Paving the Way, The History of Baker Rock for Yumpu
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<strong>Paving</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Way</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong><br />
14
<strong>Paving</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Way</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong><br />
As told by Gary T. <strong>Baker</strong>, Todd <strong>Baker</strong>, and Jan <strong>Baker</strong>-Carlson
Produced by Family Heirloom Arts<br />
www.FamilyHeirloomArts.com<br />
Portland, Oregon<br />
Lisa Kagan: Director, Oral Historian, Writer, Photography Editor, Book Designer<br />
Emily García: Book Designer, Production Manager<br />
Anya Hankin: Text Editor<br />
Connie Lenzen: Genealogist<br />
Joseph Webb: Digital Photography Artist<br />
Joan E. Hamilton: Transcriptionist<br />
Maia Fischler: Copy Editor<br />
Mollie Firestone: Pro<strong>of</strong>reader<br />
Copyright © 2015<br />
Gary T. & Todd <strong>Baker</strong><br />
All rights reserved. Reproduction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> whole or any part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> contents without permission is prohibited.<br />
Printed by Stevens Printing, Portland, Oregon<br />
Book binding by Grossenbacher Bros., Inc<br />
Front Cover Caption: Jan, Dal, Gary T. and Gary A., 1964 (left), Farmington Road asphalt plant in Beaverton, 1996 (top right),<br />
Gary T. and Todd <strong>Baker</strong> at <strong>the</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> 2020 Celebration, 2014 (bottom right)<br />
Cover design by Lisa Kagan
Content <strong>for</strong> this book is based on oral history interviews <strong>of</strong> Gary T. <strong>Baker</strong>,<br />
Jan <strong>Baker</strong>-Carlson, and Todd <strong>Baker</strong>. Highlights from additional interviews<br />
<strong>of</strong> longtime employees Jim Records and Keith Peal are also featured<br />
throughout <strong>the</strong> book. Interviews were conducted by Lisa Kagan from 2012<br />
to 2014. Images included in <strong>the</strong> book were provided by members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Baker</strong> family and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> archives. Additional content <strong>for</strong> Part I,<br />
“Founders <strong>of</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>,” came from Ruth Evelyn Cruse’s handwritten<br />
accounts <strong>of</strong> her life and oral history interviews with Geraldine <strong>Baker</strong>, which<br />
were compiled by Hea<strong>the</strong>r K. Geer, Ruth’s great-granddaughter, in 1990.
In loving memory <strong>of</strong> my grandparents, Gary A. and Dal <strong>Baker</strong>,<br />
whose hard work and integrity paved <strong>the</strong> way<br />
in establishing a strong foundation <strong>for</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>.<br />
Todd <strong>Baker</strong>
Contents<br />
Part I<br />
<strong>The</strong> Founders <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong><br />
As told by Jan <strong>Baker</strong>-Carlson<br />
chapter 1<br />
chapter 2<br />
chapter 3<br />
Origin Stories,<br />
Gary A. <strong>Baker</strong><br />
Origin Stories,<br />
Dal Robertson<br />
Gary & Dal <strong>Baker</strong>,<br />
Creating a Life Toge<strong>the</strong>r<br />
4<br />
14<br />
18<br />
chapter 7<br />
chapter 8<br />
chapter 9<br />
chapter 10<br />
Gary T. <strong>Baker</strong>, Second<br />
Generation <strong>of</strong> Leadership<br />
Dedication &<br />
Commitment<br />
Building Toward<br />
<strong>the</strong> Future<br />
Serving Our<br />
Community<br />
78<br />
92<br />
110<br />
118<br />
vi
Part II<br />
Building <strong>the</strong> Family<br />
Business<br />
As told by Gary T. <strong>Baker</strong><br />
chapter 4<br />
A Strong<br />
Foundation<br />
34<br />
chapter 5<br />
Early Years <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong><br />
50<br />
chapter 6<br />
Our Growing<br />
Business<br />
62<br />
Part III<br />
Three Generations<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong><br />
As told by Todd <strong>Baker</strong><br />
Appendix<br />
Acknowledgments &<br />
Ancestral Charts<br />
chapter 11<br />
Todd A. <strong>Baker</strong>, a Legacy<br />
<strong>of</strong> Leadership<br />
140<br />
chapter 12<br />
Growth & Change<br />
158<br />
vii
Introduction<br />
by Todd <strong>Baker</strong><br />
As <strong>the</strong> third generation <strong>of</strong> my family to be involved with <strong>Baker</strong><br />
<strong>Rock</strong>, I have <strong>of</strong>ten reflected on <strong>the</strong> importance <strong>of</strong> finding a<br />
way to preserve a thorough history <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> company and <strong>the</strong> story<br />
<strong>of</strong> its founders, my grandparents Gary A. and Dal <strong>Baker</strong>. Having<br />
grown up in <strong>the</strong> business, I was accustomed to hearing bits and<br />
pieces <strong>of</strong> different stories and memories from my fa<strong>the</strong>r, longterm<br />
employees, and vendors who have helped <strong>the</strong> company<br />
grow and become what it is today. Yet most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se stories had<br />
never been written down. In 2010 I was given a book about <strong>the</strong><br />
history <strong>of</strong> Peterson Caterpillar, and I realized we needed to do<br />
<strong>the</strong> same kind <strong>of</strong> thing at <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>.<br />
I started <strong>the</strong> process <strong>of</strong> creating this book in 2012, and at that<br />
time I had no idea what a huge undertaking it would turn out to<br />
be. I remember Lisa, whom I hired to help me create this book,<br />
explaining that <strong>the</strong> whole process could take anywhere from<br />
eighteen months to a few years. At that point I thought <strong>the</strong>re was<br />
no way it would take that long. After going through <strong>the</strong> process,<br />
I now understand why it takes <strong>the</strong> time that it does.<br />
Over <strong>the</strong> last three years we conducted oral history interviews<br />
<strong>of</strong> family members and long-term employees, wrote and<br />
edited <strong>the</strong> stories, organized and restored our collection <strong>of</strong><br />
photographs and documents, and eventually designed <strong>Paving</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>Way</strong>, <strong>The</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>. Creating this book allowed<br />
me to fully realize <strong>the</strong> ways in which my grandparents and <strong>the</strong><br />
company have had a pr<strong>of</strong>ound effect not only on me but on so<br />
many people who spent time working <strong>for</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> over <strong>the</strong><br />
years, as well as members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> local community. Often I will<br />
meet someone who tells me <strong>the</strong>y knew my grandfa<strong>the</strong>r. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
always say what a great man he was. My grandmo<strong>the</strong>r was also<br />
a pillar <strong>of</strong> strength and support, <strong>for</strong> both <strong>the</strong> company and <strong>the</strong><br />
community. A longtime vendor <strong>of</strong> ours once wrote a note to my<br />
grandmo<strong>the</strong>r letting her know <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> would not be half<br />
viii
as successful without her involvement. My grandparents' philosophies<br />
<strong>of</strong> treating employees and customers fairly, providing<br />
quality products and services, and acting with thoughtfulness<br />
and generosity are still guiding principles within <strong>the</strong> company<br />
and our family today.<br />
I hope this book will serve as a legacy, which years from now<br />
my children and <strong>the</strong>ir children can read to get a sense <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
hard work and determination it took to build <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>, and<br />
what it means to be an active member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> community. I hope<br />
that <strong>for</strong>mer, current and future employees can gain an understanding<br />
<strong>of</strong> how important it has been throughout <strong>the</strong> three<br />
generations <strong>of</strong> our family business that <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> remain a<br />
positive, ethical, and vibrant business dedicated to helping make<br />
our community a better place. <strong>The</strong> company would not be where<br />
it is today without <strong>the</strong> support <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> many employees, vendors<br />
and suppliers who have been <strong>the</strong>re to help along <strong>the</strong> way.<br />
Overall this book project has been a very rewarding and<br />
enjoyable undertaking, and turned out to be well worth <strong>the</strong><br />
ef<strong>for</strong>t. I have a newfound respect <strong>for</strong> what my grandparents<br />
were able to accomplish throughout <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir lives.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y met and built a life toge<strong>the</strong>r, laying <strong>the</strong> groundwork <strong>for</strong><br />
all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> generations to come. At times <strong>the</strong>y struggled to overcome<br />
adversity, but <strong>the</strong>y were able to persevere and continue to<br />
move <strong>for</strong>ward. <strong>The</strong>y spent many late nights working to help <strong>the</strong><br />
company grow, and <strong>the</strong>re were years when <strong>the</strong>y did not have<br />
much financially to show <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir ef<strong>for</strong>ts. Yet through it all <strong>the</strong>y<br />
always maintained high standards <strong>of</strong> integrity and ethical business<br />
practices toward those who touched <strong>the</strong>ir lives. I am proud<br />
<strong>of</strong> what my grandparents and <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> our family have been<br />
able to accomplish over <strong>the</strong> years, and it is very gratifying to be<br />
able to honor and preserve <strong>the</strong>ir stories through <strong>the</strong> creation <strong>of</strong><br />
this legacy book.<br />
ix
Our ancestors’ abilities to live <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong> land and endure<br />
great waves <strong>of</strong> hardship and change, along with <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
strong entrepreneurial spirits, have helped enable my<br />
parents, my bro<strong>the</strong>r and I, and our children to succeed.<br />
– Jan <strong>Baker</strong>-Carlson
Part I<br />
<strong>The</strong> Founders <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong><br />
As told by Jan <strong>Baker</strong>-Carlson<br />
Many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> origin stories highlighted in this section came from<br />
Ruth Evelyn Cruse’s handwritten accounts <strong>of</strong> her life and oral history interviews<br />
with Geraldine <strong>Baker</strong>, which were compiled by Hea<strong>the</strong>r K. Geer,<br />
Ruth’s great-granddaughter, in 1990.
