Melvin Companies celebrates 90th anniversary

Milestone employees recognized for their many years of service

Ninety years ago, the average cost of a new home was $6,510. A new car would set you back $610, the cost of a gallon of gas was 10 cents and the U.S. population was about 135 million people.

While much has changed in the past 90 years, there have been some things that remain constant, such as Melvin Companies family ownership and commitment to service for both its customers and employees.

In December, children of the Melvin family and employees of the Melvin Companies gathered at the Centennial Community Center in Stetsonville to celebrate the Company’s 90th Anniversary. Special recognition was also given to a group of 12 employees who completed continuous full-time employment milestones of 20 years or more with the Melvin Companies during 2022. Since the Company’s annual party was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, employees who completed that employment milestone in those years were also included and recognized as part of that employee group. All these employees received an engraved plaque and a travel certificate.

“I can’t imagine how hard my grandparents worked when they were starting our business during the depression years,” said Eric Melvin, the third generation of Melvin family leadership in the company.

“They started with nothing, but hard work and commitment to excellence served them very well as they grew the company,” Eric Melvin said. At the time the company started, the construction season was short so they would take the trucks to Michigan each winter to haul logs. This continued for nearly 25 years. During many of those years company founder Francis Melvin could be found working in the woods along with his crew while his wife, Ruth, cooked at the logging camp.

With Francis Melvin’s death in 1974, his son, Jim Melvin was thrust into the company’s leadership.

“This has involved countless hours, sacrifices, and numerous changes to company operations. His hard work, extreme attention to detail, and commitment to the company and its employees have shaped the company into what it is today,” Eric Melvin said.

“I would also like to say thank you to all our employees, past and present, for all they have done to make the Melvin Companies the success it is today. We would not have reached this milestone if it were not for you,” he said.

“Our greatest asset is our employees,” said Jim Melvin. “We have an experienced crew that I am extremely proud of. I truly appreciate their loyalty and dedication. Some companies can only sell on price, but along with a competitive price, we can offer customers the many years of experience and knowledge our employees have, which sets us apart from other companies.”

Among those honored for milestone years of service included: Judy Zuleger for 40 years: Zuleger began working part-time in the Abbotsford office in 1981 helping with a computer conversion. She began working full time with the company on August 2, 1982. From that point forward she has done just about everything in the Abbotsford office to do with record keeping and accounting. For a majority of her career she was also the receptionist in the Abbotsford office offering a pleasant greeting and smile for customers. She also does the bookkeeping and administrative duties for the mobile home parks the company owns.

Lee Smith for 35 years: Smith started with the company on January 1, 1987 which is the date that Melvin Companies purchased Abby Aglime from Jim and Nancy Karau. He had worked for Karaus for 11 years as an operator and driver. He has mainly operated a backhoe for Melvin Companies through his career with the company. “His vast experience in many types of projects made him a perfect fit for ‘custom’ time and material excavation work,” Jim Melvin said. Smith has also been involved with many summer street projects and commercial projects over the years as well as plowing snow for many years.

Tyrone Aschbrenner, Joe Balciar, Bruce Brunner, Wayne Dahl, Wally Emmerich, Rob Risch and Don Zuleger each for 25 years: Aschbrenner started with the company on June 5, 1997 as a dump truck driver. He still drives dump truck and spends considerable time working on street projects laying underground pipe and also hauling material in and out of projects. He has a great deal of experience and is very knowledgeable about laying sewer and water lines as well as storm sewer. “He doesn’t need to be told what to do, he just does it, and it’s done right,” Melvin said. Aschbrenner also does snowplowing in the winter.

Balciar started with the company on February 26, 1996. He primarily drove ready mix truck when he started working. He continued doing that for six years before being promoted in spring 2002 to the dispatcher position for excavation, sand and gravel and precast sales, which also included supervision of the production of precast products and purchasing of the construction products. In recent years, he also began helping construction project managers coordinate the employees and equipment they need on a daily basis.

