Trey Thomas, President and COO of Hill Electric Company recently sat down with Tats Nakagawa, the CEO of Castagra Roofing, and host of Specified: Building Materials & Construction Growth Podcast. Tats and Trey had an interesting discussion about what has led to Hill’s success and the value of investing in a company early in your career to learn and grow.
Trey shared his story of trading in his job as a cart boy on the golf course during his college summers to intern at Hill Electric. After graduating with an engineering degree from Clemson, he wanted to continue building on what he’d started as an intern at Hill. He was drawn to the opportunity to build a career at a company with clear core values and a family legacy.
He joined Hill full time in 2010 and eventually bought into the company. Now, as the President and COO, he’s able to invest in others the same way he was invested in.
When asked about what he’s learned in his position, Trey notes the importance of investing in employees and treating them well. In his words, “We try to develop and invest in the employee. (It’s rewarding) knowing that you’re advancing people and giving them the opportunity to make a better living. Teach them, so they can help teach others and eventually it’ll cycle back around.”
Outside of treating employees well, Trey also shared the importance of being honest and building trust with vendors. Hill works to earn respect with everyone they work with, which creates loyalty, leading to repeat business and growth.
Tats and Trey discussed the future of the industry, and how important it is to stay ahead of the curve with industry changes. Trey noted that Hill now uses a variety of battery operated tools, and views this shift as a game changer for the industry.
Their conversation also touched on community involvement, authenticity in marketing and business development, and encouraging people to consider jobs in the trade field.
Click here to listen to the full conversation!
