A team of 10 Aldridge employees will be traveling to Bolivia, located in Central South America, late this summer for our third year working with Bridges to Prosperity. This team will help build a footbridge that provides access to critical resources like healthcare, education, and employment and creates a long term positive impact on a local community. To get an idea of the size of the country, view the images below.
Traveling to a country with terrain that varies from the Andes Mountains to the Atacama Desert, and includes the Amazon Basin Rainforest, is sure to be an incredible experience for this team.
In addition to the actual bridge build, our team of ten is assisting in raising $35,000 to help fund the mission. Below you will see a “Donate Here” button after each team member that links to their individual fundraising pages. PLEASE GIVE! For every $1 you donate, Aldridge has pledged to donate an additional $2. Thank you for your support of this important initiative.
We are incredibly proud to announce the team. They were carefully chosen and we are confident that they will do great things on this journey.
Brian Weir - Project Lead
Brian started with Aldridge in 1984. What started as an 8 week call-out, turned into a career lasting more than 35 years. Brian has held a number of positions with Aldridge, including 20+ years as a Superintendent at O’Hare Airport and is currently an Aldridge Ambassador, working with the Pre-Fab group. Brian enjoys snowmobiling and working on, and driving, his classic Shelby Cobra. Brian thinks it is awesome to be part of a team that will share their knowledge and abilities with those in such need. Bridges chose Brian because he:
Is inventive and agreeable
Has experience building his own houses
Is very thoughtful about his preparation for this trip
Dan Kretz - Construction Lead
Dan has served as a Project Manager with Aldridge for more than 5 years and holds a Bachelors in Building Construction Management from Purdue University. He enjoys outdoor activities like cycling, running, and off-roading. He was inspired to join the B2P team because it was an opportunity to do something positive. He is excited to go somewhere completely new and different with a great group of people. The Bridges staff chose Brian for the position of Construction Lead because he:
Is a hard-working, team player
Has trained and competed in Brazilian Jujitsu
Demonstrated a real interest in the people and country he would be helping
Nick Turner - Safety Lead
Nick is an Assistant Project Manager on the East Coast in Aldridge’s Foundation Group. Nick graduated from Slippery Rock University with a Bachelor of Science in Geology. Nick enjoys hiking, camping, backpacking, fishing, traveling, and working on cars. He was inspired to apply for the team because he loves to travel, work with his hands, and help people in situations where they could use a hand. He is excited to see the impact the team can make on the community and their daily life. Nick was chosen as Safety Lead because he:
Has extensive experience performing manual labor outdoors
Enjoys travel and pushing his own boundaries
Is willing to be the solution when others are frustrated or fatigued
Chris Weir - Logistics Lead
Chris is a Senior Project Manager with Aldridge in the Aviation Market. Chris has a Bachelors in Lighting Technology and a Masters in Technical Direction, both from the University of Cincinnati. In his free time, Chris enjoys working on his home, snowmobiling, and traveling with his wife. Chris applied to be a part of the Bridges Team because the work that they will be doing will positively impact so many people’s lives, while also providing a challenge for the construction team and push them out of their comfort zone. As Logistics Lead, Chris was chosen because he:
Is goal oriented and mission-focused
Has great experience navigating the unknown on the recent Virgin Islands project
Brings a lifetime of experience being called upon as manual labor for home renovation projects
Liz Pasnik - Communications Lead
Liz joined Aldridge in 2018 as Internal Communications Manager. She holds a BA in Advertising and Marketing from Bradley University. In her free time, Liz loves to cook, enjoy live music, and spend time with family and friends. She believes that giving back to make a difference in a child’s life is one of the greatest gifts we can give to our communities. Liz is excited to make a difference in a Bolivian community that will hopefully have a butterfly effect in a positive direction long after she is gone. Bridges to Prosperity chose Liz because she:
Is interested in making a personal connection in Bolivia
Has previous volunteer experience
Described her anthem as being
"I Love to Laugh"
Tara Braun - Support Team Member
Tara is currently a Business Manager in for Aldridge’s Utility Group. She graduated from Marquette University with a Bachelors in Spanish and a Minor in Business. Tara likes to spend time with her family, including her husband and three boys. She enjoys working out, reading books, spending time in the Northwoods, and traveling with her family. Tara chose to apply because she believes that now, more than ever, goodwill gestures from residents of one country to another are important. Bridges to Prosperity selected Tara because they saw that she was:
Compassionate
Outdoorsy and physically active
Had experience living abroad and learning a new culture and language
Donnie Minock - Support Team Member
Donnie joined Aldridge in 2009 and has almost 20 years of experience performing foundation work throughout the country. His hobbies include fishing, hunting, camping, and hanging out with friends and family. His wife and kids encouraged him to become a be part of something as big as this project and he looks forward to learning from the local culture and making a positive impact on the community member’s lives. Donnie was chosen to be part of the team because he is:
Passionate and adaptable
Experienced in a wide range of construction
Planning and success-oriented
Chris Morgan - Support Team Member
Chris has been with Aldridge 6.5 years working with the Foundation Group and Fleet moving rigs and support equipment to and from jobs. He is organized, a good communicator, and skilled at planning. Chris enjoys coaching soccer for his daughter’s teams, Jeep Club, and craft beer. Chris applied for the bridge build because of the opportunity to travel to South America, step outside of his comfort zone, and help give back to people in need. Chris was selected to be part of the 2019 team because of his:
High integrity
Interest in maximizing this "once in a lifetime opportunity"
Strong communication and network building skills
John Hauser - Support Team Member
John has 17 years of experience in the construction trade, ranging from building homes, water-well drilling, and performing work as a pump technician. John has been with Aldridge for 7 years. He was raised Catholic and as part of this did a lot of ministry hours and volunteering. In his free time he enjoys boating. He typically boats in the Chain-O-Lakes, Key West, Lake Michigan, and even lives on a lake in Illinois. John was chosen for the team because he is:
Very safety focused
Has accomplished impressive physical feats including 30-day wrestling camps
In tune with a team's moods and needs
Ryan Stephens - Support Team Member
Ryan graduated from Purdue University in May 2018 with a degree in Environmental Health Sciences focusing on Occupational Health Safety. He joined Aldridge in 2018 and is a Safety Engineer, covering utility projects in the Midwest. He has started to take on a larger role at Aldridge with overhead work and specializes in substation, confined space, and gas work safety. Bridges to Prosperity chose Ryan because he is:
Passionate about the cause and experience
Positive and wants to help spread that positivity
Mentally prepared and focused on planning
Nick Siebert - Alternate
Nick is an experienced Foreman with over 20 years in the electrical industry. Nick enjoys playing the guitar and bass, repairing his cars, home renovations, and recently started hiking every day after work. He is excited to be selected as part of the team because he really wants to use his skills to help people, knowing that the team’s work will be life changing for the local people. Nick was chosen because he is:
Determined
Focused on the big picture
Family-oriented
Kevin Smith - Alternate
Kevin, an Air Force veteran, is a Journeyman and member of Local 134 in our Building Trades Division. He attended Moody Bible Institute and received a Bachelors in Communication. Kevin has extensive experience volunteering and serving others. Prior to joining Aldridge, Kevin and his wife worked with Cru, a religious non-profit for almost 2 decades. In his free time, Kevin enjoys most sports with a racket, billiards, chess, frisbee, volleyball, and board and card games. He was chosen because of his:
Work ethic and communication skills
Completion of Air Force basic training
Tendency to look on the bright side of things
Watch for more information about the trip and the team’s preparation in the coming months!