"As we interviewed companies to build our new campus, we were impressed with [Jacobsen's] expertise. We were comfortable with their approach to the project," says doTERRA project manager Mark Ringger. "I've been impressed with their ability to adapt and be flexible. This was a fast-track, design-build project, and they were great at staying on top of everything."
Just north of Pleasant Grove, Jacobsen officials recently broke ground on the latest phase of building at Thanksgiving Park, a collection of LEED-Silver-certified, class-A office buildings the company has built over the past several years.
Farther south in Provo, Jacobsen is transforming the historic Provo Tabernacle into a temple of the faith for the LDS Church. The building was gutted by fire in 2010, and Jacobsen has been at work stabilizing the structure while excavating several new levels below grade. The contractor has built numerous meeting houses and temples for the LDS Church both within and outside the U.S.
MACHO Initiative
Welling says fostering a caring environment for clients and fellow employees is a key to the company's success and is also behind the latest company-wide safety initiative. It aims to reduce the number of reportable incidents and best the national average by 25% by the end of the year. The initiative has been given the acronym MACHO—My Attitude Can Help Others—and it encourages all employees to look out for their own and others' safety on the job.
"We know there is this tough guy image in our industry," says Fortuna. "There was also this feeling, maybe among older workers, that you have to produce and maybe compromise safety for productivity. We decided to focus on safety and plan for safe productivity before we start any task."
Fortuna says field workers can nominate others to be recognized for their foresight and safe working practices. An alcove at the main office is dedicated to charting progress in the program and recognizing employees for creating safer working conditions.
"We want it to be everyone's responsibility, not just a safety director. Everyone in the pool is a lifeguard," he says.