On Thursday, July 3, 1986, the Secretary of the State of Texas, Myra McDaniel, signed the Certificate of Incorporation for Lauren Concrete.
With an American dream, very few dollars, and a whole lot of grit, Ronnie Klatt planted a seed with hopes of growing it into something special.
Fast forward forty years and the result of the dream is a world-class organization; the Lauren Concrete that you and I know and love now. Some people quantify the success of the company with our large footprint, many plants, and hundreds of employees.
Others associate Lauren with leading-edge technology and top-notch equipment. Many of us point to the impressive projects that we have completed over the years; the high-rise and mid-rise buildings downtown, homes, hospitals, schools, libraries, court houses, bridges, record-size mat-pours, semiconductor buildings, and the list goes on and on.
We are all proud to see those monuments of our labor, and I'm sure each of you points them out to your family and friends when you drive by like I do. We all feel a sense of pride in our work because we have literally helped build the foundations of the communities we live in and serve. In that alone, we find great satisfaction and reward.
In light of all of our accomplishments, I am most proud of one particular thing. It isn't something you can measure easily with numbers, dollars, or even see, but it is evident in the hearts and on the faces of the men and woman of Lauren.
It is our culture.
A culture of putting each other first, showing respect, serving others, and taking care of our Lauren family members when they are down. A culture of saying YES when the competition says no, tackling the largest projects, finding a solution for every challenge, and picking up the ball when it is dropped and running with it. A culture of concern for the safety of our brothers and sisters. While we will never be perfect, our culture is one that will encourage us to try our best and find peace in knowing that every moment and every day is a fresh start.
Thank you to all employees, past and present, for being a part of our journey and dedicating a part of your life to our history and culture. My prayer is for us is protection from harm and evil and a safe return each day to our family and loved ones. I pray with gratitude for the first forty years of Lauren, and I pray for continued blessings on each of you and our company for the future.
