CEDAR CITY — If ever there was a time when a positive attitude was not only necessary but crucial now is the time.
In Heath Oveson and Brad Rhodes of IronRidge Civil Solutions, there is an uplifting outlook that could be packaged and sold as inspiration in the world of motivation seminars.
The pair purchased Iron-Ridge Civil Solutions in Cedar City from Bulloch Brothers, Inc. in September just as economists were predicting dire straits for everything from the housing industry to the car business and small mom and pop businesses all over the country.
Remember that the surveying and engineering business is directly related to development — considered the heart and soul of America — and it’s easy to see that Oveson and Rhodes are prime candidates for the belief that the cup is halffull and not half-empty.
In the two of them, you won’t hear any tales of woe or high-pitched levels of whining. Truth-be-known, tough times tend to elevate the survivors, who capitalize big-time when the economic tide turns. Those same people know how to tighten their belts without cutting off the vital organs.
In fact, at the recent grand opening of the company, about 120 people showed up. As an interesting touch of hospitality, Oveson and Rhodes provided Dutch Oven meals and there wasn’t much food left at the end of the day.
“We enjoyed ourselves so much that we are considering a similar gathering every spring,” said Oveson.
IronRidge Civil Solutions mounts a game plan to keep their clientele happy while beating the bushes for more business. Their attitudes are infectious during a time when the development business is hanging on for dear life.
The key is not to ignore the challenges but build on them for the future.
In the words of former NBC newsman Tom Brokaw, “Successful people build their foundations with bricks that others have thrown at them.”
Oveson, age 32, who serves as the company’s president, has a simple but direct look at the company and its own foundation.
“This company has been here for close to 40 years overall and we intend to be here another 40 years,” he said. “We have some very long-standing clients and while we know they could go elsewhere, we’re not about to let that happen.”
Rhodes, a 45-year-old who has lived in Cedar City since 1973, concurs that the starting blocks offered their share of bumps in the road. His own philosophical look at the economy and the challenges ahead are also optimistic.
“We do everything,” said the personable Rhodes. “I think Cedar will be slower than normal over the next year, but there is enough work to still be successful. As soon as California and Las Vegas rebound, our workload will increase again.”
In the meantime, living in Cedar City is certainly a massive benefit considering its beauty, culture and the people that tend to work through difficult situations rather than run from them.
“People want to move to Cedar City,” said Rhodes, knowing that some moves have been stopped primarily because residences could not be sold in other states prior to a planned relocation.
“There is still great potential considering the commercial and industrial elements here.”
While the residential market is certainly facing its own struggles, the industrial and commercial aspects remain promising especially when considering projects like Quantum Development’s Port 15 Utah west of Interstate 15.
Port 15 Utah is a prime example of continued future growth because it will combine Union Pacific Railroad, fiber optics, trucking and the Cedar City Regional Airport to create what should be an ideal network. The fact that IronRidge Civil Solutions is involved adds even more credence to the development.
Frank Nichols, a veteran of the development business who heads up Fiddler Canyon Development Limited, is a big believer in Iron-Ridge Civil Solutions as evidenced by the fact that he employs them.
“I was familiar with them from selling real estate,” said Nichols, who has developed nearly 400 acres in Southern Utah. “They had been doing the surveying and when I started my own business, I knew they had good relationships and good people.
I know there are many good companies out there, but I don’t want to change horses. All my records are still with IronRidge. They keep very good records and I can always find them.”
Just as important is that IronRidge is respected in the community and that’s a vital ingredient especially when approvals are being sought for development.
“They do a great job,” Nichols said. “Their service includes walking me through the political process while also handling the engineering process.
“There is lot of things in the offing here including commercial and industrial development along with green energy.”
And you can bet Nichols will not only ride out the storm but stay aligned with IronRidge Civil Solutions at the same time.
Mike Henle is a Las Vegas-based freelance writer and author of the book “Through the Darkness: One Man’s Fight to Overcome Epilepsy.” He can be contacted at mhenle@aol.com or through his Web site www.mikehenle.com.
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