SCI, Zion’s Speaking on Business
On Thursday, September 19th, Zion’s Speaking on Business highlighted SCI on KSL radio. Here is the radio spot in it’s entirety:
“September 19, 2013
This is Chris Redgrave for Zion’s Bank Speaking on Business.
Craig Sorenson saw the research on family-owned businesses, how just 30 percent make it to the second generation and only 10 percent the third. He looked carefully at Syracuse-based SCI, an infrastructure solutions company, which he bootstrapped and built with his own hands.
He didn’t want that to happen to his company. So, his four sons all worked their way through the business, from the ground up. Before any of them were promoted, they had to prove they were the most qualified for the job. That’s why SCI is continuing to thrive under the leadership of current president Chad Sorenson. Craig is still involved as CEO. Chad says they learned early on that as a family member, it was their job to be the first in and the last to leave.
Infrastructure is at the core of SCI, and that’s any type of distribution from communications, fiber optics and power to traffic control. And then there’s the wireless division that builds cell towers, DAS networks and LTE upgrades. Right now they’re helping TMobile update 375 towers across the state.
At SCI, they emphasize SQUIRT, or Safety, Quality, Integrity, Respect and Teamwork. Safety is critical since they’re working in the second most dangerous industry in the world, right behind mining. When you have people digging in trenches 10 feet deep or on cell towers hundreds of feet high, it’s not just an injury you’re preventing. They currently have 225 employees.
Craig is quite a visionary, and here’s one example of why. In the early 2000s, he could see the generational gap between himself and his employees. He realized the style of leadership needed for this group was far different than what he could provide, so he had the foresight to step down as president. Chad worked side-by-side with his dad to learn the values of the business, so he would operate SCI in the same way his dad did.
Their philosophy at SCI is to diversify the business and hold margins where they know they can be successful despite changing and challenging market conditions.
For Zion’s Bank, I’m Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
SCI 918 S. 2000 West Syracuse, UT 84075 801-773-4390 www.gosci.com