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In The News
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DAILY RECORD NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
02/01/08 |
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www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008801080332
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Mine Hill contractor gaining national honors, exposure
Eastern Contractor Services worked through the night on an 'Extreme Makeover'
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
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Todd A. Sawyer has been president of Eastern Contractor Services in Mine Hill since 2000. Founded by Sawyer's father, Larry, in 1974, the company installs insulation, waterproofing, gutters and garage doors.
An "Extreme" experience: Earlier this year, Eastern Contractor Services installed insulation and a garage door at a home in Bergenfield that was the focus of the ABC-TV reality show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." The top-rated show builds homes for deserving families in seven days or less.
"It was an excellent experience working with the show through Pinnacle, the host builder," Sawyer said. "It was a cool thing to be in the mix of the organized chaos. Once the supervisor said 'go,' we went, even though it was in the pitch black of night. Everyone worked together and was happy and polite even though it wasn't a simple job. "We did the insulation work in 40 minutes and the house was built in four days. Some people worked up to 48 hours with no sleep."
Second generation: "My dad founded the company with one employee and one truck in a storage shed. He had to borrow money to do it." Today the company has 150 employees in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Delaware.
Beginnings: Sawyer was born in Morristown in 1972. He grew up in the Denville-Rockaway area and graduated from Morris Knolls High School in 1990. He received a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Delaware in 1994. After college, Sawyer considered a job on Wall Street with Merrill Lynch but decided to join the family business instead.
"In high school, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, although I knew I enjoyed business and always had small jobs during the summer," Sawyer said. "I wouldn't do anything else -- this is it. I don't love construction, but I love the business end of the company -- that's my passion."
At home: Sawyer, his wife, Sloane, and their three children, Blake, 5, and 3-year-old twins, Devan and Ava, live in Randolph. "I spend so much at work that any spare time I have, I spend with my family," he said.
Board member: Sawyer is on the board of directors of the Insulation Contractors Association of America, which promotes professionalism in the residential and commercial insulation contracting industry. "I'm proud to be on the board at the age of 35. It's the voice of the industry and most don't get here until the end of their careers," he said.
Role model: "My dad. He was the hardest working guy I ever met. He was courageous to start the company with nothing." Larry Sawyer retired from the company in 1999 and comes in from time to time as a consultant, Sawyer said.
Honors: RSI (Roofing, Siding, Insulation) magazine named Eastern Contractor Services No. 6 in a national field of 25 for quantity of work and professionalism.
The staff: "We couldn't get where we are without the amazing staff. That's our biggest asset -- they're the best of any company and see the bigger picture of what this company should be." |
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