WEBVTT 00:09.279 --> 00:11.569 Hey , what's going on guys , Eric , how 00:11.590 --> 00:13.812 are you ? Good morning . It's going all 00:13.812 --> 00:17.610 good . What's going on out here ? Well , 00:18.629 --> 00:22.209 Ula guy is a interesting project 00:22.280 --> 00:24.889 and a lot of different tweaks and 00:24.899 --> 00:27.121 quirks and I know it's a full plate for 00:27.121 --> 00:29.690 Eric project manager here . Um got 00:29.700 --> 00:32.240 rehab work going on gate four . A lot 00:32.250 --> 00:34.528 of interesting history with gate three . 00:34.528 --> 00:36.528 So always something going down to , 00:36.590 --> 00:38.812 what's the contractor doing right now ? 00:38.812 --> 00:41.049 What do you guys ? Uh well , the gate 00:41.060 --> 00:42.727 four is doing rehab . We have 00:42.727 --> 00:45.729 cavitation issues and so the gates just 00:45.740 --> 00:48.790 in need of repair and engineering came 00:48.799 --> 00:51.150 up with a new design , new fix and 00:51.159 --> 00:53.381 we're gonna try it out and hopefully it 00:53.381 --> 00:55.437 works well . And um that's what they 00:55.437 --> 00:57.659 got going on down at gate four . What's 00:57.659 --> 00:59.770 kind of , what's your role in kind of 00:59.770 --> 01:01.826 initiating this and getting the work 01:01.826 --> 01:03.603 going ? Yeah . So we're , we're 01:03.603 --> 01:05.603 typically so we have a , a contract 01:05.603 --> 01:07.715 work going on . And um you know , our 01:07.715 --> 01:09.937 role here is a support function for the 01:09.937 --> 01:11.715 contractor . So kind of on site 01:11.715 --> 01:14.769 expertise , um access and , you know , 01:14.779 --> 01:17.599 kind of our processes and uh you know , 01:17.610 --> 01:19.832 just , just keeping the work moving and 01:19.832 --> 01:21.832 helping , you know , get a finished 01:21.832 --> 01:23.888 product , something that's quality . 01:23.888 --> 01:25.721 How's it looking , how , how the 01:25.721 --> 01:27.888 following the inspection and servicing 01:27.888 --> 01:30.110 or do you have any dire needs right now 01:30.110 --> 01:30.069 or things ? Are you doing mean this for ? 01:30.500 --> 01:32.667 Yeah , so we're , we've kind of turned 01:32.667 --> 01:34.833 over the , the maintenance period here 01:34.833 --> 01:37.056 for also . So just about every 10 to 15 01:37.056 --> 01:39.222 years , we kind of run into the bigger 01:39.222 --> 01:41.444 maintenance task . So , you know , with 01:41.444 --> 01:43.389 this last round , uh we're , we're 01:43.389 --> 01:45.444 really looking good . We've got some 01:45.444 --> 01:47.611 work done on the crane . Um All of our 01:47.611 --> 01:49.667 service gates have been inspected um 01:49.667 --> 01:51.833 HSS inspections . Um You know , we run 01:51.833 --> 01:53.778 a uh go see which is uh you know , 01:53.778 --> 01:55.722 electrical testing of all the gate 01:55.722 --> 01:57.919 components and operators . So , um 01:57.930 --> 02:00.097 really , we're in good shape right now 02:00.097 --> 02:02.263 with the work that we've got done here 02:02.263 --> 02:04.819 on , on gate four . You know , prolong 02:04.830 --> 02:07.279 that the life of the gates and 02:07.690 --> 02:09.750 operating site . Let's take a look 02:09.759 --> 02:10.981 around a little bit . 03:00.080 --> 03:02.160 I appreciate you and Eric showing me 03:02.169 --> 03:04.979 around like and the structure and uh 03:04.990 --> 03:07.470 down down below the dam as well , we 03:07.479 --> 03:09.869 captured some strong partnerships uh 03:09.880 --> 03:12.710 between the lake offices and field 03:12.720 --> 03:15.059 engineer and the Tulsa district office 03:15.070 --> 03:17.181 and the navigation , all folks coming 03:17.181 --> 03:18.899 together as well as dic and a 03:18.910 --> 03:20.854 contractor just to everyone coming 03:20.854 --> 03:23.077 together and synchronizing the effort . 