project Engineer and Project Superintendent.
How does your military experience make you a better Sundt employee-owner?
The military expects soldiers to be leaders and to be accountable for their actions. Having a “can-do” attitude has made me successful in many of the positions I have held at Sundt.
Why is it so important for a company like Sundt to hire veterans?
Leadership is not an easy thing to teach. The military does a great job providing people with the ability to lead others and to make effective decisions in a timely manner. There are hardly any decisions made where all the information needed to make the best decision is available at that point. The military decision-making process teaches soldiers the time value of a decision and how to make the best decision given limited information.
What qualities do veterans possess that make them good employees?
Most veterans come to Sundt already having instilled in them most of our company’s core values. The military is huge on Integrity, Personal Responsibility, Community Service and Safety. The military also instills in soldiers the ability to see things through to the end. Don’t quit until the fight is over and the objective has been attained.
How often do you run across fellow veterans with the company?
Almost on a daily basis. A lot of my closest friends are from a military background.
What would you say to veterans who want to work for Sundt?
Sundt is a place that understands the values they would bring to the company and the culture here supports those values.