Jeff Reed
By Chris Murphy
Modesto is very unique when it comes to community volunteerism. There are some amazing things that happen, whether it be for arts, music, education, our local non-profits, the homeless and our local children. We have done big and bold things like the Gallo Center for the Arts, Modesto Children’s Museum and the under-construction Graffiti USA Museum. The State Theatre has been completely restored and expansions are underway. Our community has supported the Boys & Girls Clubs, Salvation Army, CASA, Hope Haven, Haven, Center for Human Services, Dry Creek Clean up, 9 to 99 and built Hospice and Habitat for Humanity homes and so many others, too numerous to list here. So much has been done, but with every project, you learn there is so much more needed, but at the core is this; we have amazing volunteers.
We are so fortunate to have great locally owned companies that can help do the heavy lifting needed. One of these companies has a name that most people probably know from all of the work in our streets, parking lots, freeways and more. The George Reed Company has built much of our community. But it is so much more than a paving company. The Reed Family Companies are involved not only in paving and grading, but actual development and manufacturing of paving equipment, gravel, rock, concrete and asphalt production and mega project construction. Based here in Modesto, there are operations across the USA and there are job openings in many different states. Founded by George Reed in 1944, with his wife Rose, this company expanded into many different facets of road work. Wendell Reed joined the company in 1953 and with his wife Norma, diversified into many different areas, gravel pits, quarries, and real estate. In 1976, Jeff Reed joined and spurred pavement preservation, the development of construction equipment, advanced products and international expansion. His wife Margaret, a chemical engineer, after a 25 year career with Shell Oil joined in 2006. The next generation is now in leadership and the commitment to technology, excellence and the community is even stronger. Just recently, the Reed Companies, led by Matthew Reed, delivered an impressive parking lot project at the Graffiti USA Museum, a very generous contribution and investment in Modesto culture. The family was recognized as a 4th of July Champion and their love of vintage and classic cars is legendary and a passion they share with the community. The Reed Company Core Values are “Drive Excellence and Innovation while treating all with Integrity and Respect.”
Let’s learn more about community roots from Jeff Reed.
ModestoView: You really care about the community; how do you think this blends with running a strong business?
Jeff Reed: The Reed Family Companies motto is “Caring for our People, Customers, Communities, and Environment.” The strength and success of our business is intimately tied to our employees. Our connection to Community starts there. Fostering our folks contributing and being involved in our local communities is the heart of our outreach. Years ago, in honor of my parents, we established Reed Community Day where all employees could take a day off work to volunteer and the Companies would cover their missed wages. We back this up with matching their donations to non-profits from the Foundation we established. All of this helps create a strong positive culture of support which translates into a successful business culture where we are all pulling on the rope in the same direction.
MV: How have you relied on technology to become a world leader in paving construction?
JR: Much of our success has come about because we didn’t know we couldn’t do it. We are in industries that for years saw very little innovation and we have relished the role of being the disruptive innovator. Our construction equipment manufacturing is a direct result of being an industry game-changer. We originally innovated new equipment to solve our own problems and the next thing that happened was competitors were knocking at the door asking us to build machinery for them.
One, however, must be careful as being on the cutting edge can also be the bleeding edge. We brought Microsurfacing road resurfacing to the Unted States from Europe 45 years ago and it took over a decade to build a market.
MV: What are some of the most important things that you learned from your parents?
JR: The one word that comes to mind is Perseverance. It was embodied in everything my parents and grandparents went through and stood for. Integrity is the other. Living up to your commitments is sacrosanct.
Dad also used to say that “Every day you will have opportunity doors in front of us and every day you will need to check if they open or not. Don’t despair if locked. The one locked today may be the one opened tomorrow.’ In building our Companies there were many hard times. Dad always saw that the employees came first even if he skipped a paycheck himself. I think both our Grandparents and Parents would be proud of the businesses they persevered to build.
MV: You were educated in different parts of the world. How do you bring that learning back to your community?
JR: So, Mother sent me off as a 10 year old exchange student to Modesto’s sister city, Barranquilla, Colombia in 1965 to ”Broaden my horizons”. I later went back at 14 and also spent my last year of high school in Spain. All of these events opened my eyes to the wider World and gave me a comfort level in different cultures. Our international business can be directly attributed to these early experiences. Now I don’t recommend sending your children off into the World at that young an age but I do believe that it’s a parent’s and communities’ duty to prepare our children with a well-rounded education full of opportunities to succeed.
