In the Loop: January 2023

Message from Adam

We had a great 2022 from almost every viewpoint. It was our busiest year ever and while we completed our projects, we also succeeded in strengthening the company. Our new production facilities at precast coupled with a real improvement in our employee skill set resulted in the precast operation getting better and better as the year progressed. Our metals facility consistently produced at a higher level than any time in the past. In the office and in our facilities, additional staff allowed us to better sell, manage and deliver the quality products that our customers’ desire. 2022 was a great team success, and while there are always new challenges to address, PDM begins 2023 in a very strong position.

From our customers’ viewpoint, I sometimes refer to my desire to have customers see PDM as “the easy button” when it comes to deciding who they should award projects to. While nothing we do is easy, we want the process to appear easy from our customers’ viewpoint. That means we give them clear quotes on the work we will perform, we produce quality drawings and then quality product, and we deliver according to schedule, with the project management and field services to efficiently complete the project. Our goal is to be our customers’ best sub-contractor and we aim to do that by being the easiest to work with.

In 2021 when we were struggling to hire and retain employees, particularly in our precast plant, it became difficult to meet our schedules and sometimes we failed. In addition to working hard in employee recruiting, we undertook efforts to make the precast plant a better place to work; a place where employees can flourish or in simple terms, “be happy.” The improvement in 2022 has made the schedule issue almost disappear entirely and I think we have also made great progress on improving the happiness factor at precast. We need to keep working on that, but the progress has been good.

Finally, and back to being “the easy button,” we are always looking at the possibility of supplying additional products and services to our customers. On December 31, we entered into an agreement which will add new products to our offering. Please see my additional message discussing our entry into the glass and glazing business. I am excited for the opportunity that this presents.

PDM Adds a Glass and Glazing Offering to its Precast and Steel Offerings

I’m excited to say that on December 31, 2022, PDM added glass and glazing products to our offering. We hired Kyle Bettis who has a long, successful history in the business and purchased some of his business assets to enter the market. In addition, we expect to soon hire several new employees who have worked with Kyle in his former business.

Kyle comes to us with 20 years of construction experience and expertise in the fabrication, manufacturing and installation of commercial glass and storefronts. As part of PDM, Kyle will oversee our new operations in providing the same types of products and services that Kyle has supplied previously. His expertise added to PDM’s capabilities will allow us to enter the market and expand our sales significantly over time.

As shown in the pictures above and at right, the work done by the new PDM Glass operation will fit seamlessly with our precast and metals offerings, PDM has worked on numerous previous projects where Kyle’s company was also hired as a subcontractor. Projects like Zora where PDM supplied the steel and Kyle provided the glass, as well as many others where PDM supplied precast and steel while Kyle provided the glass storefronts are examples of what we look to do in the future.

This addition by PDM allows customers to use one less subcontractor, making the management of their construction process a little easier.

We anticipate that we will move the glass operations from Kyle’s current shop to new space at our Metals facility, but that planning has only begun. I will keep you informed as we move forward with this exciting addition. 

In the meantime, please join me in welcoming Kyle Bettis and other new Glass employees to the PDM family.


– Adam

PROJECT PROFILE

PDM has teamed up with OPUS to provide an elegant new warehouse and office space for Climate by Design in Owatonna, Minnesota. PDM supplied precast and steel for this project. 

The precast forming the office area has a reveal pattern designed to mimic a stone finish. A design made to lower costs for the owner while still providing an architecturally pleasing look. 

PDM is excited to be a part of CDI’s growth by supplying the structure design needed to fit their growing needs.

a rendering and in progress photo of the climate by design building

Support Your Community

The Support Your Community committee had a very busy and productive 2022. While we have some staple charities that we have given to yearly, we added some new ones to the list this year. We continued to make the spring and fall shoe drive a huge success.

The committee plans to have a place to cast a vote for a charity at the annual holiday party this month! The most votes will result in a donation! We hope this gets us all thinking of charities that are dear to us that we can support. Please keep the requests coming in 2023 and try to participate if you can, as we plan on adding more events to the calendar.  

This year we would like to announce some new additions to the committee. We welcome Steve Van Horn, Jimmie Bridges, Daniel Underwood, and Marcus Kirstein! 

This last year PDM and the Support Your Community Committee is proud to have donated to the following charities:

Platinum Donation Level ($5,000+)

  • Variety
  • ACE Mentor
  • American Heart Association
  • Kingdom Living
  • Shoes that Fit

Gold Donation Level ($2,500-$4,999)

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters – Bowl for Kids
  • Make-A-Wish Foundation
  • NAWIC
  • Food Bank of Iowa

Silver Donation Level ($1-$2,499)

  • YMCA-Y Camp
  • Ronald McDonald House
  • Guns & Hoses
  • DMPS Foundation – One Run Des Moines
  • Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
  • Chip in for Charity
  • Blank Children’s Hospital

COMPANY EVENTS

Luke and Adam grilling steaks outside and team members lining up with plates of food

Adam and Luke Petersen were busy grilling steaks for employees at the precast plant.