Brunner started with the company on April 26, 1995. He operated the rock crusher and gravel washing plant and endloader at the Medford pit for many years. He also operated aggregate production equipment and endloader at the Neumann and Gosbee pits. He drove dump truck and lime truck when needed and was involved in snow plowing in Medford for many years.

Dahl started with the company on April 23, 1997 as a dump truck driver. He drove dump truck for a couple years and then began working in the Neumann Pit producing aggregate. He primarily feeds the crushers and breaker with the endloader but he also loads dump trucks in the pit, and feeds and runs the washer. He drives dump truck when needed and has been involved in snow plowing in Medford for many years.

Emmerich started with the company on May 1, 1997. He has operated the rock crusher and other aggregate production equipment and endloader at the Neumann and Gosbee pits. He has also been involved in maintaining the pits and the equipment operating in those pits to

See MELVIN COMPANIES on page 13 the federal government’s MSHA standards. He has always tried to find new ways to produce additional products during the gravel production process to reduce our production costs and to eliminate unused by-products. He has also been involved in snow plowing for many years.

Risch started with the company on July 14, 1997 as an accounting assistant in the Abbotsford office. He is very involved in many facets of the accounting office, including accounts payable, accounts receivable and job costing. He works closely with the office manager producing several weekly and monthly accounting reports. He also helps out in the Medford office when needed or if there is work to be done at one of the company’s rental houses. He also does snow plowing when needed.

Zuleger started with the company on May 1, 1997 as a backhoe and bulldozer operator. He ran that equipment for Armin Buehler for 23 years prior to Melvin purchasing Armin Buehler’s business. “Don’s vast experience and abilities as an equipment operator are truly unique. He has experience and knowledge of what needs to be done not only on our street and construction jobs, but also those of our contractors or individuals too. He’s always willing to do whatever needs to be done on a job and you know it is going to be done right from start to finish,” Jim Melvin said.

Dave Lavin, Brian Steen, and Ryan Urmanski for 20 years: Lavin started at Melvin Companies on May 22, 2000 as a dump truck driver. In 2001 he began running endloader feeding the gravel washing plant in the Medford pit location. A few years later he started working on the street crew until 2015, when he began working at the company’s Neuman Pit. He has also been doing snowplowing for many years.

Steen started with the company on May 7, 2001. He began work at the downtown Medford sales location in the precast division pouring concrete septic and holding tanks and many other precast items. He also delivers the precast products, blocks and supplies to customers. He is also busy in the yard helping customers find the products they need and loading them. In addition, he drives dump truck and delivers lime and helps out in the shop and with snow plowing and hauling as needed.

Urmanski started with the company on September 4, 2001. For the first few years he was involved in learning about all aspects of the company, getting to know employees and seeing all the properties, pits and location. He also took on several administrative responsibilities in the company such as the safety program and the federal and state report and permit requirements. From there, he transitioned into bidding and supervising the commercial projects and street projects. In more recent years, he has continued bidding projects and then works on-site and supervises larger projects from start to finish.

In addition to the 20 plus year recognitions, Melvin recognized other longtime staff for their company milestones. Eric Melvin was recognized for 15 years of service with the company. Chris Sislo was also recognized with 15 years of service. Rick Berg was recognized for 10 years of service. Tom Djubenski and Blaine Stevens each were recognized for five years of service.

The following individuals were among those recognized for more than 20 years of service to Melvin Companies during a dinner held at Centennial Hall in Stetsonville. Pictured are (l. to r.): Back row, Ken Vesely, 48 years; Wally Emmerich, 25 years; Lee Smith, 35 years; Jim Melvin 51 years; Don Zuleger, 25 years; Mark Brost, 43 years; and Dave Kuss, 46 years. Front row, Judy Zuleger, 40 years; Ryan Urmanski, 21 years; Rob Risch, 25 years; Wayne Dahl, 25 years; Tyrone Aschbrenner, 25 years; Dave Lavin, 22 years; and Joe Balciar 26 years. Not Pictured: Bruce Brunner, 26 years; and Brian Steen, 21 years.submitted