Inside this Edition A message from the President Page 2

Safety Corner Page 3

Q1 Safety Meeting Recap Page 4

Apprentice Program Completion Page 5

Innovation Award Page 6

Job Spotlights

T-Line Page 7

Substation Page 8

New Hires Page 9

Company Anniversaries Page 10

Birthdays Page 11

Human Resources Page 12

Magellan Benefits Pages 13-17

Brink Constructors Quarterly Newsletter April—June 2018

2

Zane Brink

President

Brink Constructors, Inc.

A message from

the President

Being the Best

Who or what does it mean to be the best?

Let’s look at aviation. What is the best airplane that an organization

can operate? This depends on a few different items that need to be

identified in its average trips:

What is the flight distance?

What is the average passenger total or payload?

How fast do you want to get from point A to Point B?

How many flight hours per year on the aircraft?

What is the budget?

What happens with all this information is that one plane may be the

best for one organization and the worst for another.

We all have certain talents and capabilities and these talents and capa-

bilities benefit Brink and in turn will benefit you as the employ-

ee. These benefits come back to you as better wages, better work,

better benefits, longer term employment and more opportunities.

I challenge each of you to be the best at what you do. Our lineman

cannot all be the best at hot work. We need the lineman that is best

at hauling poles, the best at framing poles, the best at setting poles...

you get the picture. Be the best groundman, mechanic, sub tech, op-

erator, accountant, and project manager.

If everyone strives to be the best at what they are doing, Brink will be

the best and then we can all say “We Are The Best”.

Safety Corner

with Ryan Johnson

Making Safety Personal

Many businesses are adopting the zero harm/incident culture as the basis of their health and safe-

ty programs and management systems. But what does zero harm/incident culture really mean? Is

it possible to create a workplace completely free of harm or incidents? Maybe, but more im-

portantly it is the notion that safety is extremely personal. We should all commit to ensure that

each of us and all our team make it home every day at least as safe as we arrived. Making safety

personal is a means of being accountable for development of a safe workplace. The most im-

portant aspect of the safety culture is the understanding that safety leadership is not about the

attributes of individuals, but rather the behavior of individuals. It does not matter if you are an

introvert or an extrovert, a subject matter expert or a grunt, a CEO or a new employee right out

of high school; what matters is how you behave when at work. Safety leadership is not reserved

for management; safety leaders exhibit a variety of behaviors that, often unintentionally, influence

coworkers to improve safety performance.

We can all be a leader in safety by practicing some of the following:

• Leading by example; know and implement safe work practices

• Avoiding complacency for the hazards posed by our work

• Reporting and share hazards and incidents

• Maintaining open communication with coworkers and management about safety concerns

• Implementing change to improve safety and safer working conditions

• Encouraging coworkers to exhibit safe behaviors

• Helping to ensure that coworkers and contractors understand that unsafe behavior is unac-

ceptable

• Being involved in safety – share your valuable experience

Become a safety leader by setting the tone with your individual behavior. By simply working so

that you don’t get hurt and so that the work you are doing doesn’t hurt someone else, will be an

incredible example by which your peers will learn and likely emulate.

Q1 Safety Meeting Recap

with Jana Kehr

Safety Training

In January, we sent out a small leadership group who represented each department from the Rapid City office. The

goal was to discuss safety with the field crews in South Dakota, Iowa, Oklahoma and Florida. It was a great success!

By doing this, we were able to meet on a smaller scale and talk to each employee on a one-on-one basis. The lead-

ership group consisted of Travis Brink, Ryan Johnson, Gary Sims, Jana Kehr, and Zane Graham. Brent Voorhees also

was able to join us via the web.

Travis covered the benefits that are offered to our employees.

He also discussed the cost of living increase, apprenticeship

pay, paid holidays, additional pay, the new relocation assistance

policy, subsistence rates, and Docusign.

Ryan and Zane discussed the incidents and state review of

2017, incident reporting procedures, safety coins program,

work care (nurse hotline), the new clothing policy, grounding

procedures, equipment inspection, fall protection system,

open hole procedures, and the Brink 2018 safety plan.

Jana introduce the Verizon connect (Telogis) while showing and explaining to

the crew what Verizon Connect was, how it worked, and how to use the ELDs.

There were also discussions on what the shop would like to see from the

crews and in turn what the crews would like to see from the shop.

Brent talked about the financials of Brink and where we ended up last year. He

also discussed what we need to do to make Brink a successful company. This

was good for the crews to hear and understand where Brink is as a company

financially.

Gary Sims, Chris Shagla, Seth Scott, Aaron Hatley, and Ryan Olsen were also

part of making this tour a success. They talked about grounding procedures and

answered questions the crews had about working in the field and what Brink

expects from them in the field. Overall, I think we can say it was a success!

