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The Elder Way

The Elder Way

July 15, 2022

Since our beginning in 1960, Elder Corporation has helped its employees with better pay, benefits and a culture that is beyond compare. We call this the Elder Way! What does the Elder Way mean exactly? Let’s take a closer look.

From humble beginnings, our outstanding success is a direct reflection of employees who understand and pursue our mission with skill, imagination and dedication.

The Elder Corporation of today, with almost 300 employees, began as two dedicated family members, one tractor and one dump truck. RG began his company with his son, Jared (Jerry). They became widely known for their hard work and integrity and from that strong reputation, RG Elder & Son began to grow.

Throughout their growth, the Elders have maintained a family atmosphere — the company’s 10th family member just retired in December of 2021.

A recent employee survey credits the family atmosphere as a key reason for a majority of employees’ long-term satisfaction. Progressive thinking and business growth are also cited as a point of motivation for the workforce.

While there have been multiple milestones in this company’s 60-year history, the growth of Elder Corporation hinges on the same values on which the company was founded as the third generation of Elder family members continue to grow the business.

The current Elder Corporation President, Jared “J.” Elder II, began in the business at 5 years old, digging holes on property under the close supervision of his father, Jerry. As a teenager and high school student, he would spend hours at the business washing parts, as a laborer on job sites and helping wherever necessary.

Core Values

Today, J.’s vision for the business has led to continued growth, grounded in the same solid principles and core values.

First, safety is the number one priority here, we do not cut corners when it comes to the safety of our team. Every member of the team knows if they see something to say something and are empowered to stop work immediately.

We always take pride in doing excellent work, this can be seen on any one of our job sites, in our shop and office. We work hard and have fun as a team. Who says playing in the dirt cannot be fun, right? We are dependable and committed to getting the job done right, the first time.

Lastly, we value appreciation and respect. This is done through our interactions with each other, our customers, vendors and the community.

If you are a member of the Elder team, it is like you are a part of the Elder family without the last name. This resonates from our President J. Elder II and can be felt through the entire company. Working at Elder means better pay and exceptional benefits. These benefits are most often at no cost to the employee and their family. It also means more appreciation for a job well done. We cannot say enough about the excellence of each member of our team. We offer great on-the-job training opportunities from the industry’s best leaders. Our equipment is top notch with the best maintenance crew around to keep it that way. We pride ourselves in our leading-edge technology. Our team is kept as busy as possible all year long, which is not always common due to the seasonal nature of the business. This can be attributed to our leadership’s commitment to family first.

As our business continues to grow, it is people that set us apart. People matter at Elder Corporation and this is at the core of working the Elder Way!

Watch the video below to find out more about the Elder Way:

 

Learn more at eldercorp.com.

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Jodi Allan

Jodi Allan has served in the role of Human Resources for Elder Corporation since June 2017. Allan has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Briar Cliff University and a master's in Leadership and Coaching from Bellevue University.