During its 109-year history, Warfel Construction Co. has weathered some severe construction downturns, including the Great Depression and the Great Recession. As the industry faces the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, Warfel’s current president, Matt Hartzler, draws inspiration from the firm’s founder, D.S. Warfel, who picked up whatever work he could find during the Depression. “It’s a reminder that we need to be opportunistic and flexible,” says Hartzler, who started at the firm 25 years ago as a project engineer. “We need to be able to pivot within our organization. We can’t be so rigid that we can’t flex for what the economy allows or what our clients want us to do.”
Lessons learned from the last major downturn helped the East Petersburg, Pa.-based company hone its strategic mission to expand the diversification of its portfolio, deepen its commitment to repeat customers and focus on attracting and retaining employees who could carry the company into its next century.