CHAPTER 1<br />
Origin Stories,<br />
Gary A. <strong>Baker</strong><br />
Hard work and perseverance helped to bring <strong>the</strong> <strong>Baker</strong><br />
family to Oregon, where multiple generations continue to<br />
grow and thrive. We come from a long line <strong>of</strong> hardy stock, who<br />
have learned how to cultivate <strong>the</strong> soil, tend to <strong>the</strong> livestock, and<br />
extract rock from <strong>the</strong> earth. Our ancestors’ abilities to live <strong>of</strong>f<br />
<strong>the</strong> land and endure great waves <strong>of</strong> hardship and change, along<br />
with <strong>the</strong>ir strong entrepreneurial spirits, have helped enable my<br />
parents, my bro<strong>the</strong>r and I, and our children to succeed.<br />
Ruth Evelyn Cruse and<br />
Harvey Earl <strong>Baker</strong><br />
My great-grandparents, William Martin and Elsie Cruse,<br />
were living in a stone house in Pawnee, Nebraska, when <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
daughter, Ruth Evelyn Cruse, came into <strong>the</strong> world on January<br />
11, 1893. Ruth and her siblings spent most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir childhood<br />
Facing page: Ruth, Gary, Homer, Geraldine, Virginia, and Harvey <strong>Baker</strong>, 1925<br />
Above: Gary A. <strong>Baker</strong>, 1925<br />
years growing up on farms, so Ruth was accustomed to <strong>the</strong><br />
demands <strong>of</strong> rural life from early on.<br />
In addition to helping care <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> family farm, Ruth was able<br />
to attend school through eighth grade. Ruth was tiny, standing<br />
only about 4 feet 10 inches tall. Her growth was stunted by a<br />
bout <strong>of</strong> scarlet fever that she managed to survive when she was<br />
a girl. Though small in stature, she was very strong. As she got<br />
older, she always wore her hair down past her hips. She loved<br />
to participate in school activities and socialize with her friends.<br />
When she was in eighth grade, her fa<strong>the</strong>r sold <strong>the</strong>ir family farm<br />
and moved to Guide <strong>Rock</strong>, Nebraska. Ruth met our paternal<br />
grandfa<strong>the</strong>r, Harvey Earl <strong>Baker</strong>, while she was a young woman<br />
living in Guide <strong>Rock</strong>.<br />
Harvey was born March 21, 1891, to Harrison and Bertha<br />
<strong>Baker</strong>. Harvey’s parents came from a long line <strong>of</strong> survivors who<br />
had made <strong>the</strong>ir way to Nebraska against <strong>the</strong> odds. According to<br />
family lore, this line <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> family endured a very treacherous<br />
journey across America in a covered wagon, but <strong>the</strong> details<br />
5
One day Harvey was on a job working to remove sand from<br />
a pit when suddenly <strong>the</strong> whole pit caved in. All <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> men were<br />
able to escape unharmed except <strong>for</strong> Harvey, who was trapped<br />
in <strong>the</strong> pit. He broke his leg in <strong>the</strong> incident, and was laid up<br />
in recovery <strong>for</strong> several weeks. <strong>The</strong> local doctor was not available<br />
to treat him, so <strong>the</strong> town’s veterinarian had to set his leg.<br />
Un<strong>for</strong>tunately <strong>the</strong> leg was not set properly, and as a result, he<br />
walked with a limp <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> his life.<br />
Once Harvey was able to maneuver around on crutches,<br />
he was eager to go out and see how his crew was progressing<br />
on <strong>the</strong>ir projects. <strong>The</strong> family had just gotten a new car, which<br />
Ruth was excited to learn to drive. She had never driven be<strong>for</strong>e,<br />
but since Harvey was unable to drive himself because <strong>of</strong> his<br />
“touchy” leg, she had to learn in a hurry. Harvey was not very<br />
pleased with this arrangement as he preferred to be able to get<br />
around on his own, but he had no choice but to depend on Ruth<br />
<strong>for</strong> his transportation needs. Even though Harvey proved to be<br />
an impatient and difficult driving instructor, Ruth really enjoyed<br />
<strong>the</strong> opportunity to take a break from her domestic responsibilities<br />
and drive around <strong>the</strong> area in order to help Harvey with his work.<br />
Homer, Geraldine and Gary <strong>Baker</strong>, 1921<br />
Gary A. <strong>Baker</strong>’s Childhood<br />
My fa<strong>the</strong>r, in addition to his love <strong>of</strong> swimming, really<br />
enjoyed running track as a boy. He was an excellent runner,<br />
and thrived on being a member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> track team and competing<br />
in local races. He was a track star in high school, and set<br />
a state record <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> mile when he was a senior. That record<br />
stood <strong>for</strong> quite a few years. Un<strong>for</strong>tunately, Gary had to miss<br />
<strong>the</strong> statewide competition when he came down with tuberculosis.<br />
He was heartbroken not to be able to compete. He felt<br />
that missing that opportunity changed <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> his life,<br />
8
Gary A. (top row 2nd person from right) and Homer (front row 1st person from right) in <strong>the</strong> Palisade High School Band, 1935<br />
9
CHAPTER 3<br />
Gary & Dal <strong>Baker</strong>,<br />
Creating a Life Toge<strong>the</strong>r<br />
Dal’s best friend in school, Louise Boyd, had gotten married<br />
and moved to Hillsboro, Oregon, after <strong>the</strong>y finished high<br />
school. Eventually Dal and Wilma managed to escape from <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
oppressive home life with Walter, and <strong>the</strong>y decided to take a trip<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r during <strong>the</strong> summer <strong>of</strong> 1938 to visit Louise and her new<br />
husband, Irvin, in Oregon. At that time, Dal was engaged to a<br />
fellow in Denver.<br />
Soon after <strong>the</strong>y arrived in Oregon, Louise and Irvin told<br />
Dal about a male friend <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>irs, and suggested <strong>the</strong> four <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>m should go out toge<strong>the</strong>r. <strong>The</strong>y showed Dal his picture, and<br />
although she thought he was handsome, she reminded <strong>the</strong>m<br />
that she was already engaged to ano<strong>the</strong>r man, and that whatever<br />
socializing she would be doing while she was in Oregon<br />
would be strictly platonic.<br />
Facing page: Gary A. and Dal <strong>Baker</strong> in front <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir first house in Hillsboro,<br />
1945 (top left); Gary T. and Jan <strong>Baker</strong>, 1948 (bottom left); Dal Dally and Gary A.<br />
<strong>Baker</strong> at <strong>the</strong> Oregon State Fair in Salem, 1938 Above: Dal and Gary, 1938<br />
On <strong>the</strong> day <strong>of</strong> her outing with Louise, Irvin, and <strong>the</strong>ir mystery<br />
friend, Dal spent <strong>the</strong> afternoon at a local swimming hole.<br />
She returned home soaking wet to find that her “platonic date”<br />
had already arrived at her doorstep. He was so early that she<br />
hardly had a chance to get ready. She ran inside and changed<br />
her clo<strong>the</strong>s, and in her rush, did not even have time to dry her<br />
hair. Her date’s name was Gary <strong>Baker</strong>.<br />
So <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong>y went Gary and Dal to meet Louise and Irvin <strong>for</strong><br />
a movie, Dal with wet hair dripping down her back, and Gary<br />
already intrigued with this unique young woman. <strong>The</strong>y had a<br />
wonderful time toge<strong>the</strong>r that evening, and again <strong>the</strong> next day,<br />
and again <strong>the</strong> next. Gary took Dal to <strong>the</strong> coast, because being<br />
from Nebraska, she had never seen <strong>the</strong> ocean. <strong>The</strong> foursome<br />
ended up spending every day toge<strong>the</strong>r, adventuring and exploring<br />
new sights. <strong>The</strong>y even went and enjoyed <strong>the</strong> state fair. I<br />
have a picture that my fa<strong>the</strong>r, Gary, took at <strong>the</strong> state fair, <strong>of</strong> my<br />
mo<strong>the</strong>r, Dal, sitting on a tree trunk. We found that picture in<br />
his wallet after my fa<strong>the</strong>r died, when we were going through<br />
19
with <strong>the</strong> children. She also really valued building<br />
relationships with <strong>the</strong> students. But because she<br />
was just five feet tall, <strong>the</strong> boys in eighth grade<br />
were bigger than she was, making it difficult <strong>for</strong><br />
her to play <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> disciplinarian with much<br />
authority. As a result, she had a number <strong>of</strong> male<br />
students who were constantly giving her a very<br />
hard time. She also had to live away from home<br />
while she was teaching. Although <strong>the</strong> people she<br />
lived with were kind to her, <strong>the</strong>y were not family,<br />
and Dal felt like a lodger <strong>the</strong>re. It was not where<br />
she wanted to establish her own home.<br />
Dal Dally, 1936<br />
A Secret Marriage,<br />
Beginning a Life Toge<strong>the</strong>r<br />
On December 17, 1938, Gary and Dal got<br />
married by a justice <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> peace in Harrisburg,<br />
Nebraska. Wilma and Noreen accompanied<br />
<strong>the</strong>m as witnesses. <strong>The</strong>y were excited to be part<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir special day, even if it had to take place<br />
in secret. That weekend, Gary and Dal went on<br />
a brief honeymoon, but <strong>the</strong>y had to return by<br />
Sunday evening so that Dal could teach school on<br />
Monday morning.<br />
Once Dal returned to work, Gary embarked<br />
on his trip back to Oregon. He was determined<br />
to find a good job and begin preparing <strong>for</strong> Dal to<br />
move to Hillsboro at <strong>the</strong> close <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> school year<br />
when her teaching job ended. Now that <strong>the</strong>y were<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficially married, Dal knew that she could no longer<br />
postpone her conversation with <strong>the</strong> fellow she<br />
22
had been engaged to in Denver. She had to tell him that she was<br />
married. She felt awful because she really had loved him and she<br />
did not want to hurt him. She just knew that Gary was <strong>the</strong> one<br />
<strong>for</strong> her, and while she dreaded hurting her <strong>for</strong>mer fiancé, she was<br />
certain that she wanted to spend her life with Gary.<br />
Moving West,<br />
Birth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Next Generation<br />
After Dal finished her teaching commitment in Bridgeport,<br />
Nebraska, she made her way out to Oregon. Though Dal was a<br />
little nervous to move out West and begin this new phase <strong>of</strong> her<br />
life, she could not wait to be toge<strong>the</strong>r with Gary, without thousands<br />
<strong>of</strong> miles between <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
When she first arrived, <strong>the</strong>y stayed with Gary’s parents, Ruth<br />
