RockBlog
Premier pipe company has deep Croatian roots
Posted by Shanna McCord Crigger on Wed, February 21st, 2018, 2:01 pm
WATSONVILLE – Before owning a successful pipe company, 86-year-old Chris Kristich lived in poverty with very little education in former communist Yugoslavia.He was the youngest of seven siblings and remembers going days without food and running water while growing up.In 1956, dirt poor and frustrated with President Josip Tito’s oppressive dictatorship, Chris snuckonto a 15-foot boat with five other people in the dead of night and fled to Italy, where he would live in a refugee ... Read More
From spreader truck driver to plant engineer
Posted by Shanna McCord Crigger on Mon, January 22nd, 2018, 9:48 am
REDWOOD CITY – Dave Voris had never seen a spreader truck, much less driven one, when he interviewed for the job of spreader truck driver at Graniterock in 1995.“I had my Class A commercial license and knew I could drive anything,” he said. “It turned out to be a great fit, both the company and the job.”Coming from Langley Hill Quarry near La Honda, where he was introduced to heavy equipment and industrial work after graduating ... Read More
Rose Ann Woolpert holds firm to family business
Posted by Shanna McCord Crigger on Tue, January 2nd, 2018, 3:18 pm
Rose Ann Woolpertwas born into a family business.Her father opened Orange County’s first Good Humor ice cream business in 1949 and ran it for many years with help from his wife and children.Decades later, Rose Ann married into another family business, albeit larger, when she met Bruce Woolpert and became part of the Graniterock family.Today, Rose Ann sits on Graniterock’s Board of Directors, a position she assumed in 2012 after her husband’s unexpected passing.Although she doesn’t ... Read More
A superintendent who wears several hats
Posted by Shanna McCord Crigger on Tue, December 5th, 2017, 3:12 pm
MORGAN HILL – One of the things that’s kept Dave Sornberger of Trinchero Construction employed full-time, no matter the economy, is his ability to run every piece of heavy equipment.Those skills were crucial early in his career when he had a wife and baby at home.Now, as Trinchero’s veteran superintendent during a time of remarkable demand for construction services throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Dave is still the company’s main paving operator.“I learned early on ... Read More
Quarry feels like home for this Rock Star
Posted by Shanna McCord Crigger on Tue, November 14th, 2017, 10:29 am
AROMAS – Candace Klein is a rare sight in a predominantly man’s world.But don’t start stereotyping because she’s comfortable getting dirty, running heavy equipment, putting in long hours and telling men how to do their jobs.She’s tough as nails, which is why Candace commands respect in this rugged environment.“Candace knows how to roll with the punches with all of the constant change,” said Jeremy Hunzie, who leads Graniterock'sprimary team at theA.R. Wilson Quarry. “She keeps the ... Read More
Charlie Corwell on the road again and again
Posted by Shanna McCord Crigger on Thu, October 12th, 2017, 10:49 am
SAN JOSE – Charlie Corwell likes to joke that no Graniterock construction project starts without him.The funny thing is it’s sort of true.He drives a 60-foot-long low boy loaded with heavy construction equipment from job site to job site all over Northern and Central California.Charlie’s day begins when it’s still dark, dropping off the first piece by 7 a.m. before any crew members show up.His destinations could be anywhere from the East Bay to the Santa ... Read More
Work between field and office seamless with this team
Posted by Shanna McCord Crigger on Thu, October 12th, 2017, 10:13 am
CUPERTINO – For two years straight,Bart Wilkinshas arrived to the job in Cupertino every day before dawn because it’s the only way to claim the territory his team needs to get their work done.Construction at one of the world’s largest tech companies can’t commence until 7:30 a.m., but if you wait until then to set up your equipment and tools, there won’t be an inch of space as the site is heavily stacked with a dozen ... Read More
Wanderlust and sensibility define Caltrans engineer
Posted by Shanna McCord Crigger on Wed, September 13th, 2017, 12:23 pm
SANTA CRUZ – The traits and skills that allow Jennifer Wilson to navigate a foreign country on her mountain bike, for months at a time, are the same qualities that make her a well-respected Caltrans engineer.The 17-year veteran of California Department of Transportation’s Division of Construction, responsible for overseeing infrastructure projects in Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, is known as a problem-solver, someone who plans ahead and deals honestly with contractors.“Jen is smart and knows ... Read More
Construction and concrete teams pull together for new bridge in Santa Cruz
Posted by Shanna McCord Crigger on Mon, August 28th, 2017, 2:42 pm
SANTA CRUZ – The Construction team had to quickly come up with an entirely new plan for a pedestrian/bike bridge over Branciforte Creek when the first pile hole being drilled by a subcontractor – 8 feet wide and 105 feet deep - collapsed due to poor soil conditions.This critical issue was handled without further delays thanks to the service and team work of the Santa Cruz concrete team, which didn’t hesitate to provide material late at ... Read More
Finish line in site for new BART station
Posted by Shanna McCord Crigger on Mon, August 7th, 2017, 3:39 pm
SAN JOSE – Successful completion of a new station for BART to extend from Fremont into San Jose, working alongside two other major contracts, doesn’t happen without clearing some pretty high hurdles.Graniterock’s $29 million job for Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority started infall 2015 on a 15-acre site between Berryessa and Mabury roads and will cometo a close soon. The project is designed to alleviate some of the South Bay’s heavy traffic congestion by increasing the ... Read More
RECENT POSTS
- Empowering veterans and communities: A day of service with CHEER and VFW
- Bruce W. Woolpert Scholarship adds up to successful life for pro soccer player
- Graniterock team member receives top safety award from California industry leaders
- Graniterock’s assistance to firefighters sparks gratitude from Aromas community
- Rock N Run raises $40,000 for education and youth in our community
- Graniterock recognized for environmental excellence
- Community fun run at Graniterock quarry in Hollister raises $17,500 for YMCA
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