Concrete Products covers the issues that attract producers of ready mixed and manufactured concrete focusing on equipment and material technology, market development and management topics.
Issue link: http://concrete.epubxp.com/i/75186
Graniterock CEO Bruce Woolpert, manager extraordinaire, 1951–2012 NEWS SCOPE BY DON MARSH Visitors to the Granite Rock Co. headquar- ters who assumed the chief executive officer was nestled in a top-floor suite instead could find him in a cubicle on the ground level, surrounded by other administrative staff in open offices. Approachability and firm em- brace of teamwork were among traits that saw Graniterock President and CEO Bruce W. Woolpert shape a preeminent aggregate, ready mixed and road-building operator that caught the eye of Fortune Magazine and the U.S. Department of Commerce. A late-June boating accident on Lake Tahoe claimed the life of Woolpert, 61, who had been at the helm of Watsonville, Calif.- based Graniterock since 1986. He returned to the family business that year, as co-pres- ident with his brother Steve Woolpert, fol- lowing a decade in key marketing positions in Hewlett Packard graphics and personal computer businesses. Coupled with a stellar academic record that saw him graduate summa cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a B.S. in Eco- nomics, and at the top of his Stanford Uni- versity graduate business school class, the HP tenure equipped Bruce Woolpert to bring a marketing and technology mindset to construction materials. His return coincided with the Graniterock Total Quality Program, emphasizing satis- faction among road or building contractors and their end users. Investments in com- puterized processing equipment and wide- spread use of statistical process control reinforced a quality message he and team members communicated through seminars for contractors, architects and developers. Leading Graniterock product, operations and services activities, he told Concrete Products in 1993 how internal benchmark- ing indicated on-time concrete delivery— a key customer satisfaction metric—had risen from 70 percent to 93.5 percent from 1988–1991. A January issue article that year, "Granite Rock Company: Quality By Design," referenced the producer's new batch plant, equipped with computer con- trols for real-time monitoring of process indicators. The reliability of several key ready mixed production processes had reached the level of Six Sigma, a statistical measurement tool Motorola deployed prior to its widespread adoption in quality con- trol/quality assurance. Woolpert likewise applied technology to the flagship business. The early-1990s launch of GraniteXpress brought a 24/7 service to the A.R. Wilson Quarry, named for company founder and Woolpert's grand- father. Bank ATM-style cards enabled cus- tomers' automatic selection and loading of desired material. GraniteXpress reduced truckers' average quarry time from 24 to nine minutes. (An RFID-enabled system re- placed the cards in 2000.) Woolpert's commitment to staff develop- ment and continuous improvement helped Graniterock land the Malcolm Baldridge Na- tional Quality award in 1992. The award was established in 1987 for a past Com- merce Secretary to recognize U.S. compa- nies with world-class systems for managing operations and people, while satisfying cus- tomers. Management consultant Nancy Austin and co-author to best-selling man- agement authority Tom Peters (In Search of Excellence), observed, "I've told the Granite Rock story to senior managers from such diverse industries as health care, pharma- ceutical, and high technology, even to IBM's management. Granite Rock is a su- perbly managed company that can show us all what quality is." In 1997, the Graniterock board elected Woolpert president and chief executive of- ficer. He shored up the company as an in- dependent operator in northern California, with competitors including multinational producers and subsidiaries of domestic pub- lic companies. In each of the five years fol- lowing his appointment, Graniterock ranked among Fortune Magazine's annual "100 Best Places to Work for in America," peaking at 16 in 2002. The following year, the Graniterock team was listed among For- tune Small Business' "Best Bosses." The list spotlighted managers who had created in- novative, productive workplaces ready to adapt to market challenges and uncertain economic conditions. Woolpert's eye for technology carried be- yond concrete and aggregate plant automa- tion: A concrete estimating calculator brought thousands of visitors from across the world to www.graniterock.com. More recently, Graniterock proved an early mover in concrete and aggregate mobile apps for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch users. With a peak payroll exceeding 500, Gran- iterock spans six ready mixed plants plus aggregate and asphalt distribution and road building operations across 11 northern California cities. Longtime board member Mark Kaminski is now Graniterock Chair- man and acting CEO. Graniterock Reflection A tribute from company officials: Bruce was a gifted leader and set a fresh and enduring vision for the Company founded on core values he held dear, including safety, dedica- tion to customer service excellence, the growth and development of Gran- iterock People, honesty and in- tegrity, and continuous improvement and lifelong learning. Bruce had a strong belief that a per- son's life's work was a noble calling, which he embraced by his dedication to the work of the Company and growth of the Graniterock Team. He was a most principled person, and al- ways emphasized the need to "tell the truth—even when it is not popular." Above all else, Bruce is remembered for his generosity to the community and to Graniterock People. No Gran- iterock Team Member's personal issue was too small and no community need was too great for Bruce to give of his talent, time and resources. He is survived by his wife Rose Ann, children Marianne and Arthur, and brother, Steve. JULY 2012 | 21