03:23.360 --> 03:25.360 Uh So it was really good to see the 03:25.360 --> 03:27.249 strong partnerships . We talked a 03:27.249 --> 03:29.304 little bit about uh quality projects 03:29.304 --> 03:31.360 and the inspections that go into the 03:31.360 --> 03:34.289 quality projects , um the qas and then 03:34.300 --> 03:36.411 uh even the training that we have for 03:36.411 --> 03:38.633 our teammates to make sure that they're 03:38.633 --> 03:40.744 fully trained and have the safety and 03:40.744 --> 03:42.911 quality uh just integrate and how they 03:42.911 --> 03:44.856 approach every , every project and 03:44.856 --> 03:47.078 challenge that was good . Uh You know , 03:47.078 --> 03:49.559 the other part of our lines of effort 03:49.570 --> 03:51.459 or strategy is trusted people and 03:51.459 --> 03:53.681 building trusted people . And one thing 03:53.681 --> 03:55.848 that kind of caught my attention about 03:55.848 --> 03:57.959 you al is you're like six months with 03:57.959 --> 03:59.959 the Corps of Engineers . And , uh , 03:59.959 --> 04:02.014 your name came across my desk as the 04:02.014 --> 04:04.126 hero of the week from operations . So 04:04.126 --> 04:06.126 we got a organization is almost 400 04:06.126 --> 04:08.292 people in operations spread across our 04:08.292 --> 04:10.403 whole air responsibility . And , uh , 04:10.403 --> 04:12.292 you're the hero of the week , six 04:12.292 --> 04:14.403 months into working for the core . Uh 04:14.403 --> 04:16.403 What , what kind of helps you build 04:16.403 --> 04:18.570 trust and build a reputation . What do 04:18.570 --> 04:18.089 you , what do you think some of those 04:18.100 --> 04:20.156 attributes are for trusted people in 04:20.156 --> 04:22.156 our , in our organization ? For you 04:22.156 --> 04:24.211 personally ? Mm Well , thank you for 04:24.211 --> 04:26.579 that . That means a lot . Um When I got 04:26.589 --> 04:28.559 that award , I had no idea what it 04:28.570 --> 04:30.737 meant . And , uh , so I had to do some 04:30.737 --> 04:34.329 digging . Um , but it was an honor 04:34.619 --> 04:37.179 and , um , you know , when I came here 04:38.160 --> 04:40.380 year and a half ago now , um , 04:42.209 --> 04:44.265 it was interesting just how the Lord 04:44.265 --> 04:46.376 opened that door for me to get here . 04:46.376 --> 04:48.542 Um I was a youth pastor before for the 04:48.542 --> 04:51.329 past 10 years and served at my church 04:51.339 --> 04:54.170 in Owasso . Um , yeah , it's 04:54.179 --> 04:56.640 interesting . The youth pastor is an 04:56.649 --> 04:58.705 interesting job in the fact that you 04:58.705 --> 05:00.927 take it knowing I'm not gonna retire in 05:00.927 --> 05:03.269 this position . And so praying through , 05:03.279 --> 05:05.335 you know , the past several years of 05:05.690 --> 05:08.070 not is something next . But what's next ? 05:08.079 --> 05:10.570 And , and when , and then Lord help , I 05:10.579 --> 05:13.019 just wanna finish well and finish 05:13.029 --> 05:15.251 strong , you know , however long you've 05:15.251 --> 05:17.730 got me here . And so , but then the 05:17.739 --> 05:20.559 fear is who's going to take a chance on 05:20.570 --> 05:22.737 a guy that's got an engineering degree 05:22.737 --> 05:24.903 but hasn't been doing engineering . So 05:24.929 --> 05:27.369 you had an engineering degree but you 05:27.380 --> 05:30.950 were doing engineering . And so um 05:31.209 --> 05:33.279 kind of that fear kept creeping in 05:33.290 --> 05:35.623 who's going to take a chance , you know , 05:35.630 --> 05:38.769 and um the Lord totally opened the door . 05:38.779 --> 05:41.410 I got a text from Lee Perry , a buddy 05:41.420 --> 05:44.720 here and uh his kids went to the were 05:44.730 --> 05:46.619 in my youth group and I'm so good 05:46.619 --> 05:48.786 friends with him for a long time . And 05:48.786 --> 05:50.952 um he sent me a text and said , do you 05:50.952 --> 05:52.674 happen to know anybody with an 05:52.674 --> 05:54.841 engineering degree looking for a job ? 