and Harvey, on <strong>the</strong> family’s farm in Hillsboro, where Gary had<br />
been living. Though Ruth and Harvey knew about <strong>the</strong> courtship<br />
and marriage, due to <strong>the</strong> circumstances <strong>the</strong>y had not actually<br />
met Dal until she moved to Oregon. When Gary introduced her,<br />
my grandfa<strong>the</strong>r Harvey joked that she was such a bitty thing, my<br />
fa<strong>the</strong>r would never find her in bed. Dal was quite embarrassed<br />
by this comment.<br />
After that first awkward encounter, my mo<strong>the</strong>r shed her<br />
embarrassment and grew to love my fa<strong>the</strong>r’s parents dearly, and<br />
<strong>the</strong>y adored her as well. My mo<strong>the</strong>r was excited to become part<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir family and join <strong>the</strong>ir household. She was a very good<br />
helper to my grandparents. She fit right in and made a meaningful<br />
contribution to <strong>the</strong> household by helping her mo<strong>the</strong>r-in-law<br />
care <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir home. Gary worked with his fa<strong>the</strong>r on <strong>the</strong> farm.<br />
<strong>The</strong> whole family loved each o<strong>the</strong>r and got along extremely well,<br />
so <strong>the</strong> arrangement was easy <strong>for</strong> everyone.<br />
Gary was working at <strong>the</strong> Birds Eye Cannery in Hillsboro<br />
Dal <strong>Baker</strong> on her road trip from Nebraska to Oregon with a 1931 Model A<br />
when Dal arrived in Oregon. He worked in processing, and soon<br />
Dal was hired in that department as well. Not long after she<br />
started her position, <strong>the</strong>y asked her if she could type. <strong>The</strong>y were<br />
impressed with her skills and she was quickly promoted to a secretarial<br />
position. Following his time working in <strong>the</strong> cannery, Gary<br />
moved on to take a job with a Caterpillar equipment dealer in<br />
23
CHAPTER 4<br />
A Strong<br />
Foundation<br />
My dad, Gary, worked <strong>for</strong> a few years at G.D. Dennis &<br />
Sons. In 1946 he decided to leave <strong>the</strong> company and go<br />
into business with his bro<strong>the</strong>r, Homer. After a few years <strong>of</strong> running<br />
<strong>Baker</strong> Bro<strong>the</strong>rs, <strong>the</strong>y eventually dissolved <strong>the</strong>ir partnership,<br />
and my dad decided he was ready to start his own company.<br />
He felt he had developed his skills to <strong>the</strong> point where he was<br />
prepared to become his own boss. In <strong>the</strong> beginning, his business<br />
specialized in doing pond excavation, cleaning out drainage<br />
ditches, and running dragline. He named his business Gary <strong>Baker</strong><br />
Contractor. He did <strong>the</strong> majority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> work himself, but hired<br />
some additional help as needed as his business began to grow. His<br />
business was doing well until he hit a rough spell in 1952.<br />
When we were young, my dad was very busy with building<br />
<strong>the</strong> family business. He worked extremely hard to navigate <strong>the</strong><br />
ups and downs <strong>of</strong> running his own business while still making<br />
Facing page: Gary A. <strong>Baker</strong>, c.1950 (top left), Dal <strong>Baker</strong>, c.1950 (bottom left),<br />
Jan, Dal, Gary T. and Gary A., 1964 Above: Gary A. and Dal <strong>Baker</strong>, 1950<br />
sure to always provide <strong>for</strong> our family. His workday started at<br />
six o’clock in <strong>the</strong> morning — sometimes earlier — and <strong>of</strong>ten his<br />
workday would not end until eight o’clock in <strong>the</strong> evening, especially<br />
in <strong>the</strong> summertime. My mom was <strong>the</strong> primary caregiver<br />
in our family, and she also did <strong>the</strong> books <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> business. At that<br />
time she did <strong>the</strong>m at home in our basement because <strong>the</strong>re was<br />
no company <strong>of</strong>fice yet. After <strong>the</strong> quarry opened, <strong>the</strong>y set up a<br />
little shed, which <strong>the</strong>y decided to convert into an <strong>of</strong>fice, and she<br />
would work from <strong>the</strong>re. Once my mom started working at <strong>the</strong><br />
quarry, she would still make sure that she came home in time to<br />
pick us up from school, get us settled, and make dinner. On <strong>the</strong><br />
weekends, she was always home with us, working on projects in<br />
<strong>the</strong> kitchen, or going on family outings.<br />
Even though my mom did her best to be <strong>the</strong>re <strong>for</strong> us while<br />
she was working, <strong>the</strong>re was a time when I was young when I<br />
really did not want my mom to work. I wanted to be able to<br />
come home and have her <strong>the</strong>re whenever I wanted her. Yet as a<br />
young adult, I began to see how important <strong>the</strong> business was to<br />
35
Gary, Growing into Adulthood<br />
As told by Gary T. <strong>Baker</strong><br />
Teen Years<br />
Throughout high school, dancing was one <strong>of</strong> my primary<br />
outlets. Besides that, I was never particularly athletically inclined.<br />
At my fa<strong>the</strong>r’s urging, I did run track <strong>for</strong> a little while in high<br />
school, but I was never as driven with it as my fa<strong>the</strong>r had been.<br />
Academically, I had to work to get Cs, and once in a while I<br />
would get a B. Very seldom I would get an A and once in a great<br />
while I would get a D.<br />
Every summer from <strong>the</strong> time I was eleven years old, I worked<br />
<strong>for</strong> my fa<strong>the</strong>r. At twelve years old it was not unusual <strong>for</strong> me to<br />
man <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice by myself on Saturdays, where I would answer<br />
<strong>the</strong> phones and sell rock. Customers would come in wanting<br />
a load <strong>of</strong> this or a load <strong>of</strong> that, and I would go out, load<br />
<strong>the</strong>m up and collect <strong>the</strong> money. That continued on all through<br />
high school, and as I got older, I began spending more time<br />
in <strong>the</strong> summers working out in <strong>the</strong> field on construction jobs<br />
and helping <strong>the</strong> men prepare and lay pipe. In <strong>the</strong> early days,<br />
<strong>the</strong> company was small enough that <strong>the</strong>re were not a lot <strong>of</strong><br />
employees working <strong>for</strong> my dad. He had a few full-time staff, but<br />
I worked wherever and whenever <strong>the</strong>y wanted me. So I got to<br />
have my hands in everything — sometimes I would be working<br />
with <strong>the</strong> mechanic taking something apart, o<strong>the</strong>r times I would<br />
be loading dump trucks or feeding <strong>the</strong> crusher — just wherever<br />
<strong>the</strong>y needed me to be.<br />
I was always very interested in cars, and once I turned<br />
sixteen my dad told me that I needed to get my driver’s license<br />
and buy a car so that I would be less dependent on <strong>the</strong> family<br />
Gary T., Hillsboro High School graduation, 1960<br />
38
vehicles. I bought my first car — a brown and<br />
cream 1946 Chevrolet four-door sedan — in 1958,<br />
<strong>for</strong> $65. We saw an ad in <strong>the</strong> paper and my mo<strong>the</strong>r<br />
went with me to buy it. I brought it home, had it a<br />
week, made a modification to <strong>the</strong> exhaust system,<br />
and <strong>the</strong>n drove it into town and got a ticket <strong>for</strong> loud<br />
exhaust. I drove that car <strong>for</strong> about a year. <strong>The</strong> next<br />
year I worked all summer long and saved enough<br />
money to buy a 1953 Ford convertible. I had<br />
always wanted a convertible. Once I got my driver’s<br />
license, <strong>the</strong>y sent me out quite <strong>of</strong>ten chasing parts<br />
<strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> business. A piece <strong>of</strong> equipment would break<br />
down and I would be sent to various equipment<br />
suppliers in Beaverton or Portland to get a replacement<br />
part.<br />
Value <strong>of</strong> Early Work Experience<br />
Having started in <strong>the</strong> business so young, I have<br />
never been afraid to work, and work hard. My<br />
early experience working <strong>for</strong> my dad taught me<br />
<strong>the</strong> self-worth <strong>of</strong> being able to accomplish things.<br />
I learned not to worry about getting dirty — very<br />
dirty — because all I had to do was go home and<br />
step in <strong>the</strong> shower and wash it <strong>of</strong>f and I was as good<br />
as new.<br />
It hit me later in life, but I realized that one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> challenges<br />
<strong>of</strong> having started working hard from such a young age is that I<br />
did not know how to relax. I worked so much that it was hard <strong>for</strong><br />
me to turn <strong>of</strong>f that work-focused part <strong>of</strong> my brain. Once I finally<br />
retired, I had <strong>the</strong> opportunity to build more regular relaxation into<br />
my lifestyle, but it took a while to get used to that change <strong>of</strong> pace.<br />
Gary T. and Jim Sanders at Boot Camp in San Diego, Cali<strong>for</strong>nia, 1961<br />
College and Joining <strong>the</strong> Navy<br />
I worked at <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> through high school. After high school,<br />
my dad really encouraged me to go to college. I was not excited<br />
about going to college, but my dad won out and I went to Portland<br />
State <strong>for</strong> a term. I came out with a .67 GPA, which is about a D.<br />
After this first term, I decided I was not interested in returning to<br />
college, and so I enlisted in <strong>the</strong> Navy Seabees and I went on active<br />
39
Throughout <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>’s three generations <strong>of</strong><br />
leadership, one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> keys to our success has been<br />
our ability to change and adapt <strong>the</strong> way we run our<br />
business to meet <strong>the</strong> needs <strong>of</strong> our customers and keep<br />
pace with <strong>the</strong> changing technology.<br />
– Gary T. <strong>Baker</strong>
Part II<br />
Building <strong>the</strong> Family<br />
Business<br />
As told by Gary T. <strong>Baker</strong>
CHAPTER 5<br />
Early Years <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong><br />
My fa<strong>the</strong>r, Gary A. <strong>Baker</strong>, laid <strong>the</strong> foundation <strong>for</strong> what has<br />
now grown to become <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> Resources. He started<br />
<strong>the</strong> business in <strong>the</strong> fall <strong>of</strong> 1952 with $12 in his pocket but good<br />
credit to his name. In <strong>the</strong> mid 1940s, my fa<strong>the</strong>r had begun doing<br />
excavation and pipe work <strong>for</strong> people, gaining invaluable experience<br />
in running his own business. Yet at <strong>the</strong> start <strong>of</strong> 1952, he<br />
encountered significant financial difficulties that could have been<br />
<strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> his career as a business owner. My fa<strong>the</strong>r was determined<br />
