Dedication to the family firm

 For Shannon Burrows, it’s all about the ties that bind at Weeks Construction

What is your position and what are your responsibilities?

I jokingly introduce myself as “The Sister” as we are now moving into the fourth generation of the family business – Weeks Construction Inc. My two brothers and my dad, who have given their lives to this business, are the movers and shakers. My father still works the quarries, and now my nephews are entrenched here, and in a family business, there are no “titles.” It’s family. It’s hard work and you simply do what needs to get done. My main responsibilities are as an administrator, including financial management, risk management, human resources, government relations and, as I am a registered nurse, I also oversee occupational health and safety as part of the team, covering WSIB, benefits and health promotion for our staff.

What is it about your job that other people wish they got to do?

I’m not exactly sure to be honest! I think the perception is that I’ve “got it easy” because, well, I’m family, I work in an office, and I came back to something my grandfather, father and brothers have worked so very hard to build into what it is today. In our industry, sometimes there isn’t a lot of value placed on that when so much of what our industry prides itself on is that outside work - the building of things, creating things, being so hands-on. The hard physical labour, working in all kinds of weather and conditions, the understanding and utilization of all kinds of machinery and trucks – it’s a marvel to me. I am amazed all the time when I have a chance to listen to and observe our team at work and what they can do with machines as a true extension of themselves. How they can fix things, create things, know so much about so many products, requirements and specifications. In comparison, phones and computers may seem a bit mundane I suppose!

What do you find most challenging in your work?

I find interacting with people with all kinds of different interests and needs to be hard work. I don’t do small talk well, so I do so value others who can engage with all kinds of different people in any circumstance. I tend to be quite intense, so knowing when to ease off is very hard –  ask anyone who knows me! Coming from the healthcare sector, there are many things that have been a steep learning curve stepping into this industry, so there are new challenges all the time. That is why I am grateful for a team of people with all different skill sets that can work together to face different obstacles or challenges, as no one can do this “thing called business” alone or in isolation.

Describe your typical day on the job and how the work you do contributes to your company.

Typical? Well, there is the “all other duties” category in my job for sure, so typical is kind of hard to describe. I am in the office most days, but I do visit job sites and our quarries as the need arises. A lot of email, phone, financial transactions and dealing with suppliers, colleagues, clients and projects. I use my mind a lot in analysis, reading and trying to keep abreast of the vast amount of information and change going on around us, considering the impact and how we need to adapt to that. I’m often in the background as a support to others in a variety of ways rather than in the forefront.

How did you get interested in this work?     

I grew up saturated in construction and aggregates – swearing to myself I’d never work in the family business! I’ve since learned never to say never. I worked in health care for almost 20 years and still maintain my RN designation. Five and a half years ago, my dad said, “You need to come back to the family business.” I was the quality and risk manager at our local hospital and on a good career track, but felt intrigued. So I chatted with my siblings and, two months later, I was wearing work boots and jeans instead of suits and heels, and the rest is history. A lot of it for me was about family. No other team has your back like your family. The rest of the work – well, it’s just grown over time. The list of things to do and the options of where to go are endless.

Detail your past or ongoing education and how it is relevant to your job.

I went to Queen’s University for my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and finished my degree at McMaster University after getting married and relocating. I worked as an emergency nurse for about 10 years, and when my four kids were young, I finished my masters from Athabasca while nursing frontline and teaching at a local college. I also consulted lawyers on civil cases as a nursing expert, adapting my work to be there for my husband and kids. Then I transitioned into management, managing multiple departments over a period of four-and-a-half years, leading accreditation and working in a multidisciplinary environment. All of those things prepared me for working in the industry. Government relations, reading, analyzing and understanding information and learning to have a healthy respect for others with strengths different from my own have all helped. I took accounting courses and construction management courses since transitioning to this role as well, simply as it was a new field to me. Life education is also of value – which you can’t summarize in a degree or certificate. Sometimes, just knowing when to call out the bull and name the issues is more valuable than any formal education. That simply comes with experience and exposure.

Where do you see the industry going in the next few years?

I see the industry becoming even more bureaucratized than it is already. There is an increasing “save your own bacon” mentality and a selfish approach in society that saddens me. I remember the genuine kinship when a handshake actually meant something. I remember when people had a conversation with you because they genuinely wanted to know you and not just know what they could get from you or use you for. I am unsettled by how we are so willing to work within the rules[RH1]  all the time (even if the rules just don’t make sense) because we think that being compliant and going along with things, not making any waves, will be better in the long run.

I do sincerely hope and pray that integrity rises up – genuine interest in our communities and what we’re doing this all for matters more than titles and designations and ladder climbing. It isn’t about the bigger and better and doing “good” to stick it on a plaque and claim an award; it’s about managing and caring for our resources wisely and well. We’ve become so big in our industry – the big players do really great things – but in that, sometimes authentic relationships, words that mean something and handshakes that matter have been lost. I would encourage folks to really think about why they are doing what they’re doing and how they are leaving people and places and systems better than they were before.

What advice would you give to others looking for a career in the aggregate industry?     

Use your mind – not just book learning, but critical thinking, common sense and look around you. Look not to the flashy and the seemingly easy and the guys who have it made. Look at the trades as a viable career choice and consider all the amazing diversity and opportunity that is out there. Make sure you’re not afraid of hard work. Some of the most interesting people I’ve met have been the ones with dirty hands, who have paid their dues, who have been in the trench, have run the machines, driven the trucks, and not only worked hard but through the hard. Don’t lose sight of that. Remember where we came from – not the board table, but the tailgate. Honour that, respect that, learn from it and build on it.