05:54.841 --> 05:56.897 And I was at the church and I said , 05:56.897 --> 05:58.730 well , I'm not looking , but I'm 05:58.730 --> 06:00.897 listening and um anyway , how the Lord 06:00.897 --> 06:02.897 orchestrated all that and just kept 06:02.897 --> 06:04.786 kind of reassuring me through the 06:04.786 --> 06:06.940 process um that , you know , this is 06:06.950 --> 06:10.489 the right move and uh my next steps and 06:10.500 --> 06:12.444 so trying to keep him first and be 06:12.444 --> 06:14.444 obedient . And um honestly , when I 06:14.444 --> 06:16.667 come to work , I just want to do what's 06:16.667 --> 06:19.000 required of me . You know , I don't , I , 06:19.000 --> 06:21.222 I wanna do a good job and I wanna do it 06:21.222 --> 06:24.109 well , you know , the trusted people is 06:24.119 --> 06:26.341 so important . I'm sure you've seen the 06:26.341 --> 06:28.508 importance of trust as you work across 06:28.508 --> 06:31.220 multiple like projects and uh folks up 06:31.230 --> 06:33.341 in the district as well . The other , 06:34.040 --> 06:37.709 the other component uh that something 06:37.720 --> 06:39.887 I've heard is a theme recently is just 06:39.887 --> 06:42.109 the importance of of kind of the family 06:42.109 --> 06:44.109 atmosphere of the core as well . So 06:44.109 --> 06:46.220 your first year and a half , what did 06:46.220 --> 06:48.442 you enjoy the most about working in the 06:48.442 --> 06:50.664 core ? And the folks that you work with 06:50.664 --> 06:52.720 across multiple uh disciplines , the 06:52.720 --> 06:54.942 the work has been fun and that maybe it 06:54.942 --> 06:57.053 should be what I enjoy the most . But 06:57.053 --> 06:59.053 honestly , it's getting to know the 06:59.053 --> 07:02.779 people um I knew coming in uh northern 07:02.790 --> 07:04.957 area , there's 13 lakes and so there's 07:04.957 --> 07:06.790 several different , several lake 07:06.790 --> 07:08.679 managers have multiple lakes . So 07:08.679 --> 07:10.734 there's not 13 managers , but I knew 07:10.734 --> 07:12.679 coming in like I gotta get to know 07:12.679 --> 07:15.250 these guys and um man , they really 07:15.260 --> 07:18.040 from day one arms wide open , they let 07:18.049 --> 07:19.980 me in and let me in on the family 07:19.989 --> 07:22.045 aspect like you're talking about and 07:22.045 --> 07:24.267 getting to know those guys and then the 07:24.267 --> 07:26.267 each project staff . And honestly , 07:26.267 --> 07:28.378 that's been my and I'm an introvert , 07:28.378 --> 07:30.600 but that's been my favorite part of the 07:30.600 --> 07:32.656 job is , um , is getting to know the 07:32.656 --> 07:34.878 people that I get to work with . And so 07:34.878 --> 07:37.045 now I show up at different lakes , you 07:37.045 --> 07:38.989 know , my office , this guy took , 07:38.989 --> 07:41.211 that's my home base . But , um , coming 07:41.211 --> 07:43.545 here to Olaga , I feel like I'm at home . 07:43.545 --> 07:45.767 Um , so whichever lake you go to , they 07:45.767 --> 07:47.989 welcome you in . You start working with 07:47.989 --> 07:50.211 the team , whether it's called Canton , 07:50.211 --> 07:52.100 wherever it's good . So hopefully 07:52.100 --> 07:54.100 you'll stay , we'd love to have you 07:54.100 --> 07:56.156 stay with the core to retirement . I 07:56.156 --> 07:58.267 get the opportunity to get invited to 07:58.267 --> 08:00.269 uh retirement ceremonies for 08:00.279 --> 08:02.168 particularly for people that have 08:02.168 --> 08:04.223 worked for 3040 years for the uh the 08:04.223 --> 08:07.209 core here in Tulsa district and a 08:07.220 --> 08:08.998 common theme for folks that are 08:09.000 --> 08:11.056 retiring as they get , get up to say 08:11.056 --> 08:13.222 the last few words to their , to their 08:13.222 --> 08:15.389 teammates is this has been my family , 08:15.389 --> 08:17.500 it has been my family . Uh The family 08:17.500 --> 08:19.500 environment has been so appreciated 08:19.500 --> 08:21.833 during their time working with the core . 08:21.833 --> 08:23.944 So it sounds like you feel the same . 08:23.944 --> 08:26.029 Yes , sir . From day one . And it's 08:26.040 --> 08:28.151 really important work that the family 08:28.151 --> 08:30.318 is working together to , to do for our 08:30.318 --> 08:32.373 communities . Appreciate that good , 08:32.373 --> 08:34.429 good to have you on the team . Thank 08:34.429 --> 08:34.270 you . Appreciate your commitment to 08:34.280 --> 08:36.336 excellence and working together with 08:36.336 --> 08:38.502 everyone . Thank you very much . Yes , 08:38.502 --> 08:40.724 sir . Ok , thanks . I appreciate that , 08:40.724 --> 08:40.349 sir . Ok .