Podcast appearances and mentions of Herb R Sargent

Tim Folster started at Sargent in 1979, fresh out of college and assigned to a road crew in Kenduskeag. He retired 40 years later, having worked as a foreman, general superintendent, and head of operations through many major chapters the company has lived through.In this episode, Tim covers a lot of ground. He talks about the early days of H.E. Sargent, what it was like to work under Jim Sargent during the growth years, and what the company felt like before and after the sale to foreign ownership in 1988. He's candid about what that era did to the company and what it meant when Herb R. Sargent bought H.E. Sargent in 2005.You'll also hear Tim on the expansion into the Mid-Atlantic, the wind farm years, the early days of the ESOP, and what he thinks carries a company through the bad stretches as much as the good ones.Forty years puts you in the room for a lot.If you liked this week's episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website.https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us

Herb R. Sargent is the president and CEO of Sargent Corporation, an infrastructure construction firm based in Stillwater, Maine.  Founded by his grandfather Herb E. Sargent in 1926 with a used dump truck and a strong work ethic as his assets, the company now has hundreds of employees owners working in New England and the mid-Atlantic regions. Herb and host Missy Scherber dig into workforce development, the advantages of employee stock ownership plans and the importance of investing in the well-being and prosperity of your people. They also discuss: Buying back the family business Being intentional about training your workforce and creating career paths Hiring managers that allow you to focus on the bigger picture Leading through difficult situations  

Beer? Or a podcast? Lets do both! Several times I have told Herb, "You realize this would make a great podcast. So he thought we should do both! In a world where Organizational Culture is such a buzz word, Herb R. Sargent, President of Sargent Corp, lays down their approach and I have to admit that it is a solid one. Take away all the fluff and incentive programs and what do you get? A solid culture that is continually moving forward.

Herb R. Sargent, President and CEO of Maine-based Sargent Corp, has an incredibly unique story because he's third-generation construction while also being a first-generation business owner.In 1926, Herb Sargent's grandfather started a heavy construction business called H. E Sargent with a dump truck and steam shovel. The company expanded and changed over the decades as Herb's dad and Herb himself joined the family business to build airports, interstates, and dams.In 1988, a large French company purchased H. E Sargent. After a few years of working for the changing business, Herb R. Sargent thought he could start his own business. So he did.He not only started a new business, called Sargent and Sargent, but grew it so fast that in 2005, they purchased H. E Sargent back from the French when the company was over four times the size of his own. The best part about this was that his grandfather was alive to see the company back in the Sargent family.The two companies merged to become what's now Sargent Corporation -- a heavy civil construction company with over 400 people and work in seven states across the Northeast.Sargent represents the other group of companies BuildWitt's proud to serve, beyond younger companies with younger owners. Those who have decades of experience and decorated history but also understand that they need to do business differently if they are to succeed in the future.Herb's experience, combined with his young mindset, makes him an extraordinary leader who's built an exceptional business. Sargent Corp is not only now employee-owned, but they have their academy in which they recruit, train, and pay kids fresh out of high school to give a career in construction a shot.Find out more about Herb and Sargent Corp at https://sargent-corp.com/, or you can follow him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/herb-r-sargent-29a791152/.