not to go bankrupt; he knew that maintaining good credit<br />
would be essential if he ever wanted to run his own business in<br />
<strong>the</strong> future. He felt he had no choice but to step away from <strong>the</strong><br />
business he was starting, and take up work <strong>for</strong> a bridge-building<br />
company that summer.<br />
Through his perseverance and extremely hard work, he was<br />
Facing page: Gary A. <strong>Baker</strong> (right) with <strong>the</strong> new Allis-Chalmers HD-5 tractor<br />
shovel purchased by <strong>Baker</strong> Davis Contractors, c.1954<br />
Above: Detail from facing page<br />
able to pay <strong>of</strong>f his creditors, preventing himself from going bankrupt.<br />
<strong>The</strong> first thing my fa<strong>the</strong>r did when he was ready to start up<br />
his business again was to go to Clyde Equipment Company, now<br />
known as Clyde West. <strong>The</strong>y financed <strong>the</strong> purchase <strong>of</strong> a Bucyrus-<br />
Erie 15-B dragline. That was <strong>the</strong> first machine my fa<strong>the</strong>r bought,<br />
and we still own it to this day. Over sixty years later, our company<br />
continues to do business with Clyde West. With <strong>the</strong> purchase <strong>of</strong><br />
that machine, my fa<strong>the</strong>r was truly back in business.<br />
During this time my fa<strong>the</strong>r was regularly attending <strong>the</strong> Elks<br />
Club, where he got to know ano<strong>the</strong>r Elks member by <strong>the</strong> name<br />
<strong>of</strong> Ray Davis. <strong>The</strong>y decided to join <strong>for</strong>ces. Ray Davis owned a<br />
TD-7 Crawler tractor. With Ray’s TD-7 and Dad’s 15-B, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
<strong>for</strong>med a partnership. <strong>The</strong>ir business was called <strong>Baker</strong> Davis<br />
Contractors. Soon after, <strong>the</strong>y went out and bought a small Ford<br />
9-N tractor, which <strong>the</strong>y modified so that instead <strong>of</strong> pulling a<br />
plow on <strong>the</strong> back, it carried a little cement-mixer drum. With<br />
that machine, <strong>the</strong>y started bidding excavation and pipe work.<br />
Toge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y worked in Beaverton, Hillsboro, Cedar Hills, and<br />
51
ut <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> continued to bid projects with G.D. Dennis &<br />
Sons <strong>of</strong>f and on <strong>for</strong> several years.<br />
Lessons Learned from Joint Ventures<br />
and Partnerships<br />
My dad, Gary, initiated several partnerships during his time<br />
running <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>, and from my perspective, it generally<br />
seemed like <strong>the</strong>y did not work out that well, and turned out to be<br />
more trouble than <strong>the</strong>y were worth. After witnessing my fa<strong>the</strong>r’s<br />
successful and less successful business collaborations, I came to<br />
<strong>the</strong> conclusion that I was interested in concentrating more on<br />
our core businesses, and less on additional side ventures. As I<br />
began to take over leadership <strong>of</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>, I decided to stay<br />
out <strong>of</strong> partnership arrangements. Throughout <strong>the</strong> years, opportunities<br />
continued to arise, but I always felt that it was easier<br />
<strong>for</strong> me not to have partners. In that same vein, I received some<br />
sage advice from my accountant. who encouraged me to pay my<br />
employees well but keep <strong>the</strong> company in <strong>the</strong> family. I have followed<br />
his advice, and it has served me well.<br />
Celebrating <strong>the</strong> Accomplishments <strong>of</strong><br />
Gary A. <strong>Baker</strong><br />
Through his work with <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>, my dad, Gary, was very<br />
proud <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> services he was able to provide to <strong>the</strong> municipalities<br />
over <strong>the</strong> years. He built a good name <strong>for</strong> our family business. He<br />
was known <strong>for</strong> his honesty and integrity. My dad always valued<br />
being involved in projects that would benefit <strong>the</strong> wellbeing <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> community. As a result <strong>of</strong> his civic involvement, he always<br />
received a lot <strong>of</strong> respect from community members <strong>for</strong> being<br />
such a successful businessman and <strong>for</strong> his generosity in sharing<br />
his resources. His strong relationship with <strong>the</strong> community meant Gary A.<br />
76
a lot to him. My dad was also very proud <strong>of</strong> being able to<br />
honor his commitment to his employees throughout <strong>the</strong> years.<br />
Through all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ups and downs <strong>of</strong> building <strong>the</strong> business, his<br />
employees always went home with a paycheck, and his suppliers<br />
were always paid.<br />
My dad was proud <strong>of</strong> all that <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> had accomplished,<br />
and he was especially proud <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fact that as I began to take<br />
over more <strong>of</strong> his responsibilities,<br />
<strong>the</strong> business was in a position<br />
where we could actually be<br />
debt-free. Throughout those<br />
early years, he always had to<br />
borrow money to help <strong>the</strong> business<br />
grow. He had developed a<br />
strong working relationship with<br />
First Interstate Bank (now Wells<br />
Fargo), which saw <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong><br />
through our early investments<br />
and also enabled <strong>the</strong> start-up <strong>of</strong><br />
Mountain Trucking Co., Inc.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> early 1980s, as we were<br />
growing <strong>the</strong> company, I had<br />
<strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> totally debt-free. <strong>The</strong><br />
business was thriving and we had<br />
cash in <strong>the</strong> bank. I think that<br />
made my fa<strong>the</strong>r extremely proud.<br />
He expressed to me that he felt<br />
really good because he had not<br />
imagined that he would ever be<br />
at a point in his life where he<br />
would be completely debt-free. Gary T. and Gary A.<br />
Through over fifty years <strong>of</strong> hard work, my fa<strong>the</strong>r and mo<strong>the</strong>r<br />
gave <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> <strong>the</strong> foundation it needed to transition into <strong>the</strong><br />
next generation <strong>of</strong> leadership, and I was ready to take on <strong>the</strong><br />
challenge. I felt that collaborating with my fa<strong>the</strong>r <strong>for</strong> over twenty<br />
years had prepared me to take on <strong>the</strong> myriad responsibilities necessary<br />
to manage <strong>the</strong> business and help it grow and develop into<br />
<strong>the</strong> next level <strong>of</strong> success.<br />
77
CHAPTER 9<br />
Building Toward<br />
<strong>the</strong> Future<br />
I<br />
am really proud <strong>of</strong> so many aspects <strong>of</strong> our business. Getting<br />
into <strong>the</strong> asphalt business was a huge step <strong>for</strong> us. I take a lot<br />
<strong>of</strong> pride in <strong>the</strong> fact that we were able to get it <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong> ground<br />
and make it as successful as it has been. <strong>The</strong> development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
asphalt business took a lot <strong>of</strong> ef<strong>for</strong>t on my part, because after<br />
about four or five years, my dad began to phase out his involvement,<br />
and I became <strong>the</strong> one who was primarily in charge <strong>of</strong> it.<br />
Over <strong>the</strong> years I got involved in <strong>the</strong> state and national paving<br />
associations, which have turned out to be very useful organizations<br />
to be a part <strong>of</strong>. With <strong>the</strong> help <strong>of</strong> Jim and <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> our<br />
team, we were able to grow and expand this aspect <strong>of</strong> our business<br />
to <strong>the</strong> point where we are now a <strong>for</strong>ce to be reckoned with.<br />
In addition to ways in which we have grown <strong>the</strong> core components<br />
<strong>of</strong> our business, we have found ways to be innovative<br />
with reusing waste materials from our operation and turning<br />
Facing page: Farmington Road asphalt plant in Beaverton, 1996<br />
Above: <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> truck<br />
<strong>the</strong>m into useful and pr<strong>of</strong>itable materials. <strong>The</strong>re is a byproduct<br />
<strong>of</strong> our crushing system called reject fill material, which is <strong>the</strong> first<br />
portion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rock that is bled <strong>of</strong>f after it goes through <strong>the</strong> first<br />
crusher. It is done that way because after it goes through <strong>the</strong> first<br />
crusher <strong>the</strong>re is some dirt mixed in with <strong>the</strong> aggregate as well as<br />
some s<strong>of</strong>ter rock particles. We have to get rid <strong>of</strong> that material so<br />
we can have <strong>the</strong> good hard stuff left to make asphalt rock. For<br />
many years we sold that product, and <strong>the</strong>n some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> government<br />
agencies that were using it decided that <strong>the</strong>y did not want<br />
to use it anymore. As a result, that pile <strong>of</strong> material was building<br />
up, and it was getting to <strong>the</strong> point where we did not know what<br />
we would do with it. Through my urging, we turned it over to<br />
Keith Peal. With Keith’s lead, we were able to take that waste<br />
material, add some lime, and mix it through a specific process in<br />
order to turn it into a very viable, sellable retail product.<br />
I pride myself on <strong>the</strong> fact that we stay at <strong>the</strong> <strong>for</strong>efront <strong>of</strong><br />
what is going on in <strong>the</strong> industry, and strive to be leaders in our<br />
field. We have always been committed to having a voice within<br />
111
purchase <strong>of</strong> our company and one o<strong>the</strong>r, but not to proceed with<br />
any additional transactions. At this point, Jan and I had reviewed<br />
everything and were ready to go ahead with <strong>the</strong> sale. However,<br />
<strong>the</strong>y wanted to make one change. <strong>The</strong>y wanted to give us a letter<br />
<strong>of</strong> credit <strong>for</strong> $3 million, and pay us 3.75 percent on <strong>the</strong> bank letter<br />
<strong>for</strong> three years. I conferred with Jan, who said she did not like<br />
<strong>the</strong> new proposal, but was willing to take it.<br />
I began to feel uncertain about <strong>the</strong> arrangement. I had<br />
figured out bonuses <strong>for</strong> all my employees, which I would not be<br />
able to follow through on under this new arrangement. I went<br />
back to <strong>the</strong> buyer and explained that I needed more security<br />
