At the Jackson Asphalt Plant, keeping hot-mix asphalt flowing takes a dynamic team. One of the people who plays a key role in making that happen every day is Michael Brown. Known as “Mike” to his coworkers, the Plant Operator has spent the last 10 years serving the Jackson operation and has become an essential part of keeping things running day in and day out.
Mike’s journey with Dickerson & Bowen (D&B), A Granite Company, began a decade ago when he started as a groundman at the Jackson site. Over the years, he leveled up his career through hands-on experience, learning every part of the operation along the way. Today, he operates the plant but also runs the front-end loader and track hoe when needed. Suffice to say, Mike isn’t afraid to step in wherever needed to help the team succeed. Members of the QC team echo that sentiment, noting how closely they work with Mike each day to keep production on track.
“We periodically call him at the plant to make hot-mix changes and coordinate tonnages from the previous day,” said QC Manager Micah Baw. “He’s always responsive and ready to help.”
According to QC Tech Brent Keller, Mike’s attitude and willingness to collaborate make a huge difference. “He always has good attitude and is never negative about anything when we bug him eight hours a day,” Keller said with a laugh. “We call him daily, almost hourly, and he never gives us any grief. He’s always truly friendly, easy-going, and ready to work with us to tackle challenges.”
He added, “Mike is always looking for better ways to do things. Whether he’s loading two trucks or 100 trucks, he has the same attitude. He really cares about the job he does and takes pride in doing it well.”
That mindset extends to Mike’s willingness to continue learning and growing in his role. Recently, he attended a company training event at Astec to further develop his skills.
“Mike goes above and beyond at the plant,” added QC Tech Tyler Baw. “He just got back from Astec school, showing that he is willing to do and learn whatever it takes to better himself for the company.”
It comes as no surprise that Mike has built strong relationships with teammates across the operation over the years. “Mike is my go-to person when we need someone to help make repairs to the plant,” said Jackson Plant Foreman Jeff Kennedy. “He is someone we know we can always count on.”
Ryan Kennedy, Director of Asphalt Production, has worked alongside him for nearly a decade and has seen firsthand the dedication he brings to the job. He shared, “There isn’t a part of that plant we haven’t worked on together at some point. He’s the guy you want beside you when the going gets tough because he gets going.”
Through his positive attitude and mindset for continuous improvement, Mike exemplifies our core values of integrity and excellence. Whether he is troubleshooting a piece of equipment, coordinating with QC, or keeping production moving, Mike approaches every task with the same steady commitment to doing the job right.
Dickerson & Bowen is a wholly owned subsidiary of Granite Construction. Learn more at https://www.graniteconstruction.com/company/our-brands.