Installing a new 3 piece 100’ pole on

Hwy 27 in Florida

Apprenticeship Program

Completion!

Dan Davis

While out doing the Safety tour in January, we had a few employees complete their apprentice program

and were awarded their certificate and belt buckle. Congratulations Landon, Matt and Dan!!

All three are pictured with Chris Shagla on the left and Seth Scott on the right.

Matt Gustafson

Landon Hazelton

Innovation Award

with Brent Voorhees

Since 2013, a Quanta Services CEO Innovation and Entrepreneurial Award is presented to an operating unit that has come up

with the best and most innovative product. With the submission of the “Ground Pounder”, Brink was announced the winner!

The Ground Pounder was designed to be a much safer and more efficient way to drive ground rods.

Once the trench is complete the Ground pounder is re-

positioned to drive the ground rod(s). This process is saf-

er as we are using a machine to holding the jack hammer

rather than employees lifting it over their heads to get the

rods driven.

The rods can be sleeved if necessary if additional depth is

needed per the customer specifications.

This piece of equipment is more efficient, historically this

job took three individuals and three pieces of equipment to

complete this task. Now, it is two people and one self-

contained piece of equipment. This has also cut the instal-

lation time in half and is considerably safer.

Once the rods are driven, the mast and hand equipment is now stowed and is ready to be moved to the next structure.

The ground rods are then secured to the ground wire and the structure. The trench is then back-filled and compacted. This

completes the process. This is more efficient, saves on manpower and is a much safer process.

The Brink team responsible for the idea and manufacturing of the Ground Pounder is Zane Brink, Josh Birdsall and Dave Stewart

who you will find in the below pictures accepting the award at the January 2018 Presidents meeting in Las Vegas, NV.

Zane Brink, Dave Stewart, and

Josh Birdsall accepting the award Quanta Services CEO Duke Austin,

Zane Brink, Josh Birdsall, and Dave Stewart

7

T-Line Project Spotlight

with Aaron Hatley

Project 133 Guthrie Junction to Scranton 161kV

This project is located in central Iowa near the town of Guthrie Center

for our customer Central Iowa Power Cooperative. It consists of 18.3

miles of retirement of existing 161kV wood pole H-frame structures and

single 477 “hawk” conductor along with a re-build of 18.3 miles of 161kV

wood and steel pole H-frames and T2 477 “hawk” conductor with a .555”

OPGW. As we entered into the spring thaw, muddy ROW conditions

have been the theme. The crews are working hard to complete the pro-

ject by June 8, 2018. We currently have 26 men onsite consisting of an H-

frame setting crew, aerial framing 3 pole and H-frame crew, and conductor

installation crew. Current crew members working on the job are: Alden

Vogt, Andre Easter, Blake Berner, Chris Nash, Collin Forbes, Colter Kef-

feler, Cruz Plasencia, Dustin Beeson, Ethan Kroeger, James Fosdick, Jayden

Phelps, Justin Hood, Justin Kells, Kenny Gonzales, Mikel McDaniel, Payton

Applegate, Taylor Wickersham, Tiegan Myers, Caleb Wood, Cole Trim,

Matt Gustafson, Ryan Warmath, Derek Higson, Devin Sliger, and Dillon

Thompson. The local watering hole

Setting a steel pole

H-frame at structure 95

H-frame setting crew lowering a

complete structure into the ground

Installing screw anchors at structure 66

Maneuvering the setting crane down

the ROW from structure to struc-

ture, watch out for the potholes!

8

Substation Spotlight

with Gary Sims

Before

After

These pictures are a before and after of Okeene Switch Station for

WFEC. This project took approximately 6 months to construct and

consisted of adding a 138kv line terminal to the 138kv ring bus (right

side), a complete demo and rebuild of the 69kv box structure

(center) and the addition of a 25kv distribution substation (right side).

Over the course of the project, we had multiple employees assisting

with the construction at this site, so I offer a big congratulations and

thank you to all that were involved.

Project 123 Okeene Switch Replacement

New Hires

Welcome to the Brink family!

January New Hires

T-Line Apprentice Lineman

Front Row: Zac Phillips, Cruz Plasencia, Riley Klevin, Camden Pruiksma, and Braden LeGrand

Back Row: Maclain Smiley, Alex Ortega, Zach Smith, Devon Pontine, and Teigan Myers

Human Resources

Charlotte Suarez

March New Hires

From Left: Cole Rife, Chandler Norbeck, Garrett Simpson, Jordan Meyer and Martin Magneson. Jor-

dan has joined Luke in the tool room in Rapid City while the remaining new employees have gone to

Colorado Job 139 to join the Substation group.