than a bank letter <strong>of</strong> credit. I wanted <strong>the</strong> right to put a notice <strong>of</strong><br />
intent to lien on <strong>the</strong> property. That way, if <strong>the</strong>y did not pay me at<br />
<strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> three years, I could put a lien on it. <strong>The</strong>y rejected<br />
that proposal, and I in turn decided to refuse <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>of</strong>fer.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y were still very interested in <strong>the</strong> purchase, and came back<br />
a month later to ask me if I would change my mind. However,<br />
<strong>the</strong>y would not provide me with <strong>the</strong> security I had requested, so<br />
again I turned <strong>the</strong>m down.<br />
<strong>The</strong> process <strong>of</strong> going through <strong>the</strong>se negotiations provided <strong>the</strong><br />
opportunity <strong>for</strong> Jan and me to discuss our thoughts regarding <strong>the</strong><br />
future <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> company and our involvement in it. Jan expressed<br />
that her children, Chelsea and Jordan, were not interested in<br />
becoming involved in <strong>the</strong> company. I knew that Todd was interested<br />
in taking on more leadership in <strong>the</strong> company, and I had<br />
decided that I was not ready to give up my own involvement. Jan<br />
concluded that she was done being involved, and it made sense<br />
<strong>for</strong> me to buy her out. We worked out <strong>the</strong> details, and I bought<br />
out Jan’s share <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> company soon afterward in 2003. This<br />
set <strong>the</strong> stage <strong>for</strong> Todd and me to begin thinking about <strong>the</strong> next<br />
phase <strong>of</strong> growth and development <strong>for</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>.<br />
Transitioning into <strong>the</strong> Third<br />
Generation <strong>of</strong> Leadership<br />
I felt good about <strong>the</strong> decision to keep <strong>the</strong> company, even<br />
though we had been planning on a different outcome. Todd had<br />
affirmed that he was committed to <strong>the</strong> future <strong>of</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>,<br />
and was interested in fur<strong>the</strong>ring his involvement. Our employees<br />
were thrilled that we were going to keep <strong>the</strong> company, and<br />
relieved to regain a sense <strong>of</strong> job security <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir futures.<br />
It was soon after, toward <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> 2001, that Jim<br />
approached me and recommended that I promote Todd to a<br />
supervisor position. Jim said that it was time <strong>for</strong> Todd to be his<br />
boss, and not <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r way around. Jim was certain that Todd<br />
was ready to be a leader within <strong>the</strong> company. When I spoke<br />
with Todd after we got through <strong>the</strong> “almost-sale” and I had<br />
proposed to buy Jan out <strong>of</strong> her share, I explained to him that it<br />
would entail taking on a serious amount <strong>of</strong> debt. I told him that<br />
this would mean a long-term commitment to <strong>the</strong> business on his<br />
part. He was okay with that and ready to delve in.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n I spoke to my employees. I explained that I had been<br />
working <strong>for</strong> <strong>for</strong>ty-plus years and that I was ready to start moving<br />
away from some <strong>of</strong> that responsibility. <strong>The</strong>re was a general<br />
sentiment that it was time and that I very much deserved a<br />
break. This set <strong>the</strong> wheels in motion <strong>for</strong> me to begin to transition<br />
into retirement.<br />
Easing into Retirement<br />
In 2000, during <strong>the</strong> time when we put <strong>the</strong> business up <strong>for</strong><br />
sale, my wife, Dixie, and I moved to a condo in Vancouver,<br />
Washington. After a few years <strong>the</strong>re we decided to build a place<br />
in Central Oregon as well. It took us about two years be<strong>for</strong>e we<br />
finally found <strong>the</strong> property we wanted.<br />
114
After having witnessed my dad’s experience <strong>of</strong> transitioning<br />
into retirement, I had some ideas <strong>of</strong> how I wanted<br />
to ease into my own. My dad was really good about going<br />
down to his farm in St. Paul and not sticking around <strong>the</strong><br />
plant to micromanage me. I knew that I needed to do <strong>the</strong><br />
same as Todd was beginning to take over. That was a big<br />
impetus <strong>for</strong> moving to Central Oregon, and we finally<br />
moved into our new place on Thanksgiving <strong>of</strong> 2006. Our<br />
place is outside Sisters toward Redmond, near Smith <strong>Rock</strong><br />
and out in <strong>the</strong> country. We absolutely love it, and it was<br />
a welcome change <strong>of</strong> pace from <strong>the</strong> busy life I had maintained<br />
while running <strong>the</strong> company <strong>for</strong> so many years. We<br />
live a very active retirement lifestyle, whe<strong>the</strong>r it is working<br />
on our land or going out <strong>for</strong> a hike. We really enjoy <strong>the</strong><br />
climate and landscape <strong>of</strong> Central Oregon.<br />
We also love to go on trips in our motorcoach, and we<br />
spend much <strong>of</strong> our time traveling toge<strong>the</strong>r. Dixie drives <strong>the</strong><br />
motorcoach just as well as I can, and we trade <strong>of</strong>f on those<br />
duties when we are out on <strong>the</strong> road. We always spend <strong>the</strong><br />
winters in Indio, Cali<strong>for</strong>nia. While we are <strong>the</strong>re, we love<br />
spending time with our friends, riding motorcycles, attending<br />
car shows and doing <strong>the</strong> things we truly enjoy.<br />
Dixie was twenty-eight when we got married. I was<br />
<strong>for</strong>ty-two. We have thirteen years difference between us.<br />
It was not a big deal when we got married, but it is a big<br />
deal <strong>for</strong> Dixie now, and she is very focused on keeping me<br />
active and healthy. We have worked hard over <strong>the</strong> years<br />
to create a shared life and navigate <strong>the</strong> ups and downs <strong>of</strong><br />
having a blended family. We have been toge<strong>the</strong>r now <strong>for</strong><br />
over twenty-nine years. We both are very happy to have <strong>the</strong><br />
opportunity to build this next phase <strong>of</strong> our lives toge<strong>the</strong>r. Dixie and Gary T. <strong>Baker</strong> at <strong>the</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> 40th Anniversary celebration, 1996<br />
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CHAPTER 10<br />
Serving Our<br />
Community<br />
Community involvement has always been an integral part <strong>of</strong><br />
our family business. My parents were always very involved<br />
in <strong>the</strong> community, on both a personal and pr<strong>of</strong>essional level.<br />
My mo<strong>the</strong>r was very involved in <strong>the</strong> activities that my sister and<br />
I participated in when we were growing up, helping to support<br />
programs <strong>for</strong> children in our neighborhood. My fa<strong>the</strong>r<br />
was a charter member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Hillsboro Jaycees. When my<br />
fa<strong>the</strong>r joined, he immediately got involved in helping <strong>the</strong> city<br />
<strong>of</strong> Hillsboro build a float <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> Portland Rose Parade. In <strong>the</strong><br />
mid 1950s, National Geographic came out to do a big spread<br />
about <strong>the</strong> Rose Parade in Portland, and <strong>the</strong> float that my parents<br />
helped build <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> Hillsboro Jaycees was featured in that<br />
article. In <strong>the</strong> photograph you can see my parents riding on <strong>the</strong><br />
float, along with <strong>the</strong> couple who introduced <strong>the</strong>m when <strong>the</strong>y first<br />
started dating. My parents were always very proud <strong>of</strong> that article.<br />
Facing page: Irv and Louise Boyd with Dal and Gary <strong>Baker</strong> riding in a float <strong>the</strong>y<br />
helped to build <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> Portland Rose Parade, 1955 Above: Dal and Gary <strong>Baker</strong><br />
From a fairly young age, my dad always encouraged me to<br />
get involved with leadership organizations in our community.<br />
Around <strong>the</strong> same time that I started back to work <strong>for</strong> our company,<br />
I became a member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Hillsboro Jaycees. My fa<strong>the</strong>r<br />
was able to see me take on leadership roles with <strong>the</strong> Jaycees,<br />
overseeing successful projects and community endeavors. I imagine<br />
that made him feel more com<strong>for</strong>table about me managing<br />
people and finances while serving as a leader in our company.<br />
In many ways, I credit <strong>the</strong> Hillsboro Jaycees <strong>for</strong> my confidence,<br />
success and effectiveness as a leader. Due in part to <strong>the</strong> incredibly<br />
positive impact that my experiences with <strong>the</strong> Jaycees had on<br />
my sense <strong>of</strong> self identity, I have always strongly encouraged my<br />
employees to be actively involved in <strong>the</strong> community.<br />
I also took a leadership class at <strong>the</strong> Hillsboro Chamber<br />
<strong>of</strong> Commerce, one day a month over a nine-month period. I<br />
enjoyed it so much that <strong>the</strong> next year I sponsored one <strong>of</strong> our<br />
employees so <strong>the</strong>y would have <strong>the</strong> opportunity to participate in<br />
<strong>the</strong> class. Over <strong>the</strong> last fifteen years or so, we have sponsored<br />
119
one <strong>of</strong> our employees each year to participate in this leadership<br />
class. I have always felt that <strong>the</strong> benefit to <strong>the</strong> employees is well<br />
worth <strong>the</strong> loss <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir time one day a month, and <strong>the</strong> cost to<br />
<strong>the</strong> company <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>m to attend. I have seen <strong>the</strong> results <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
relationships that were <strong>for</strong>med through <strong>the</strong>ir connections with<br />
<strong>the</strong> Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce, enabling our participating employees<br />
to be more deeply connected to community members and<br />
organizations. Over <strong>the</strong> years, whenever a problem has come<br />
up, without a doubt we have someone who knows someone<br />
who knows someone, and we can always find a way to sit down<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r and work it out.<br />
In addition to our company’s involvement with <strong>the</strong> Hillsboro<br />
Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce and <strong>the</strong> Jaycees, many <strong>of</strong> our employees<br />
