'We are going to build something great'

Martin Marietta relaunches the Plant Manager Institute

Martin Marietta’s Plant Manager Institute is back and already evolving to meet the needs of the business!

The professional development program was held for the first time in several years at Martin Marietta’s headquarters in Raleigh over three days in January. Considered a pilot program, the session was attended by 40 divisional production managers who provided feedback and made suggestions on how to strengthen the material.

Senior Talent Development Manager Brad Geiger worked with Vice President of Operational Excellence Greg Lahrman and other members of the Operational Excellence team to plan January’s Plant Manager Institute and said the program’s history dates back nearly two decades. The overall goals, he said, are to offer site managers training in operational best practices while providing invaluable networking opportunities.

Led by expert instructors and guest speakers, the multi-day training focused on core company values and themes in January, including culture, vision and leadership. Additional topics, like pit-to-product operating best practices and financial and cost management planning, provided practical guidance designed to improve operating performance.

The group also enjoyed an in-depth tour of Lemon Springs Quarry in Sanford, North Carolina.

Future sessions will focus on such topics as continuous improvement, mine planning, drilling and blasting, plant manager leadership, planning and forecasting, and functional excellence.

North Texas/Oklahoma District Production Manager Judsen Adams attended the January program and extolled the value of the Plant Manager Institute.

“No matter the geographic location of our sites, all managers run into the same issues. The most valuable takeaway is meeting peers throughout the country who have worked with their teams to come up with innovative solutions,” Adams said. “Programs like this are essential. They foster knowledge sharing, provide strategic direction and enhance collaboration. They also reinforce best practices and industry standards, and contribute to operational efficiency and safety.”

Rocky Mountain Aggregates District Manager Britney Guggisberg, who also attended in January, said the program will provide plant managers with a wealth of useful information on topics ranging from production efficiencies to finance.

“There were many interesting sessions and takeaways to enhance our business operations,” she said. “Operational excellence has been a significant focus at Martin Marietta, and that was demonstrated through a series of open and engaging conversations. This program will help plant managers build a stronger network and develop new and practical tools they can utilize in their operations.”

Geiger said the Plant Manager Institute’s overall goal is to help site leaders in their efforts to drive world-class safety, operational and financial performance.

Vice President of Operations Services Will Bulluck and representatives of the Operational Advisory Committee – Chad Weems, David Jordan, Eric Gamble and Dan Persyn – will work with Geiger to lead future sessions of the Plant Manager Institute. Bulluck said he hopes the lessons learned from January’s test run will prove beneficial for the next class of plant managers.

“With this program continuing to grow, we’ll be looking at more specific and detailed case studies as well as some advanced technical and leadership skills,” he said. “Along with all the great things from the pilot program, we will also be adding three hours of accountability, time management and delegation programming, which were suggested by our first group of participants.”

And with these new participants, Bulluck said he hopes for a great exchange of ideas from site leaders across the company.

“I am most excited for our leaders to network with each other,” Bulluck said. “It is so important to gather all these different perspectives and hear what people are taking back with them to their sites.”

Plant Manager of Garner Quarry Chad Franks will be one of the attendees this summer. With 15 years at Martin Marietta, three of which have been as a plant manager, he said he is eager for this incredible opportunity.

“I will always welcome extra tools that I can use to help manage my team,” Franks said. “I am always looking for new tips and skills to guide my team towards continued success.”

As the year continues, Bulluck expects the topics and content of the Plant Manager Institute will continue to evolve and grow.