Message from Adam
Saying goodbye is always hard. Saying goodbye to true confidants and partners is about as hard as it gets.
Matt McAllister will retire from PDM as our Corporate Secretary. While his contributions were felt across the company, his biggest impacts were helping lead the company’s transition to an ESOP, developing and implementing an in-house leadership program, and being one of (if not the most important) advisors to me over the past 17+ years. Matt brought me to the precast/specialty contracting world as an Engineering Manager. I had never drawn anything. I had never engineered anything. I had never managed anyone. But he saw something in me and my experience that led him to think that I had something to offer. His decision ultimately led us to creating PDM. I’ve been fortunate to have key mentors at key points of my career, but none were more impactful than Matt. I can’t thank him enough and hope he’ll still lend me his ear and his thoughts (over a beer at Exile of course!) when I need his council. It’ll be inevitable…
Mike Meyer is a classic jack of all trades but, unlike normal jacks, he’s a master of most. He’s one of the most uniquely talented people that I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, let alone being fortunate enough to call a true partner. As you likely know, Mike is the “M” in PDM and one of the original owners of the company. Mike quite literally created, held, or led every non-engineering and non-accounting role in the company. From being our first precast plant manager, to our first steel shop manager, to our first steel sales manager, so on and so on… it’s almost impossible to measure his impact to PDM. There wasn’t a single subject that when I needed an opinion or solution to a difficult problem that I wouldn’t think of Mike as an ideal sounding board. We’ll all miss his talent and abilities, but I’ll miss one of my most trusted running mates.
On my first day as Engineering Manager at IPC (our old company), it became immediately clear that my role wasn’t to manage the department. Instead, I needed to advocate for the team led by John Doering (who was their true leader) and figure out how to get other departments to appreciate and embrace the engineering department’s excellence. The talent, work output, and direct/indirect leadership that he provided was immeasurable. When the time came to develop the PDM partnership, I knew it all had to start with the heart of the company, the engineering department, and it’s undisputed leader, John. Looking back, the “D” at the center of PDM was the ideal spot. John has been much more than just a design engineer and leader of the department, he is the rock that everyone from sales, to project management, to the field, to production could rely on to help avoid or solve almost any problem. I’ve never respected a co-worker more than John and I’ve never met his equal in terms of sheer impact. We’ll all miss his impact, but I’ll miss the original heart of the company.
Adam
MESSAGE FROM MATT
FAREWELL AND GOOD LUCK!
In 1992, I stepped into the Des Moines precast facility for the first time. As you can see in the picture below, about the only thing that remains today is a portion of the hollowcore building (and a couple of veteran employees!). Comparing that picture to the one taken last year shows the tremendous amount of change and growth that has occurred, specifically since PDM’s founding in 2012.
As they say, the only constant in life is change. I’m retiring at the end of this year, and I am filled with gratitude for the people I have worked with and the opportunities I have had throughout my career. I won’t thank anyone here individually as there would be far too many to name, but I will say that concluding my career with six years at PDM has been a wonderful way to cap off my career.
PDM has exhibited teamwork better than any place I have been in my career. Whether it is helping the person next to you, another department, or another facility, it has been impressive to see the company work as one large team.
The further I was into my career, the more enjoyment I took from seeing others progress in their careers. Watching someone learn what it takes to be successful, dedicate themselves to doing the hard work necessary to succeed, and seeing that work payoff is extremely gratifying. Seeing team members do that while also working to help those around them succeed is even more gratifying. As I say in my leadership course, your version of success will come, it just doesn’t always come right on schedule or in the exact way you might’ve imagined. But it will come if you keep working and keep learning.
So, believe in yourself, take opportunities that present themselves to you, and keep doing the hard work. Good luck!
For me, I have no exciting retirement plans. I’ll do some travel, ride my bike, spend time with family and friends, and of course follow PDM’s continued successes.
It’s been a pleasure. Here’s to the future!
Matt
Department Spotlight
Metal Fabrication
Each job PDM brings on has its own set of challenges and targets to hit. Structural Steel and Miscellaneous Steel projects are no exception. The structural steel forms the “skeleton” of a project which can come in all shapes and vary in scale. In the past year we have fabricated projects as small as one ton and as large as upwards of 2,300 tons. While some assemblies move through the shop quickly; others are worked on by several fabricators across multiple shifts for weeks until completed. We also provide miscellaneous steel. Miscellaneous encompasses everything from stairs, rails, canopies, trash enclosures and more. More than likely you encounter miscellaneous fabricated steel almost every day!
PDM Steel is unique compared to other structural steel fabricators, most have “Fitters” and “Welders” where work is passed from one station to another before being completed. We approach this differently by hiring and maintaining high-skillset individuals that can see the fabrication of an assembly all the way through from start to finish. This allows us to cycle product through quickly by reducing handling time and storage space needed inside the facility for in-process assemblies.
