Q: What do you love most about your role in construction?
A: I love our Team. I am certain that Stonwerk has the best crew of masonry Craftsmen in any area circle you can draw. I can tell you all about it and point to our website and any of our projects to prove it 😉 The most satisfying thing to me is to tell someone “Yes, we can do that” and then helping our team figure out how to get it done… If I’m honest, its so satisfying because the path to get it done is not always so clear. Learning and Applying is what motivates me.

Q: What was your first job in construction?
A: My first job was in masonry, working for my father at this company. I was a masonry laborer full time during summers from the age of 13 until a couple years after I graduated. I then fulfilled a lifelong dream of working in the dirt which I loved, for 5 years at RC Grading and Excavating. I came back to Stonwerk as the Operations Manager in 2016 and have enjoyed the learning process to my eventual 100% buyout which happened on 12/31/2021.

Q: What made you decide to get into the building industry?
A: My father Steve Homola, who has recently retired, has been a masonry contractor since before I was born, His example taught me the value of working hard, helping people make decisions and thinking outside the box to get things done… I guess he made it look pretty cool!

Q: When you graduated from high school, what did you want to do for a career?
A: I looked into two different career paths. One was Law Enforcement, the other was Nursing (RN). Both of those ideas worked their way out of my plans- law enforcement is high risk, low reward (still sounds fun though), and RN’s make a good wage but work entirely indoors, which is something I couldn’t see myself enjoying.

Q: Outside of work, what hobbies do you have?
A: I love my wife and 6 children, they are my world and my main “hobby”. I enjoy dirtbiking, mountain biking, snowboarding, and most motorsports with my family. I try to go to the mountains snowmobiling with buddies at least once per season

Q: If you had a chance to talk with students coming out of high school today, what would you want them to know about a job in the trades?
A: If you know what you want to do and have a clear path to get there via higher education, don’t let anybody talk you out of it…
BUT. I feel like many public schools now are too focused on the prerequisites for college, and some educators push hard on students that you must have a degree to have a good paying career. That is simply not true. Most of the people that I know in the trades are very happy, and satisfied with their careers. Construction is typically very good pay if you think of the apprenticeship as your schooling. Don’t expect to make a killing in your first year of on the job training. It should be considered the same as if you were going to college but better since you’ll be paid to learn… to learn skills that you can apply later to add value to your resume. By the time you top out it should be as good of pay as any other career. If the company you end up working for doesn’t treat you well, go find a company that will, or take your fresh skills and start your own business.