A group of team members smiling and looking at the camera

A big turnout at the PDM Holiday Party in January at Hotel Fort Des Moines featured fantastic food and fun for all.

A young man in a hoodie looks up trying to catch a flying pancake

At the PDM Pancake Breakfast in October, brave participants tried to catch airborne pancakes.

NEW EMPLOYEE OWNERS

"100% Employee owned" Sticker

These employees began earning shares under our ESOP plan on January 1, 2023. Congratulations To All!

  • Mitchell Bunch
  • Dylan Cole
  • Patrick Farlow
  • Erik Gilge
  • Andreas Gleason
  • Joseph Goode
  • Erika Graham
  • Adam Green
  • Sara Harrell
  • Zagory Harris
  • Philip Kenoyer
  • Daniel Lusk
  • Cimarron Mann
  • Douglas McLey
  • Vincent Olmstead
  • Joel Phelps
  • Kenneth Rothfus
  • Joshua Senger
  • Bryan Snell
  • Daniel Underwood
  • Steven Worrell II

ANOTHER YEAR OF GROWTH

A chart comparing 41,032 cubic yards of concrete produced in 2021 to 53,643 cubic yards of concrete produced in 2022
A chart comparing 5,606 tons of steel produced in 2021 to 8,144 produced in 2022

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS

christina pictured with her husband and three daughters smiling in christmas pajamas

Christina Maples

Position: Metals Operation Supervisor
Year started at PDM: 2017

Q. What do you want to tell us about yourself?
A. 
I am a hardworking, dedicated mother of three daughters, who loves life and tries to enjoy every minute of it.

Q. What is something about you that surprises people?
A.
From Kindergarten to third grade I went to 7 different schools because my parents were in the military. I also had a speech impediment for a long time as a child.

Q. What do you do for fun outside of work?
A.  
Coach soccer and attend events with my kids. I also take spontaneous trips with friends and/or family. I always have to keep a busy schedule. I don’t know what down time is…. hahaha!

Q. Favorite Food?
A.
Fried potatoes with fried chops (with lots of mayo!).

Q. What are you most proud of?
A.
All my successes both personally and professionally especially from where I started.

Q. What would you like to do in the future?
A.
Continue to be financially successful and to travel to places on my bucket list.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS

dustin pictured with his wife and two children

Dustin Millard

Position: Precast Materials Supervisor
Year started at PDM: 2014

Q. What do you want to tell us about yourself?
A. I am a father of two beautiful children, one boy and one girl: the best of both worlds! I have been married to my best friend Danielle since 2016. I am naturally a very boisterous person but mean no harm. Most people wouldn’t know that I had rough start at life, I completely turned my life around and found the right track in my early 20’s and haven’t looked back since. I am very proud of what I have accomplished and take a lot of pride in everything I do. I look at each day as a blessing and never forget where I came from, it is what drives me to succeed.

Q. What is something about you that surprises people?
A.
Despite what one’s first impression may be, I’m always willing to help anyone in need.

Q. What do you do for fun outside of work?
A. Playing video games, spending time with family and friends, riding my Harley.

Q. Favorite Food?
A. Steak tacos (with the hot salsa).

Q. What are you most proud of?
A.
The family my wife and I are building.

Q. What would you like to do in the future?
A.
 Continue to drive forward in my career here at PDM and enjoy raising my two beautiful children.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS

Kyle and his wife and child outside in hivis clothing

Kyle Bettis

Position: Director of Glass Operations
Year started at PDM: 2023

Q. What do you want to tell us about yourself?
A.
 I grew up in Albia and Urbandale. I attended Kirkwood/Iowa State. My wife Hilary and I have been married for 6 years and we have 3 boys: Levi (5), Emmett (3) and Warren (9 months). We live in the Norwalk area but are moving soon to the Indianola area. We spend a lot of time at my family farm in Albia, outdoors in the woods and (when we can get there) in the mountains. I have been employed in the glass business in various positions since I was 14, so 23 years and counting. I take pride in being at least a third-generation craftsman and second-generation glazier. I started a glass company (KB Custom Glass) in 2014 and am excited to continue that work at a higher level with PDM starting this year.

Q. What is something about you that surprises people?
A.
I can’t stand tomatoes.

Q. What do you do for fun outside of work?
A.
Mostly spend time with my family and do things that get us outside. I like to mountain bike, off-road motorcycle, snowboard; and my boys are getting to the age where I can start teaching them those things too. I also like to go to concerts to see live music with my wife and friends. 

Q. Favorite Food?
A.
Breakfast of most kinds. A good eggs Benedict or breakfast sandwich. 

Q. What are you most proud of?
A.
My family. I am fortunate to have a very close and strong extended family and am proud to be a part of continuing that tradition. 

Q. What would you like to do in the future?
A.
Personally, one thing I’d like to do is build a finished/conditioned tree house as a guest room at our family farm in Albia. Professionally, I look forward to doing bigger scale glass work and tackling big projects.

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