have been very active in o<strong>the</strong>r community organizations and<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional associations. Jim Records was involved in several<br />
public agencies and served on planning commissions and various<br />
committees to work on Goal Five Resources. Goal Five is a broad<br />
statewide planning goal that covers more than a dozen resources,<br />
including wildlife habitats, historic places, and aggregate. Jim has<br />
gone through many chair positions <strong>for</strong> different organizations<br />
and has served as president <strong>of</strong> OCAPA, <strong>the</strong> Oregon Concrete<br />
and Aggregate Producers Association.<br />
Our longtime employee Keith Peal has served on <strong>the</strong><br />
Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce. He started out on <strong>the</strong> leadership committee,<br />
eventually moved onto <strong>the</strong> board <strong>of</strong> directors, and <strong>the</strong>n<br />
served as Chamber President. For a number <strong>of</strong> years I was on<br />
<strong>the</strong> Hillsboro Community Foundation board. <strong>The</strong>ir mission is<br />
to “promote and facilitate charitable giving in support <strong>of</strong> projects<br />
and programs that enhance <strong>the</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> life in Hillsboro,”<br />
and I was proud to be a part <strong>of</strong> it. For two years in a row, I also<br />
served as president <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Asphalt Pavement Association <strong>of</strong> Gary A. and Dal in Yuma, Arizona, 1984<br />
120
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> Family’s Spirit <strong>of</strong> Charitable Giving<br />
As told by Jan <strong>Baker</strong>-Carlson<br />
My fa<strong>the</strong>r, Gary, and my mom, Dal, really valued <strong>the</strong> importance<br />
<strong>of</strong> giving back to <strong>the</strong>ir community, even during <strong>the</strong> early<br />
years when our family business was just getting <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong> ground.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y had less than $20 to <strong>the</strong>ir names when <strong>the</strong>y got married, yet<br />
slowly <strong>the</strong>y were able to find work and begin saving <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir future<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r. This eventually enabled <strong>the</strong>m to buy a home, and begin<br />
to create <strong>the</strong> life <strong>the</strong>y had always wanted. <strong>The</strong>y basically started<br />
our family business from scratch, and all <strong>the</strong> while, <strong>the</strong>y cultivated<br />
an incredible sense <strong>of</strong> generosity through <strong>the</strong>ir charitable giving.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y believed in helping o<strong>the</strong>rs, and that was instilled in <strong>the</strong>m<br />
throughout <strong>the</strong>ir childhoods, in part through <strong>the</strong> values relayed<br />
in church. My paternal grandparents were strong churchgoers,<br />
and my parents had been consistent church attendees during <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
childhoods as well. So from a very young age, my bro<strong>the</strong>r and I<br />
were taught <strong>the</strong> importance <strong>of</strong> giving back to o<strong>the</strong>rs, and I cherish<br />
that lesson.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> 1950s, when my parents were raising my bro<strong>the</strong>r and<br />
me, my dad, Gary, and my grandfa<strong>the</strong>r Harvey went to <strong>the</strong><br />
Hillsboro Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce and said that <strong>the</strong>y felt like<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir community needed an outdoor swimming pool. <strong>The</strong>re was<br />
no place <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> children to go swimming in <strong>the</strong> summers, and<br />
<strong>the</strong>y wanted to change that. Having access to a community swimming<br />
pool was so important to my dad when he was growing up<br />
in Nebraska. Swimming in <strong>the</strong> local pool was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> only<br />
recreational activities available to children in <strong>the</strong>ir poor and rural<br />
community, and as a result, many <strong>of</strong> his favorite childhood memories<br />
centered on <strong>the</strong> time he spent at <strong>the</strong> pool during <strong>the</strong> summers.<br />
Using <strong>the</strong> tools at <strong>the</strong>ir disposal from my parents’ excavation<br />
business, <strong>the</strong>y volunteered to dig <strong>the</strong> pool <strong>the</strong>mselves. Shortly after<br />
<strong>the</strong>y launched <strong>the</strong> project, o<strong>the</strong>r businesses in <strong>the</strong> area <strong>of</strong>fered to<br />
pour <strong>the</strong> concrete and do <strong>the</strong> additional tasks necessary <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
successful completion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> project. A child had to be seven years<br />
old to go in <strong>the</strong> pool, and I was only six at <strong>the</strong> time <strong>the</strong>y started<br />
<strong>the</strong> project, so <strong>the</strong>y decided to build a wading pool <strong>for</strong> younger<br />
children as well. Once it was complete, Dad always referred to it as<br />
“my pool.” Even though I know it was not just <strong>for</strong> me, <strong>the</strong> wading<br />
pool was always very special to me. <strong>The</strong>ir ef<strong>for</strong>ts to build <strong>the</strong>se<br />
pools <strong>for</strong> our community left a big impression on me at that age.<br />
That was my first memory <strong>of</strong> my parents’ charitable giving.<br />
Many years later, my mom decided to start <strong>the</strong> Dal L. <strong>Baker</strong><br />
Charitable Lead Trust. It means a lot to our family that <strong>the</strong> Trust<br />
has been able to support many charitable organizations and<br />
community projects throughout Washington County and <strong>the</strong> surrounding<br />
counties, and has had such a significant impact on our<br />
community. Generous and consistent giving has been a very strong<br />
thread throughout our all <strong>of</strong> our lives. It is a good feeling when<br />
you are able to give back to <strong>the</strong> communities like that — it feels like<br />
you are giving someone a gift, but really, it is <strong>the</strong> best gift that you<br />
can give to yourself, too.<br />
Jan’s Charitable Work in <strong>the</strong> Community<br />
Inspired by my parents’ spirit <strong>of</strong> generosity, charitable giving<br />
and community involvement have always been very important to<br />
me. Simply by living lives <strong>of</strong> generosity and integrity, <strong>the</strong>y showed<br />
121
An influential factor impacting <strong>the</strong> success <strong>of</strong> multigenerational<br />
businesses is what each generation learns<br />
from <strong>the</strong> previous generation. Respect, reciprocity,<br />
honesty and direct communication have been guiding<br />
principles within all <strong>of</strong> our business dealings from<br />
<strong>the</strong> very beginning. I want to make sure that <strong>the</strong>se core<br />
values continue to be implemented in <strong>the</strong> day-to-day<br />
operations <strong>of</strong> our company.<br />
– Todd <strong>Baker</strong>
Part III<br />
Three Generations<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong><br />
As told by Todd <strong>Baker</strong>
CHAPTER 11<br />
Todd A. <strong>Baker</strong>,<br />
a Legacy <strong>of</strong> Leadership<br />
I<br />
started coming to <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> with my dad, Gary T., when<br />
I was about seven years old. By <strong>the</strong> time I was about twelve,<br />
I began working <strong>for</strong> our family business, though I did not work<br />
directly with my dad. He held <strong>the</strong> philosophy that he never<br />
wanted to be <strong>the</strong> supervisor <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> his children, so that meant<br />
that I never worked under him. It was important to my dad to<br />
focus on being a parent, and he did not want work dynamics to<br />
come into conflict with that. When I was really young, I would<br />
ride to work with my dad and <strong>the</strong>n head over to <strong>the</strong> shop to find<br />
out what I was going to be doing that day.<br />
My early responsibilities included washing dump trucks, pulling<br />
weeds around <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice building, and sorting nuts and bolts.<br />
On <strong>the</strong> wall we had — and still do — fifty bins with different sizes<br />
<strong>of</strong> hardware. I would be in charge <strong>of</strong> a five-gallon bucket full <strong>of</strong><br />
nuts and bolts. I was given a little measuring tool and instructed<br />
Facing page: Gary T. and Todd <strong>Baker</strong> at <strong>the</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> 2020 Celebration, 2014<br />
Above: Todd <strong>Baker</strong>, 2014<br />
to stick <strong>the</strong> nut or bolt in <strong>the</strong> measuring tool to determine <strong>the</strong><br />
diameter and <strong>the</strong> length <strong>of</strong> it. <strong>The</strong>n I would select <strong>the</strong> correct<br />
bin to place it in. My grandfa<strong>the</strong>r, Gary A., could do it visually,<br />
without <strong>the</strong> tool, which impressed me immensely. He could just<br />
look at <strong>the</strong> bolt and throw it in <strong>the</strong> correct bin. As a kid, that<br />
seemed like a certain kind <strong>of</strong> magic.<br />
That is how I started at <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>, sorting hardware, working<br />
around <strong>the</strong> shop, and cleaning and sweeping up. When I<br />
turned thirteen years old, I was taught to run <strong>the</strong> loader by an<br />
older guy, Bob, who worked <strong>for</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>. He was probably<br />
about sixty-five at <strong>the</strong> time, and he had quite a bit <strong>of</strong> experience.<br />
I would come up on Saturdays and load trucks. We used to have<br />
a huge amount <strong>of</strong> stockpiled reject material that towered about<br />
seventy-five feet tall. <strong>The</strong>re was a conveyor that ran up to <strong>the</strong> top<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pile so we could continue to add more reject material. We<br />
were responsible <strong>for</strong> picking <strong>the</strong> material up with a loader, taking<br />
it to <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pile, going up to <strong>the</strong> edge and dumping<br />
it <strong>of</strong>f. <strong>The</strong>re was a berm around <strong>the</strong> edge <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pile where<br />
141
Construction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> new Crushing Plant at <strong>the</strong> Farmington Quarry, 1994–1995<br />
150
consultants to do traffic-impact studies, wetland studies, and<br />
biological assessments, and I was sharing <strong>the</strong> oversight <strong>of</strong> those<br />
studies with Jim.<br />
Throughout that period from 1994 to 1996, I continued with<br />
my responsibilities in <strong>the</strong> estimating department while simultaneously<br />