Lazy Q student

Austin Biers

Company Anniversaries~

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore,

is not an act, but a habit.” Thanks for all you do!

April Luke Evenson 4/17/2017 1

Kenneth Gonzales 4/3/2017 1

Wesley Hoeke 4/10/2017 1

Jordan Kisor 4/3/2017 1

Janet Reisenauer 4/28/2017 1

James Thomas 4/3/2017 1

Nicolas Thompson 4/3/2017 1

Bennjamin Trent 4/3/2017 1

Kaine Favro 4/18/2016 2

Barry Ware 4/18/2016 2

Kevin Chavez 4/13/2015 3

Brent Albrecht 4/22/2014 4

Evan Digirolamo 4/7/2014 4

Dustin Beeson 4/21/2008 10

Aaron Hatley 4/5/2004 14

May Skyler Beringer 5/15/2017 1

Nathan Land 5/31/2016 2

Dillion Thompson 5/16/2016 2

Devon White 5/31/2016 2

Brandon Stolz 5/11/2015 3

Clell Swanson 5/18/2015 3

Krista Young 5/18/2015 3

Keenan Caesar 5/12/2014 4

Landon Hazelton 5/19/2014 4

Travis Fischer 5/27/2013 5

Andre Easter 5/21/2012 6

Casey Elshere 5/14/2012 6

Kris Gonzales 5/17/2001 17

June Payton Applegate 6/12/2017 1

Zane Graham 6/19/2017 1

Tanya Harrod 6/12/2017 1

Christopher Nash 6/12/2017 1

Sarah Alfson 6/20/2015 3

Paul Jorae 6/22/2015 3

John Goettle 6/17/2013 5

Matthew Gustafson 6/10/2013 5

Cameron Sims 6/4/2012 6

Clayton Heavlin 6/18/2008 10

Tim Torres 6/4/2001 17

Birthdays~ You’re older today than yesterday

but younger than tomorrow, Happy Birthday!

April

May

June

Austin Biers April 02

Travis Brink April 02

Tanner Iseminger April 03

Justin Janz April 03

Jacob Hansen April 04

Ryan Johnson April 06

Justin Reichard April 07

Dustin Beeson April 12

Jordan Meyer April 13

Chandler Norbeck April 14

Caleb Wood April 16

Daniel Bachmann April 21

Taylor Wickersham April 23

Ryan Mitchum April 29

Dustin Kearney April 29

Andre Easter May 08

Luke Evenson May 11

Jackson Volmer May 14

Skyler Beringer May 17

Esteban Plasencia May 18

James Thomas May 21

Payton Applegate May 25

Aaron Hatley May 25

Tony Cuzela June 04

Kevin Chavez June 05

Evan Digirolamo June 06

Martin Magneson June 06

Paul Jorae June 08

Justin Winkler June 10

Zane Graham June 12

Tim Kehr June 15

Shane McCauley June 15

Skylor Nelson June 17

Nathan Land June 18

Will Davis June 19

Kenneth Gonzales June 23

Camden Pruiksma June 24

Human Resources

with Megan Brink

Change is the only constant. There has certainly been a lot of changes this year and we’re still going to be changing. From

policy changes and role changes, four months into the year and the whirlwind has yet to stop.

For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Megan Brink and I have recently taken on the role as the Human

Resources Representative.

Although I have my experiences of the many years my dad (Zane) has been in the field (camping out at Devil’s Lake in

North Dakota, spending summers in Buffalo, Wyoming, and countless trips to Colorado have been a few of favorite memo-

ries) and many of you long timers may remember me returning summer after summer mowing the never-ending grass in the

yard. There was also that one week in high school I took the front desk for Judi for a well-deserved week off. I have much

to learn about Brink!

I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in both Human Services and Sociology from Black Hills State University as well as a

minor in Spanish and American Indian Studies. As soon as I graduated in 2016, I worked full time at Game, Fish and Parks at

The Outdoor Campus as the volunteer coordinator intern and part time at WAVI (Working Against Violence) as a shelter

advocate.

I am learning many new things as I come up on my 6 months here as a full-time employee, and I am very humbled by the

hard work done by this company. I am excited for this journey and the changes to come.

I am not alone in this journey and growth in my professional life. Tammy, Charlotte, Zane, Brent V., Travis, Shelley, Susan,

Janet, Katryna, really the whole office, has been so welcoming and helpful in this transition.