In the past year, PDM’s Steel Division has grown dramatically. We have seen growth in the number of fabricators from 12 in early 2023 to 23 today. We have scheduled fabricators across two shifts and have expanded into a temporary fabrication area in the trailer wash bay. Very soon will be moving four fabrication cells into the Carlisle East Hollowcore building to fulfill upcoming capacity demand. Our group of fabricators are essential in ensuring PDM’s daily success in meeting the needs of our customers.
project profiles
Des Moines Airport Terminal
Phase 1A of the new terminal building covers a 290,000 square foot expansion that includes ticketing, baggage handling and screening, security, offices, a pedestrian bridge connecting to the new parking garage, and a new concourse with room for six new gates, support areas, and a connection to the existing concourse. The additional gates will accommodate larger aircrafts, significantly expanding the airport’s overall passenger capacity.
The new terminal will lift the overall travel journey the moment the traveler enters the airport. It will connect into the existing C Concourse via a skywalk allowing the airlines to utilize the existing gates on both the A and C Concourses. The two concourse expansions, phase 1B (awarded to PDM) and phase 1C, will be completed as funds are secured, and growth necessitates additional expansion.
The phase 1A building is 289,312 square feet overall. The structure is constructed of a structural steel frame with composite decks and insulated roof frames. The building steel weighs in at 4,635,453 pounds (2,318 tons), 1435 squares of decking, and has features such as: 10 sets of stairs, four sets of roof top stairs, a steel café structure, and a pedestrian bridge connecting the new parking garage to the new terminal. The project is being constructed over seven major erection sequences and is scheduled to finish frame erection for the five phases of the building in January 2025 with the remainder in late 2025.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army building in Omaha, NE has served the community for over a century and is undergoing a $30,000,000 renovation. The modernized renovation will include a gymnasium, technology center, social services and meeting center.
PDM provided the wall panels for the project which consisted of 40 insulated wall panels measuring 11 to 13 inches thick, 12 feet wide, and 35 feet 9 inches tall. The exterior has a light sandblast finish, and the interior has a 3PT finish. The panels feature a random pattern of two-foot-wide depth changes on the exterior of the building. PDM’s wood shop built the formwork for these depth changes. The expert detailing, forming and production of PDM’s engineering and production areas are on full display in the final product delivered to the jobsite.
Support Your Community
PDM’s charity crusaders were in full gear again this quarter! We participated in numerous new events as well as some previous fan favorites. PDM joined in the American Heart Ride again and it was super competitive! Each rider had twenty minutes to complete as many miles as possible with most riders racking up 9+ miles! Kingdom Living joined our Support Your Community meeting to present a plaque for being an Ally Sponsor for the 2024 Recovery Festival. PDM tied for third in the first “Ryan Gives Back” kickball tournament in October. SYC was a sponsor for the Chrysalis Foundation, and PDM employee owners were invited to attend their annual fundraising luncheon to amplify its mission of empowering girls and women.
Please keep the charitable requests and ideas coming! Great work employee owners!
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS
Janette Rosas
Position: Quality Control Technician at PrecastYear started at PDM: 2023
Q. What do you want to tell us about yourself?
A. I am proud to say I am a Mexican- American, oldest of four. I am a single mother to three beautiful children. I am a blue-collar woman slowly but surely getting to where I want to be in life!
Q. What is something about you that surprises people?
A. My line of work always surprises people, with me being a woman in a male dominated field.
Q. What do you do for fun outside of work?
A. I am very family oriented, I enjoy spending my free time with family. We like to go on walks, to parks, and to movies. I also enjoy dancing and reading.
Q. Favorite Food?
A. Sea food, especially Ceviche.
Q. What are you most proud of?
A. Myself. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’m definitely proud of how far I’ve come.
Q. What would you like to do in the future?
A. I would love to continue to learn and advance professionally. But if I’m being honest, I’m most excited to see what my children will do and see how far they will go.
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS
Brian Parker
Position: Steel EstimatorYear started at PDM: 2017
Q. What is something about you that surprises people?
A. I used to enjoy doing competitive power lifting while being a single father and coaching soccer. It was quite a busy and fun time in life.
Q. What do you do for fun outside of work?
A. I enjoy gardening, taking trips (mostly revolving around motorcycle rides). I enjoy working on motorcycles. I like to be outdoors and shoot and hunt. I love working on my house and tinkering in my garage.
Q. Favorite Food?
A. Ribeye on the grill, and taco trucks.
Q. What are you most proud of?
A. I have worked everywhere from farming, landscaping, automotive, construction, factories, metal foundry, 3D modeling/steel detailing, field project management, project management and now estimating. I like where I am and am proud to have made the journey.
Q. What else would you like to tell us?
A. I like to travel and would like to travel more and do more motorcycle rides. I went to the Florida Keys a few years ago and want to go to the northern tip of the United States soon.