In 1987, Wayne German was left wondering what he would do after the small rebar company he worked for went bankrupt.
Fortunately, Flatiron, one of the joint venture partners on the project he had been working on in Colorado’s breathtaking Glenwood Canyon, told him they had a place for him.
He joined us as a superintendent; nearly forty years later, he hasn’t looked back.
Rebar and concrete work became his passion, and he developed a reputation for excelling at them. “I had been trying to get a job at Flatiron for some time already,” he explains. “They were known as a special company, and you had to prove yourself before you came aboard.”
German recently took his final bow with Flatiron, retiring as a general superintendent at the Harbor Bridge project in Corpus Christi.
His co-workers on the Flatiron Dragados joint venture held a celebration for him. Many recalled how he had become a mentor for them as they learned the construction industry.
Preconstruction Manager Randy Svilar has worked with German for years. “He took pride in his work and was always accountable for his work,” he explains. “He was a tough guy who persevered on tough projects.”
Making his mark across North America
German’s long career included stops all over the United States, including Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Louisiana, Massachusetts, British Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina.
Although his wife Kathy never worked directly at Flatiron, she was also known for being a source of help and inspiration to his co-workers.
German says the Charleston project, the Cooper River Bridge, will stay with him as his favorite Flatiron project that he worked on.
“It was just one big family. People who had moved to South Carolina from Colorado, Maine, North Carolina and other places,” German says. “We all came from different areas, but we got along so well, which was a key reason why it was such a successful project.”
That speaks volumes about the type of co-worker German was at Flatiron. He is a hard worker who always did quality work and a team player happy to share his experience with others.
If Wayne’s story resonates with you, and you are seeking a career building complex and resilient projects in a collaborative environment, transform your career with Flatiron.