Tammy has been working hard on assisting with numerous things and I am so grateful for that. She is getting to be the mas-

ter at benefits, scheduling and assisting with New Hires onboarding and Orientation, and numerous behind the scenes top-

ics that I would never be able to scratch the surface on without her help and guidance. She also has a talent for getting my

butt in gear. Long story short, Tammy is awesome.

Charlotte was brought on by Travis on as a Human Resources consultant in January and is helping us with the huge task of

electronic filing. Her primary task of electronic filing has turned into assisting me with coming up with forms, processes,

and answering any questions. She has also taken on the huge role of putting together a manager training for Brink that we

will roll out this summer. She has been a huge help with mentoring, guidance, and just overall a comfort within the role of

HR. Charlotte comes from over 5 years of experience in being the sole contact in HR at one of our sister companies, The

Ryan Company. Her experience, motivation, and passion are something that I truly am grateful for. I cannot tell you how

much I appreciate her being a phone call away when I have a “now what” moment.

Here are some updates and events that will be coming in Q2:

• Policy Updates and sign offs (Travis did the hard work of going out to the field to talk about the changes, now we just

need the fun paperwork)

• New and updated forms for disciplinary, terminations, leave of absences, time off request, etc.

• Manager Training (get ready - BV, Zane, and Megan coming to you in the field soon this summer…with a grill and food)

I’m excited for this journey and to get to know each any every one of you. You are what make this company great and I

will do everything I can to keep it going and to support you.

The following few pages are from our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Magellan. This is a free program to all

employees and can be accessed by going to www.magellanhealth.com/member. Password: 800EAP2189

MagellanHealth.com/member

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Don’t get left hangingWe make finding summer care bearable

Finding, choosing and booking a summer program can be very time consuming. Leave the legwork to us. Our caring, courteous specialists will help you find, compare and prepare for summer care.

How do we help? Our specialists do all this and more• Research and prescreen a wide variety of summer care

options, from day camps and residential camps to sports programs and more.

• Provide referrals for special needs resources, services and support.

• Consult and help you identify a safe and nurturing summer program for your child.

• Refer providers, services, and resources for every age and stage of your child’s development.

Plus access our website anytime for parenting resources, including guides, monthly live talks, webinars and articles. We’ve brought it all together for you in one place to ensure that your child gets the best care—and you rest easy.

Go Online to AccessMore Information!

Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

MagellanHealth.com/member

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Put your best travel foot forwardWe make vacation planning a walk on the beach

Get away from it all, including the headaches and stress of travel. From family vacations to romantic getaways to business trips, we help you get research and plan to make sure you have the most enjoyable and memorable experience.

We go the extra mile to ensure your travels go smoothly. Here are just a few things we do:

• Save you time by researching and referring travel agencies, hotels, resorts, car rentals, attractions and more.

• Save you money by sorting out travel arrangements that work within your budget, whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure.

• Spare you stress by helping you compare places, prices and plan your getaway.

• Eliminate guesswork with tips and to-dos for passports, packing, safety, insurance, holiday travel, and traveling with children and pets.

Plus access our website anytime for a wide range of travel resources and services, including webinars, guides and articles. A few clicks or taps is all takes to travel smarter—and smoother!

Go Online to AccessMore Information!

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EAP-FLY-EE-MYMH-001 (4/18) ©2018 Magellan Health, Inc.

Mind yourmental health

Just in time for the May Mental Health Awareness Month, Magellan is pleased to introduce Mind Your Mental Health, an educational initiative to raise mental health awareness.

Mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being. As the World Health Organization says, “There is no health without mental health.”

This initiative aims to reduce stigma associated with mental health issues by providing education, tools and resources to help your employees and their families learn practical ways to improve their mental health and understand how to help others.

Month Topic

May Mental Health Awareness

June Stress and Anxiety

July Support for Yourself and Others

August Mental Health in Children

September Suicide and Depression

October Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse

November Holiday Stress

December Caring for Caregivers

Turnkey promotionPromoting Mind Your Mental Health is simple and easy!

Each month you will receive an employee email, digital sign and poster.

• Forward the email to your employees. Change the email content to meet your organization's needs.

• Direct employees to the Mind Your Mental Health landing page to access themed monthly content including educational articles, videos, social media graphics, links to mental health organizations and more. Visit the page at MagellanHealth.com/MYMH.

• Host the digital sign and/or print and post letter-sized posters in high traffic areas.

Please contact your Account Manager if you have any questions.

Mind yourmental health

EAP-POS-EE-MYMH-001 (4/18) ©2018 Magellan Health, Inc.

5 tips to improve your mental health:

1 Take care of your body–eat, sleep, exercise

2 Establish a support circle

3 Find balance

4 Take up a hobby

5 Love who you are

Help, information and resources are available. Learn more at MagellanHealth.com/MYMH