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Looking back on my time at Triad, it’s hard to believe how much has changed since I started in 1990. I joined the company as a 17-year-old kid who was washing sample jars. Over the years, I moved around through various departments—QC, surveying, the lab—before I officially became a staff engineer in 1996, following my graduation with a BSME. In 1998, at Triad’s request, I returned to school part-time to pursue a BSCE. By 2006, I earned my degree and was promoted to project-level engineer. And by 2013, I was managing all the drilling departments across Triad, overseeing the entire fleet of drill rigs.

As I think back on my time in the industry and at Triad, there are five key changes that stand out the most to me: safety, technology, equipment, communication, and site accessibility. These changes have shaped our work environment and operations in ways that were hard to imagine back when I started.

Safety First

When I first started in the 90’s, safety protocols were still a work in progress across the industry. Back in 1970, OSHA was created under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and while safety was always important, the understanding of it wasn’t as fully developed as it is today. Over the years, the industry has made huge strides. Triad now has a safety culture that includes everything from extensive training programs to policies that address spill prevention, confined space work, drug testing, just to name a few. We take safety to heart in everything we do, knowing just how critical it is in protecting our teams.

A Tragic Lesson in Safety

My personal view on safety changed drastically after a tragic incident in the early 90s. I was working the night shift at a job site when a truck driver from another company killed my replacement in a fatal accident. That incident hit me hard and was a wake-up call about just how dangerous construction sites could be. Over time, as safety measures evolved and became more comprehensive, Triad has always strived to not only keep up with industry standards but to exceed them. It’s this commitment that ensures safer working conditions for all employees and one of the many reasons I’ve made my career here.

Advancements in Communication

Alongside safety improvements, communication on job sites has also come a long way. In the early 90s, if something went wrong, you had to rely on finding a payphone and hope you could get the right person on the line. I remember using the company’s toll-free 800 number, driving to the nearest payphone, and hoping I could solve the issue with just one call—something we take for granted now with cell phones and instant communication right from the job site. Changes to a project used to require a trip to the site or sending someone back the next day, but now, we can simply make a call and adjust things in real-time. It’s a level of flexibility that I never could’ve imagined back then.

Technological Progress in Equipment

Looking back at the equipment we used, it’s clear that technology has played a huge role in improving our work. Sure, the new gear is packed with features, but it’s not always easier to maintain or troubleshoot. One of the biggest changes I remember is the shift from the old “Cathead Method” to the more efficient and accurate Autohammer. The Cathead was a labor-intensive and dangerous tool, but the Autohammer is much safer and more precise, reducing human error and providing calibrated results. It’s a great example of how far we’ve come, even if some of the older equipment still had its charm, like converting hydraulic clutches on the CME 550X buggy rigs with parts from an S10 pickup truck.

The Changing Landscape of Job Sites

Another significant change has been the availability of job sites. Back in the early 90’s, there were many open sites ready for drilling, but today, most places have already been surveyed, tested, and documented. I think back to the Corridor H project in West Virginia—it felt like a blank slate back then, and access was tough. Today, that area is a developed four-lane highway, and open sites like that are harder to find. It’s a reminder of how the landscape has evolved over time, making site selection much more challenging today.

Navigating the Changing Landscape

When it comes to getting to job sites sometime the wide open spaces made it harder not easier. In the early days, you had to rely on handwritten directions, road names, and landmarks to find your way. Now, GPS coordinates make navigation effortless, and we no longer need to rely on written instructions.

Looking Ahead
As I look back on how far we’ve come, it’s incredible to think about the advancements and changes we’ve seen in the way we work. From virtual meetings and on-the-job photos to the evolution of safety protocols, equipment, and the collaborative culture across offices, these improvements would have seemed unimaginable when I first started. Back then, each office operated independently, but now we work together seamlessly, driving innovation at every turn. It’s this commitment to progress, paired with the dedication of everyone at Triad, that has allowed us to thrive for over three decades—and I’m excited to see where we go from here.