pursuing <strong>the</strong>se special projects with Jim. This was a real<br />
boom time <strong>for</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>. At a certain point we had to actually<br />
limit how much material our existing customers could buy,<br />
and we were unable to take on new customers. We were limiting<br />
how much our customers could purchase each day, because if we<br />
had our top five customers picking up <strong>the</strong>ir orders, <strong>the</strong>y would<br />
run us out <strong>of</strong> material by 10 a.m. We were running production<br />
from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m., and <strong>the</strong>n we were running a graveyard<br />
maintenance shift. We were so busy and growing rapidly,<br />
and everybody was working very hard and putting in long hours.<br />
From 1993 to 1997, our trajectory <strong>of</strong> sales volume went from<br />
900,000 tons to almost 1,800,000 tons, effectively doubling our<br />
sales volume in less than four years.<br />
We were hugely productive and successful, but we were also<br />
being run to <strong>the</strong> bone. Everyone was exhausted. Tony Keller<br />
came onboard about that time and became our first chief<br />
financial <strong>of</strong>ficer, helping to manage <strong>the</strong> financial aspects <strong>of</strong> our<br />
rapidly growing company. We had hired a consulting firm to<br />
evaluate our business and management structure, and <strong>the</strong> consulting<br />
team recommended that we bring a financial person on<br />
board. Tony was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> consultants who did <strong>the</strong> evaluation,<br />
and when we posted <strong>the</strong> job, he submitted his name into <strong>the</strong><br />
pool, and we decided to hire him.<br />
Shortly after Tony starting worked with us, in 1999, we<br />
bought a concrete and asphalt plant in Scappoose. Tony recommended<br />
that I go over <strong>the</strong>re and run that operation as a<br />
test to see how I would do. We purchased <strong>the</strong> plant <strong>for</strong> about<br />
$650,000, so it was a low-risk test to see if I had <strong>the</strong> capability<br />
<strong>of</strong> managing an operation <strong>of</strong> that scale. That was <strong>the</strong> first<br />
acquisition I ever did.<br />
I began working at <strong>the</strong> Scappoose site during <strong>the</strong> day. It was<br />
during that time that <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> got into <strong>the</strong> concrete business.<br />
I was twenty-nine years old and did not know anything about<br />
concrete. Most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> concrete drivers were older than I was,<br />
and <strong>the</strong>y had a lot more experience than I did in certain areas.<br />
I was timid in <strong>the</strong> beginning, but over <strong>the</strong> two-year span that I<br />
worked in Scappoose, I gained invaluable experience managing<br />
people, as well as <strong>the</strong> confidence I needed to help me come into<br />
my own as a leader.<br />
I ran <strong>the</strong> operation in Scappoose until 2001, when I started<br />
to take on more <strong>of</strong> a leadership role within <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>. By<br />
that point my fa<strong>the</strong>r, Gary T., was spending more time away<br />
from <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice. In 2003, we were able to acquire <strong>the</strong> Burch<br />
West Companies, which were composed <strong>of</strong> concrete, aggregate,<br />
asphalt, and construction divisions. I was responsible <strong>for</strong> facilitating<br />
that acquisition. Until that point, my title had been assistant<br />
vice president, and <strong>the</strong>n I became executive vice president. In<br />
2008, I <strong>of</strong>ficially became president <strong>of</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>.<br />
Respect and Reciprocity<br />
Both <strong>of</strong> my grandparents had a fundamental moral code <strong>of</strong><br />
respect and reciprocity in business, and I learned a good deal<br />
from <strong>the</strong>ir example. When my grandparents were running <strong>the</strong><br />
business, it was standard practice at <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> to make sure<br />
<strong>the</strong> vendors and employees were paid, and <strong>the</strong>n whatever was<br />
left was used <strong>for</strong> food or o<strong>the</strong>r essentials <strong>for</strong> our family. All <strong>of</strong> my<br />
family members have always been big proponents <strong>of</strong> honesty<br />
151
CHAPTER 12<br />
Growth & Change<br />
I<br />
am proud <strong>of</strong> a lot <strong>of</strong> things that have happened during my<br />
time as a leader in <strong>the</strong> company. We have made a number <strong>of</strong><br />
significant acquisitions, including <strong>the</strong> small one in Scappoose in<br />
1999, our first big one in McMinnville in 2003, Cobb <strong>Rock</strong> in<br />
2010, and <strong>the</strong> most recent one, Oregon Mainline <strong>Paving</strong> in 2013.<br />
2003 Asphalt Plant Acquisition<br />
In 2003, around <strong>the</strong> same time that we completed <strong>the</strong> acquisition<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Burch West Companies, we ended up buying a new<br />
asphalt plant <strong>for</strong> our Farmington location to replace our existing<br />
asphalt plant. We had never been able to grow our business out<br />
<strong>of</strong> our old asphalt plant, because due to its size we could only<br />
Facing page: Installation <strong>of</strong> new asphalt plant in Beaverton, 2003 (top and bottom<br />
left), Todd <strong>Baker</strong> and Congressman Peter DeFazio with fellow contractors<br />
announcing 1st stimulus program jobs (top right), New dumptruck (bottom right)<br />
Above: Todd <strong>Baker</strong><br />
produce what we needed, and <strong>the</strong>re<strong>for</strong>e were unable to service<br />
outside customers' needs. We had heard some talk that <strong>the</strong>re<br />
was a finished asphalt plant being sold wholesale. Right be<strong>for</strong>e<br />
Christmas, we called Cedarapids, <strong>the</strong> new plant manufacturer in<br />
Oklahoma City. <strong>The</strong>y in<strong>for</strong>med us that <strong>the</strong>y had built a plant <strong>for</strong><br />
a contractor in Florida who could not get his permits. It was <strong>the</strong><br />
exact plant that we were looking <strong>for</strong>, so we asked <strong>for</strong> a price on it.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y priced it at $1.9 million, while it was probably worth closer<br />
to $2.1 million. We began negotiating on <strong>the</strong> price, and <strong>the</strong>y<br />
came down to $1.6 million, but we kept pushing. <strong>The</strong> day be<strong>for</strong>e<br />
Christmas in 2002, <strong>the</strong>y came back at $1.4 million. We signed<br />
<strong>the</strong> deal and immediately started shipping <strong>the</strong> plant out here.<br />
This acquisition was indicative <strong>of</strong> how <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> aims to<br />
do business — seeking out good deals and really being able to<br />
take advantage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, where it is still a win-win all around.<br />
Maintaining that ability to act quickly on a deal is ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
factor that has made us successful over <strong>the</strong> years. I learned<br />
159
Aerial view <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Farmington Quarry, 2015<br />
local agencies have allowed us to build a relationship where we<br />
can go to each o<strong>the</strong>r to work out issues or ideas that ultimately<br />
allow us to provide better service to <strong>the</strong> surrounding community.<br />
I do not believe that my grandparents started <strong>the</strong>ir philanthropic<br />
giving with any intention <strong>of</strong> getting anything back.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y were simply a part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> community, and <strong>the</strong>y wanted<br />
to thank <strong>the</strong> community <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> success that <strong>the</strong> company had<br />
experienced. At <strong>the</strong> time, <strong>the</strong>re were a lot <strong>of</strong> privately owned<br />
businesses. It was a small town, and everyone was involved in<br />
everything. <strong>The</strong>re were no credit checks back <strong>the</strong>n. If someone<br />
could not pay, <strong>the</strong>y let you know and<br />
<strong>the</strong>n you worked something out with<br />
<strong>the</strong>m. <strong>The</strong>re was trust and faith. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
was a sense <strong>of</strong> reciprocity and support.<br />
My grandparent’s desire to give back<br />
came from <strong>the</strong>ir foundational relationship<br />
with <strong>the</strong> community.<br />
As our business grew, <strong>the</strong>y realized<br />
that it was successful not only because <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>ir business acumen, but in large part<br />
because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir relationship with people<br />
in <strong>the</strong> community. That relationship<br />
has carried on through <strong>the</strong> generations.<br />
For many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> people who have been<br />
around in <strong>the</strong> community a long time,<br />
that sense <strong>of</strong> personal relationship, <strong>of</strong><br />
shared commitment, is still intact.<br />
If you look at a lot <strong>of</strong> longtime<br />
family-owned businesses in this area,<br />
<strong>the</strong> reason <strong>the</strong>y are large property owners<br />
is because <strong>the</strong>y were successful and<br />
smartly reinvested in <strong>the</strong> community. <strong>The</strong>y all spend some <strong>of</strong><br />
what <strong>the</strong>y have earned from <strong>the</strong> community reinvesting in <strong>the</strong><br />
community — and that has helped both <strong>the</strong> businesses and <strong>the</strong><br />
community to continue to develop and grow.<br />
Future <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Business<br />
In regards to <strong>the</strong> future <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> business, I want us to be pr<strong>of</strong>itable<br />
and to continue doing good work in <strong>the</strong> community. We<br />
are ever evolving as a company. As we have continued to grow<br />
over <strong>the</strong> last fifteen years, we have had a shift in management<br />
174
style toward giving increased responsibility to our management<br />
teams. Businesswise, my hope is that we continue to expand<br />
in that direction. When <strong>the</strong>re is more communication and<br />
accountability with employees, we continue to foster that sense<br />
<strong>of</strong> investment and ownership in relation to <strong>the</strong> work that we do.<br />
I have been working to cultivate a sense that while <strong>the</strong> <strong>Baker</strong><br />
family may own <strong>the</strong> company, <strong>the</strong>re is a team <strong>of</strong> people who<br />
run it. I want everyone to get credit <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir different roles in<br />
