As He Takes The Helm Of Luck Companies As The Fourth-Generation Of Family Leadership, Richard Luck Reflects On The Mission Ahead.
By Mark S. Kuhar
This is the first in a two-part feature. The second part will appear in the May issue of Rock Products.
RP: Richard, congratulations on being named president of Luck Companies. Can you share a bit about your experience growing up in the Luck family? Did you always envision yourself working in the family business?
RL: It’s been a lifelong goal of mine to work in our company. I always hoped that I would have an opportunity to steward the company – ensuring that future generations can continue to use this place for good for another 100 years.
It all started when my parents began to introduce me and my two younger sisters to different facets of the business. My parents always talked about the company in terms of ownership, responsibility and leadership. Ownership is inherent as a family member, but they always stressed that working for the company is a choice. They wanted to expose us to what ownership could mean for us, but they also encouraged us to follow our dreams. They believed that pursuing our passion was critical to becoming the best versions of ourselves – as individuals and as potential leaders at the company.
There was never pressure on us to work for the company, but we knew it was an option. But for me, it was never a question, Luck Companies and its people have always held a special place in my heart. It’s something I always wanted to be a part of and hoped to have the opportunity to shepherd it.
RP: Did you start out like a lot of the people who grew up in a family business: working at a quarry and learning how to drive a front end loader and a haul truck?
RL: My first official job was on the grounds crew when I was in the eighth grade, followed by mulch delivery in high school. When I turned 18, I could finally work in our South Richmond quarry for the summer, a significant milestone for me. A few years after college, in 2015, I began working full-time for the company. I was anxious to get back in the field as I had been enamored by this part of the business my whole life. But, my dad had other plans for me. He wanted me to first work more closely with the HR and InnerWill teams responsible for cultivating our culture and values. He felt this deeper knowledge was an important tool to carry with me when I started to work at a site.
I really give my dad so much credit for his foresight. He wanted me to have this foundation as a leader. I did eventually work at our Leesburg Plant in northern Virginia for 18 months, learning all aspects of the quarry at one of our busiest sites. And, I was grateful to have such a strong understanding of who we are and how we lead and work together.
RP: It’s so important that you went out there and earned the respect of the employees by doing that. it’s not Richard just being handed this, you went out and earned it and that’s an important distinction for employees
RL: I worked at a number of sites before I moved back to Richmond, Va., three years ago, including our Bealeton Plant in Virginia and our Atlanta Plant in Georgia, but it wasn’t about earning respect – it was about learning every aspect of this part of our business from the incredibly skilled people who work here.
Leesburg was my first stop, and I was unsure of how I’d be accepted in the field or what associates would think of me. The team really took me under their wing, and I immediately felt like a part of the group. One day, one of our plant operators came up to me and said, “I just want you to know that I love this place, and I want my kids to work here. It’s my job to teach you everything that I know so that you can be successful and continue to run this company as a family business.”
I’m grateful for all the associates who shared their knowledge and skills with me when I stepped in 10 years ago, and I continue to be grateful for the teams I get to work with today, who are pushing the company to new heights.
RP: It’s historic and it’s almost unprecedented in the industry these days to have a fourth generation of family leadership. Can you put that in perspective?
RL: We are a faith-based family, and that belief fundamentally shapes our purpose to make a difference in people’s lives. We see Luck Companies as our vehicle to deliver on that. Crushing rock is what we do, and we are incredibly passionate about it, but we view this place as our opportunity to make a lasting, positive impact in the lives of people. It’s been really seamless for me and the next generation of leadership and associates to see ourselves as a stewards of our people, our culture and our purpose.
RP: As president, what do you want your associates and your customers to know?
RL: I want them to know that this is an exciting time to partner with us as we’re in an incredibly healthy place, culturally and financially, and this creates growth opportunities for everyone. Dad has always said that one of his life goals was to steward the company and leave it better than he found it. Today, he feels like he’s passing it over to me and this next generation in the best shape it’s ever been. So I would want our associates and customers to know that so much of what they’ve come to expect from us will be their continued experience. Across the board, there is so much alignment during this exciting time of transition for our company, including that of our highly engaged and energized leadership team.
RP: What are your main goals, looking ahead? What would you like to accomplish?
RL: The long-term goal for us is to sustain and grow our company. We’ve had an unbelievable run operationalizing several new sites and permitting additional greenfields in the Southeast. This work has been developmental for teams across the company, and it has enabled us to welcome new associates and work with new communities.
In addition to our growth in the Southeast, we will continue to keep our Virginia market strong and healthy. We’ve transitioned from being a medium-sized, Virginia business to a larger regional business, which is really exciting. We will continue to look at what we need to scale internally to fit the larger company we are today, and we remain committed to running our business as efficiently and effectively as we always have.
At the end of the day, our growth strategy isn’t about numbers – it’s about something deeper, and it’s directly tied to our mission of igniting human potential. In all of our endeavors, we are working to create opportunities where our people, our customers and our communities can thrive.
In the second part of this feature Richard Luck talks more about the company’s generational transition, as well as about technology and community.
Luck Stone
A Positive & Enduring Impact
Luck Stone is the nation’s largest family owned and operated producer of crushed stone, sand and gravel. A responsive and creative partner to the construction, civil engineering and environmental industries, we provide consistent, quality aggregate materials and services that serve as the foundation of roads, bridges and buildings.
Our Vision
As One Team, we build value inspired by our customers to be the preferred choice.
We contribute to our customers’ success through partnerships built on service and simplicity, while continually innovating to find value for our customers’ operations and ensure stewardship of the land.
Our Mission
We will ignite human potential through Values Based Leadership and positively impact the lives of others around the world.