MV: You are a proud graduate of Gonzaga. Are you still involved with your college connections?
JR: I graduated in Civil Engineering with an MBA from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA nearly 50 years ago. I still sit on the Engineering Advisory Committee there and am just finishing my term as the Chairman of the Board of Regents. Gonzaga Basketball is the only sport I follow and do try to make it to as many games as possible. Gonzaga is a Jesuit institution, and it is interesting that one of Jesuit education’s greatest mantras is “People for Others”. Four years of Jesuit philosophy Core classes has done more to influence me than I admit.
MV: One of interesting things to me was Wendell’s musical background and his proficiency on keyboards. How did that influence you?
JR: Dad had a band in High School and College. He played piano and was once offered a position with Maddox Brother and Rose in the 1940s. He was friends with another Modesto great, Chester Smith, and his first cousin, Jimmy Maxwell, played trumpet with Benny Goodman and on the NBC band. As children we all were required to take piano lessons and I played the Cornet for a while. Saturday morning Dad would turn on his stereo system and we’d be indoctrinated with 1930 and 40s Jazz. I remember rummaging with him in old dusty store bins on 7th and 9th street for jazz 78 records as a kid and we still have many of them in the Carseum. To this day Saturday mornings are still devoted to 30s-40 jazz and blues. Unfortunately, my own musical talent stopped early.
MV: What has been the most amazing accomplishment of Reed Family Companies?
JR: To survive to pass this legacy on to the 4th generation. Less that 4% of businesses make it this far. We have grown and prospered and support over 900 families. That is a responsibility we take very seriously and negates ever becoming a role up in some disconnected private equity group.
MV: How do you think that Modesto can do a better job in connecting our industries and commerce to making the community better?
JR: Think local. Support local. Find a local need and rally your folks in supporting it. We have an amazing community. Our service clubs are outstanding. We all have an amazing story to tell.
MV: Describe the effect of S.E.R.V.I.C.E. on your company, your employees and the community?
JR: S.E.R.V.I.C.E. : The “S” stands for Stewardship, Safety, and environmental Sustainability’
the “E’ stands for Empowering our Teams,
the “R” stands for Reliable in our people, performance, and products,
the “V” stands for Viability, being the low-cost producer, strong dedicated workforce, and reinvestment in the future,
the “I” stand for Innovation, leveraging technology and encouraging new ideas,
the “C” stands for Caring for our People, Customers, Communities and Environment,
the “E” stands for Excellence, and our commitment of ethical behavior and integrity in all our endeavors.
These values are instilled in our actions and communications with our people to become our overriding culture.
MV: What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs?
JR: Perseverance. You cannot have true success without tasting failure. Ray Kroc, who built McDonalds was 52 when he came across a small hamburger stand in San Bernadino and saw opportunity after a lifetime of small jobs. He said “Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.”
MV: Just recently, you have a new grandchild, your fifth, how does being a grandparent change your outlook?
JR: When all is said and done, and it is time to leave the best we can hope to be remembered that we left this place a little better than we found it. That is the measure of success in life that we should espouse to accomplish. I can only hope that my grandchildren will see their responsibility to the family business. There is no retirement as we die in the saddle in this family. Growing up we were told we can be anything we want to be as long as it is an engineer first. My indoctrination of the next generation is coming.
MV: Describe your ideal Modesto day?
JR: I’d start with a temperature in the 80s (particularly this summer). Our La Loma neighborhood celebrates Community with a Summer tradition of Wine Wednesdays at the neighborhood green grass park. Everyone brings their favorite beverage and appetizers to share and we have great conversations. It’s our version of sitting on the porch together.
MV: And our signature question, Beatles or Stones?
JR: Beatles. In May, 1967 the album Sgt. Pepper was released. I bought it while living in Bogota, Colombia. We wore it out playing it and memorizing every lyric. Every time I hear a track from that album it captures that time and place, mood and smell that transcends the ages.
Learn more about Jeff and the Reed Companies at www.reedcompanies.com<www.reedcompanies.com>
