As one of the longest-tenured Geneva Rock employees, Mikel Kogianes has cherished his time with the company. Nearly 32 years of work has brought incredible satisfaction to himself and his family.
“I’ve run a mixer truck the whole time I’ve been here,” Mikel said. “I like mixers because you’re in there by yourself, and you go to a different job in a different town every load.
“So, you’re constantly mixing it up and pouring something different. It just kind of helps break up the monotony. You’re not going in circles like dump trucks or belly dumps, and you’re not doing the same thing over and over and over again.”
Mikel’s interest in construction stems from early family roots with his father’s involvement in the industry.
“My dad was in construction,” Mikel said. “He worked for Kennecott Utah Copper at night and A&C Cox Excavating & Construction (formerly Dean Cox Construction) during the day. Dean Cox Construction collaborated frequently with Geneva Rock in the 1970s and 80s. That’s how I first learned about my future employer.”
His familiarization with the construction industry from a young age helped him identify how he would make a difference in the field.
“I always liked trucks growing up,” Mikel said. “My love for trucks came from my dad. I learned to drive at an early age. I just enjoyed it.”
Following a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mikel found a position at Geneva Rock, where’s he’s been ever since.
“When I returned home, my brother-in-law and another friend both worked at Geneva Rock,” Mikel said. “They told me the company was hiring, so I applied. I got the job, but I had to hurry and get my commercial driver’s license (CDL) to start driving.”
Even though Mikel has immensely enjoyed his career, not every job he’s worked on has been easy.
“It gets kind of hairy when you’re up in the mountains sometimes,” Mikel said. “I remember one time when I had first started, I had to go to Sundance — right up the ski run. I was in an old mixer truck that didn’t have all-wheel drive.
“Someone was with me and said, ‘Hey, if you start to roll over, I’ll get you.’ I remember that I had white knuckles the whole way up there.”
Despite challenging experiences such as this, Mikel loves working for Geneva Rock and everything the company stands for.
“It’s been a pretty good place to work,” Mikel said. “You get awesome benefits and retirement. They’ve treated me great over the years. The company is really run well.
“I’ve had good bosses that you really want to work hard for. It’s a great career; it really is. They have good equipment here that’s always up to date. I’ve always felt that they care about their people here.”
