#Duckumentary - Tim Welcher

What did you do before your time at EDA?

Before joining EDA, I served in the U.S. Army Special Forces for 20 years. I was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC and deployed to Afghanistan five times. I held various positions during my service, including:

• Special Forces Engineer Sergeant: Performed demolitions and construction tasks in support of unconventional warfare operations in Afghanistan and Mali.
• Instructor at the Special Forces Non-Commissioned Officers Academy: Trained and mentored future Special Forces leaders in tactical and operational skills.
• Special Forces Operations Sergeant: Led a 12-man team in conducting direct action, counterterrorism, and foreign internal defense missions in Afghanistan and Kazakhstan.
• Leader of the Special Operations Combatives Program for 3rd Special Forces Group: Oversaw the development and implementation of a comprehensive hand-to-hand combat training program for all Special Forces soldiers in the group.

After retiring from the Army, I worked as an Operations Manager for an Amazon delivery station, where I managed over 150 associates and ensured the efficient and timely processing of up to 60,000 packages per day.

What brought you to the construction industry?

I have always admired the construction industry and the people who work in it. They are the ones who continue to build America and they are the hard-working Americans I fought for. I know the challenges they face every day, the risks they take, and the pride they have in their work.

There are many similarities between military operations and construction projects ranging from the personalities on the job site to the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous situations each industry must operate in. I am certain that sharing my Special Forces experiences can assist construction crews in overcoming these obstacles and help them reach new heights.

With that said, EDA is the biggest reason why I am in this industry. EDA challenges the status quo by developing their teams and investing in new capabilities and resources to continuously improve. 

Can you briefly explain what you do at EDA?

As the Director of Safety and Operational Excellence, I am privileged to lead a team of passionate safety professionals. Together, we are involved in every step of the business process to ensure that a strong proactive safety culture permeates the organization at every level. Additionally, by leveraging my experience as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, I assist our company through a transformative process of continuous improvement. Basically, my job is to help our teams work safer and more efficiently.

What are some things that most people don't know about you?

I’m superstitious. Not in a crippling irrational sort of way, but I do believe in luck. I was born on Good Friday the 13th, and I think that might have something to do with it. Preparation and opportunity are necessary, but a little luck doesn’t hurt. 

If you weren’t in the construction industry, where would you be today? 

I would like to own my own jiu-jitsu gym. There is something about doing your hobby for a living that fascinates me. I was fortunate to teach jiu-jitsu to the Army’s Special Forces for about 6 years before retiring. I’m not sure if teaching it to a different audience would have the same appeal though. 

What is the biggest challenge you've faced in work? How did you overcome it? 

I would have to say leading a Special Forces team in combat was a decent challenge. My team was responsible for constructing a firebase in a mountainous region of Afghanistan to establish a strategic foothold in a denied area. Then we recruited and trained a 150-man police force and fought alongside them to clear the area of Taliban. During the construction phase, we were pretty much unprotected as we levelled the mountain top. Having good risk analysis skills provided me with the forethought to push mounds of rock in front of our fighting positions each night, which ultimately saved my life as rockets impacted 15 to 20 meters from me. Negotiating with village elders and tribal leaders to work with my team and go against the Taliban had its challenges too, but we quickly built rapport, earned their trust, and created a safer space in the country. 

As for challenges at EDA, I would say the biggest challenge has been trying to impact every site and enhance the safety culture across a large, geographically dispersed area. To overcome this, we have expanded the size of the safety team and are now included in every foreman and superintendent meeting. This has allowed the foremen to be force multipliers for the safety culture and has improved the lines of communication during planning processes. 

What has been the best part about your experience working with EDA? 

I really enjoy working with the people here. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to work closely with both field and office personnel at every location. It is not uncommon for me to be at a site in the morning and giving someone a fist bump in the office in the afternoon. 

What is your favorite EDA Value, and why?

Strive to improve. I believe in having a continuous improvement mindset. No matter how skilled or successful you are, there is always room for growth and enhancement. The pursuit of excellence is an ongoing journey, not a destination. I think this mindset has helped in the military and jiu-jitsu. It’s a value that reminds me to be a better team member, leader, and individual. I am currently studying for a master’s degree in Organization Development and Change Management at Penn State, and I am studying for safety credentials through the Board of Certified Safety Practitioners. I constantly tell myself to make things just 1% better each day. The world is constantly changing, which is why the ability to improve and adapt is essential. I really appreciate that EDA values this and doesn’t do things the same way just because that’s how they have always been done. 

If you were planning your favorite meal, what’s on the menu?

I would go to a Mexican restaurant and crush a couple baskets of chips and salsa. Then, eat a massive chicken California burrito, loaded with french fries and smothered in mole and queso sauces. To wash it down, a margarita on the rocks, no salt.

Cats or dogs? Why?

Dogs 100%. I’m a fan of smooshed-face dogs like my Boston Terrier, Nacho. I used to have an English Bulldog named Elvis too. My daughter always asked for a cat, but I had her convinced that I was allergic to two things: cats and whiny kids. The lie worked great, because I don’t have either of them.