David, how did you get involved in the materials business?

It began with my family. My granddad’s career was spent in the mines of southern England and my father was in the sand, gravel and concrete business there. As a young man my school vacation jobs involved driving a loader, running a scale house and working in the lab. I emerged knowing just enough about concrete to be dangerous.

Where did you go from there?

I studied law in Wales and went on to business school in Switzerland. After graduating in the mid-1980s I worked with two leading materials firms in the UK, then came to the United States as VP and general manager for LaFarge Southwest.  Prior to joining Prairie I headed the materials division for Boral Industries, overseeing three operating divisions in Colorado and Oklahoma.

You’ve been in your new role nearly 60 days. How do our Midwest markets look to you?

I’ve viewed our operations in Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois, and I’m truly impressed with the customer partnerships I’ve seen. Top construction firms trust us with their largest and most demanding projects because they know Prairie will deliver. That foundation of trust is our greatest asset as we look to the future.

What about the current climate? How do you view the next year in our business?

We can’t do anything to accelerate the economic recovery. What we can do is make certain we are contributing as much as possible to our customers’ success. Reaching for excellence in everything we do is the best way to meet the challenges we face in 2010 and beyond.