Keeley'n Spotlight: Sonny Kamper
We say this a lot here at Keeley, but our people truly are our most important asset. From those doing behind the scenes work in the office to those getting their hands dirty in the field, everyone plays a vital role in the success of our company. Sonny Kamper, Director of Sitework & Utilities for L. Keeley’s Heavy Civil Infrastructure Group, is out in the field every day making sure our projects are ready to begin properly and are running smoothly. His dedication to safety and quality make him a valuable part of our family.
Sonny joined the L. Keeley team about two years ago to help take our sitework abilities to the next level. For Sonny, the past year has been a whirlwind of growth and excitement, and now that the COVID-19 pandemic is nearing its end, he is able to get out and start building the Sitework Division around the country.
“I have been provided an open road to build the Sitework Division and have incredible support from my manager. This empowers me and pushes me to show up and do my best every single day.”
Sonny joined the construction industry straight out of high school. He always loved to build things and knew that the construction industry would give him that opportunity. He soon realized that he could make good money with great benefits right away, so it was an easy decision and one that he has never second guessed. Throughout his career, Sonny has learned a lot of lessons, but the lesson that has been most important to his career growth has been that if you make decisions with respect and integrity leading you, you will be led in the right direction and have the necessary tools to create strong teams and long-lasting relationships. This lesson guides him and has gotten him to where he is today. If Sonny could give one piece of advice to someone starting out in the construction industry, it would be:
“Show up early, work hard, and stay positive.”
At L. Keeley, Sonny has the unique opportunity to be involved in a project from the very beginning all the way through to completion. He feels very lucky to be able to build strong, successful teams to help get a project started and off the ground. Sonny is also excited for the future and to build an extensive Sitework Division at L. Keeley that serves our teams across the country. While these opportunities are some of the best parts of his job, Sonny’s favorite part about being a part of the Keeley family is the culture.
“Most places say they have a culture, but when you get into it, their culture does not match what they portray. Keeley walks the walk and talks the talk. They truly live out their culture.”
We work hard to spread our culture, mission, and core values to every team member. At L. Keeley, our core values are PRIDE – People, Respect, Integrity, Discipline, and Empowerment. When it comes to seeing our core values lived out, Sonny thinks of Respect. He sees respect displayed from the executive leadership team all the way down to the boots on the ground. He believes that this is integral to keeping team members happy and engaged along with increasing productivity. Our mission and core values are very important to us and help make Keeley a career destination for all. As for why Keeley became Sonny’s career destination, he said:
“There truly is no ceiling here. If you work hard, remain positive, and stay focused on your job and where you want to go, you will achieve every goal you set.”
Sonny, thank you for your leadership in building our Sitework Division, Heavy Civil Infrastructure team, and dedication to our company. The sky is the limit and we can’t wait to see everything you accomplish!
