The Core Values Sightings highlight employees who have gone above and beyond in ways that align with our core values. We are fortunate to have a number of employees who embody our values on a regular basis. Jim Hammitt was one of these employees.
Jim, who passed away in December, 2020, was one-of-a-kind. Between his tie-dyed E&A apparel and unmistakable laugh, he lit up a room. This is what many recall when thinking of Jim, but this lightness was balanced by his investment to the details of his job and his dedication to E&A. For this sighting, we’ve spoken with his supervisor and a few co-workers about the things that made Jim special and the memories they carry with them.
Core Value Spotlight: February
February: Jim Hammitt, Construction Administration Manager
Jim always had the best interest of E&A in mind, not just his department but the entire company. He looked for ways to do things better. If something needed repairs, he took ownership and got it done or took it to the right person. He let the environmental department know if there was an issue on-site and shared suggestions with the design team. He communicated well and used a helpful tone with the goal of better quality all around.
Jim balanced a lot of projects and responsibilities, but he was always prepared and caught up. Even now, weeks after his passing, we’re still getting his completed files out and simply forwarding them along when something comes up. When Jim was in charge, he ran with it. As his supervisor, I could show up for meetings, confident that he had things under control.
Jim always went out of his way to tell others that they were doing a good job and was a team player with contractors. He took ownership in supervisory role. He really liked taking young observers out and showing them the ropes and explaining what he looks for in a project.
*Randy Pierce, Construction Administration Department Manager
Jim really liked being at E&A. Each time we interviewed someone, he mentioned how much fun it was to work here and how we were like a family. We held a food drive at E&A in 2016. Jim reached out to this ex-wife, who was a couponer and secured the win for his team with his sizeable donation.
He often wore tie-dyed E&A logowear on job sites, so contractors referred to him as “Hippie,” which he enjoyed. I remember seeing him wearing a pastel Miami Vice style suit, straight out of the 80’s at a wedding. It looked good on him. No one else could have pulled that off. He was very proud of his southern California roots.
*Steffon Adolf – Construction Administration Manager
Jim was an excellent mentor and trainer. He taught me how to perform my field duties as a construction observer and I try to teach interns about field duties the same way that Jim taught me. I really admired how he handled the new tasks that popped up each day, always with a good attitude. When a contractor called him, he started each conversation with a friendly tone regardless of the job status.
Jim had a lot of knowledge about sanitary sewer projects and testing procedures. I ran into a problem at one of our projects with a contractor and called Jim to explain the issue. He came right out the site to reiterate the expectations, which solved the issue.
*Dan Zelensky, Construction Administration Technician
Jim embodied our core values in all that he did at E&A. As an experienced staff member, all of the departments came to him for answers.
We had an SID project where Jim acted as the liaison between the developer, contractors and us. The project was previously designed by another engineering firm, entailed four separate permits and was confusing to say the least. Jim spearheaded the project and brought together the grading plans, lot level plans, water plans, intersection improvements and sanitary sewer plans. Whenever maintenance was necessary, we’d speak with Jim and he would correspond on our behalf. He was always available and willing, with a positive attitude. He valued the relationships with the clients and contractors, thereby ensuring the answers to our questions were always addressed.
*Patrick Sechser, Environmental Services Assistant Manager