building a successful business.<br />
On an employee and a community level, we will continue to<br />
strive to be a company where people have a safe and respectful<br />
work environment, and can be assured that <strong>the</strong>y can provide <strong>for</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>ir families and feel good about what <strong>the</strong>y do. We have been<br />
working intently on developing communication and training<br />
methods so that employees feel confident in <strong>the</strong>ir job security.<br />
Personally, I am still finding <strong>the</strong> balance that makes me <strong>the</strong><br />
most com<strong>for</strong>table in regards to <strong>the</strong> daily management <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
company. I want to continue to grow <strong>the</strong> business in an orderly,<br />
strategic way. I also want to continue trusting in my team, sharing<br />
responsibility, and working to sustain a thriving company.<br />
I know that sustaining our business over time requires ongoing<br />
adaptation. I see us continuing to operate in a close geographic<br />
footprint. Maybe someday we will spread out from that, but <strong>for</strong><br />
now <strong>the</strong>re are enough opportunities to keep us busy and close<br />
to home.<br />
It is unknown if <strong>the</strong>re will be a fourth generation <strong>of</strong> leadership<br />
in our family business. My children are still young, but by<br />
<strong>the</strong> time <strong>the</strong>y are twenty-five, I will be close to sixty years old. I<br />
imagine that I will not want to be working sixty hours a week at<br />
that point, and it is possible that my children may not want to<br />
step into a leadership role in <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong>. So we will ei<strong>the</strong>r have<br />
to evolve as a company and have a person outside <strong>the</strong> family<br />
running our operation, or come up with an alternative option<br />
to keep <strong>the</strong> business going. It makes me sad to think that one<br />
day I may be faced with <strong>the</strong> decision <strong>of</strong> having to potentially<br />
sell our family business, but that also affirms <strong>for</strong> me how much<br />
having a family business means to me. I feel very <strong>for</strong>tunate to<br />
be able to build upon what my fa<strong>the</strong>r and grandfa<strong>the</strong>r have<br />
built, and to get up every day knowing that I am committed to<br />
<strong>the</strong> work that we do.<br />
I am excited about <strong>the</strong> future <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> company.<br />
<strong>The</strong> growth potential is palpable, and we are<br />
enthusiastic about providing a stable future<br />
<strong>for</strong> our employees. I know that we have a fair<br />
amount <strong>of</strong> folks who are not at retirement age<br />
yet, but who have five to fifteen years to go<br />
be<strong>for</strong>e <strong>the</strong>n. It is my hope that <strong>the</strong>y will continue<br />
to work <strong>for</strong> us, building upon <strong>the</strong> skills <strong>the</strong>y have<br />
developed and everything <strong>the</strong>y have learned<br />
from <strong>the</strong>ir experiences with <strong>the</strong> company. When<br />
<strong>the</strong>y do retire, it is important to us to continue<br />
to bring in new employees who will want to<br />
become long-term members <strong>of</strong> our team and<br />
grow with <strong>the</strong> company in <strong>the</strong> years to come.<br />
– Gary T. <strong>Baker</strong><br />
175
Acknowledgments<br />
by Todd <strong>Baker</strong><br />
In August 2011, I was in Alaska with my fa<strong>the</strong>r and seven<br />
<strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> employees on a fishing trip. We were celebrating<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir twenty-five-plus years <strong>of</strong> service with <strong>the</strong> company. One<br />
night we were sitting around <strong>the</strong> campfire and <strong>the</strong> guys started<br />
telling stories from when my grandparents ran <strong>the</strong> company. As I<br />
listened I knew I needed to find a way to preserve <strong>the</strong> history <strong>of</strong><br />
our family business and all <strong>the</strong> people who have helped make it<br />
what it is today.<br />
Once we set <strong>the</strong> wheels in motion to create this book, my dad,<br />
Gary T., and my aunt Jan were instrumental in bringing this<br />
story to life. My dad spent countless hours participating in oral<br />
history interviews, where he chronicled <strong>the</strong> history <strong>of</strong> our company<br />
with thoughtfulness and insight. He is <strong>the</strong> bridge between<br />
my grandfa<strong>the</strong>r’s generation and my own, helping to link <strong>the</strong><br />
three generations <strong>of</strong> our story toge<strong>the</strong>r. My aunt Jan also shared<br />
her memories and stories <strong>of</strong> our family history through <strong>the</strong> oral<br />
history process, honoring my grandparents’ lives with her heartfelt<br />
telling. Without <strong>the</strong>ir help, <strong>the</strong> story <strong>of</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> would not<br />
have been possible.<br />
Thanks to Jim Records and Keith Peal <strong>for</strong> contributing <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
personal memories and reflections on my grandparents and <strong>the</strong><br />
company. This process has also deepened my appreciation <strong>for</strong><br />
all <strong>the</strong> vendors and suppliers whose ongoing support has helped<br />
<strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> Resources to grow and succeed. Lisa Kagan and her<br />
team at Family Heirloom Arts played a pivotal role in helping<br />
to bring all <strong>the</strong> pieces <strong>of</strong> this book toge<strong>the</strong>r. Lisa’s guidance and<br />
leadership throughout <strong>the</strong> process have been invaluable.<br />
Last but certainly not <strong>the</strong> least, I would like to thank all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
men and women who have spent time working at <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong><br />
Resources. <strong>The</strong>ir hard work and pr<strong>of</strong>essionalism over <strong>the</strong> last<br />
sixty years have provided <strong>the</strong> foundation <strong>for</strong> <strong>Baker</strong> <strong>Rock</strong> to not<br />
only endure but to thrive.<br />
177
Gary Todd <strong>Baker</strong> & Janice Colleen <strong>Baker</strong><br />
Great-grandparents<br />
Harrison<br />
Edward <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 11 Mar 1868<br />
bp. Silver Creek, IL<br />
d. 6 Oct 1941<br />
dp. Greeley, CO<br />
m. 29 Jul 1888<br />
mp. Hebron, NE<br />
Bertha Agnes<br />
Davis <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 29 Apr 1871<br />
bp. Cedar Rapids,<br />
IA<br />
d. 23 Sep 1932<br />
dp. Greeley, CO<br />
William Martin<br />
Cruse<br />
b. 5 May 1866<br />
bp. Tazwells Co., IL<br />
d. 1 Jun 1961<br />
dp. Portland, OR<br />
Elsie C. Cary<br />
b. 1 Jun 1874<br />
bp. Sterling, NE<br />
d. 24 Sep 1966<br />
dp. Hillsboro, OR<br />
Melvin Huntley<br />
Dally<br />
b. 6 July 1860<br />
bp. Roseville, IL<br />
d. 10 Aug 1944<br />
dp. Ravenna, NE<br />
m. 4 Jul 1886<br />
Olive Jane<br />
Booth<br />
b. 9 Jun 1868<br />
bp. Leon, IA<br />
d. 1956<br />
dp. Ravenna, NE<br />
Marion Ellsworth<br />
Robertson<br />
b. 21 Aug 1863<br />
bp. Adams, IL<br />
d. 8 Oct 1950<br />
dp. Auburn, WA<br />
m. abt 1888<br />
mp. York, NE<br />
Eudora E.<br />
Rogers<br />
b. 19 Jun 1869<br />
bp. IA<br />
d. 11 Oct 1956<br />
dp. Norfolk, NE<br />
Harvey Earl <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 21 Mar 1891<br />
bp. Hebron, NE<br />
d. 22 Mar 1960<br />
dp. Hillsboro, OR<br />
m. 8 Sep 1915<br />
mp. Lincoln, NE<br />
Ruth Evelyn Cruse<br />
b. 11 Jan 1893<br />
bp. Burchard, NE<br />
d. 1 Aug 1989<br />
dp. Hillsboro, OR<br />
Walter Glen Dally<br />
b. 13 Sep 1887<br />
bp. Seward, NE<br />
d. 13 Jul 1969<br />
dp. Bridgeport, NE<br />
m. 11 May 1907<br />
mp. Lincoln, NE<br />
Wilma Opal<br />
Robertson<br />
b. 11 May 1888<br />
bp. NE<br />
d. 24 Aug 1987<br />
dp. Vancouver, WA<br />
Gerald Allen <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 7 Apr 1917<br />
bp. Guiderock, NE<br />
d. 19 Jan 1991<br />
dp. Yuma, AZ<br />
Violet Dally<br />
b. 28 Mar 1918<br />
bp. Scottsbluff, NE<br />
d. 9 Aug 2003<br />
dp. Hillsboro, OR<br />
Gary Todd <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 26 Apr 1942<br />
bp. Longview, WA<br />
Janice Colleen <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 23 Sep 1946<br />
bp. Forest Grove, OR<br />
178
Gerald Allen <strong>Baker</strong> & Violet Dally<br />
Descendants<br />
Gerald Allen <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 7 Apr 1917<br />
bp. Guiderock, NE<br />
d. 19 Jan 1991<br />
dp. Yuma, AZ<br />
& Violet Dally<br />
b. 28 Mar 1918<br />
bp. Scottsbluff, NE<br />
d. 9 Aug 2003<br />
dp. Hillsboro, OR<br />
m. 17 Dec 1938<br />
mp. Harrisburg, NE<br />
Gary Todd <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 26 Apr 1942<br />
bp. Longview, WA<br />
& Kathie Ann Prince<br />
b. 7 Jun 1946<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
m. 6 Jun 1968<br />
mp. Portland, OR<br />
Gary Todd <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 26 Apr 1942<br />
bp. Longview, WA<br />
& Dixie Lee Peterson<br />
b. 6 Aug 1955<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
m. 30 Jul 1990<br />
mp. Washington Co., OR<br />
Todd Allen <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 7 Jul 1970<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
& Nicole Angela Postlewait<br />
b. 9 Apr 1973<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
m. 12 Sep 1998<br />
mp. Portland, OR<br />
Meredith Ann <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 21 Aug 1973<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
Vincent Phillup Ramirez<br />
b. 20 Jul 1977<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
& Christina <strong>The</strong>resa Allan<br />
b. 8 Dec 1983<br />
bp. Tacoma, WA<br />
m. 28 May 2006<br />
mp. Wenatchee, WA<br />
Rigoberto Jesus Ramirez<br />
b. 8 Feb 1983<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
Madison Angela <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 14 Mar 2001<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
Lauren Ann <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 19 Jan 2004<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
Samantha Marie<br />
(Ramirez) Wimbles<br />
b. 13 Nov 2006<br />
bp. Wenatchee, WA<br />
Janice Colleen <strong>Baker</strong><br />
b. 23 Sep 1946<br />
bp. Forest Grove, OR<br />
& Fred Carlson<br />
b. 8 Sep 1953<br />
bp. Stuttgart, Germany<br />
m. 8 Jan 1982<br />
mp. Hillsboro, OR<br />
Stephanie Ann Carlson<br />
b. 4 Sep 1973<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
Chelsea Colleen Carlson<br />
b. 27 Oct 1982<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
& Mark Anthony Hudzinski<br />
b. 10 Nov 1982<br />
bp. Madison, WI<br />
m. 7 Aug 2004<br />
mp. Washington Co., OR<br />
Jordan Anthony Carlson<br />
b. 11 Sep 1986<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
Brendan Couture<br />
b. 9 Jun 2004<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
Jocelyn Colleen<br />
Hudzinski<br />
b. 18 Jul 2011<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
Camden Anthony<br />
Hudzinski<br />
b. 3 Mar 2014<br />
bp. Portland, OR<br />
179