Rock On!
by Judy Le Jeune
photography by Heather Smith
3651 Peachtree Parkway Suite 425 - Suwanee, GA 30024
Almost 35 years ago, Mike Dobbs started his first job at a quarry near Philadelphia as a truck driver. Over the years, he worked his way up through various positions and eight years ago he moved to Atlanta to take on the job of Plant Manager of the Martin Marietta Aggregates-Forsyth Quarry in Suwanee.
Mike immediately went to work at the quarry and within the community. "It is important to Martin Marietta and to the staff at the Forsyth Quarry to be an active member of the community where we work and live," said Mike. As a corporation with facilities across the United States in Canada and The Bahamas, Martin Marietta "believes that its obligation to support the communities where it has operations is fundamental. As a good neighbor, we seek opportunities to partner with our fellow citizens to ensure that community needs are met - often in unique and creative ways." For the Forsyth Quarry, Concert in the Quarry(TM) became one of this community's most unique and enjoyable corporate community contributions.
The idea to have a concert at the quarry began during a conversation between Mike Dobbs and Glenn Kruse, Chairman of Concert in the Quarry(TM). Mike knew that a fundraising concert had been held at a Martin Marietta facility in Indiana and the discussion led to the possibility of having a concert here to raise funds for the South Forsyth High School Band Boosters of which Glenn's wife, Cathi, is President. This conversation between Glenn and Mike evolved into two successful annual events that already have people talking about the next concert. The attendance doubled from the first to the second year.
Glenn and Cathi spend most of the year planning the concert and Mike Dobbs spends several months prior to the concert preparing the site at the quarry. This year, it took months to clear boulders out of the site and then prepare the quarry floor. "I'm always looking for ways to perfect the site for the concert and make everything even better than the year before," said Mike. "I sincerely appreciate having the opportunity to provide this community with an evening of great entertainment, while benefiting the South Forsyth High School band program."
Glenn Kruse had the following to say about Mike Dobbs' contribution to the concert: "The Concert in the Quarry(TM) is a joint effort between Martin Marietta and the South Forsyth Band Boosters. Mike Dobbs is our primary point of contact within Martin Marietta to coordinate all of the site preparation and logistical requirements necessary for the concert. I can say without any doubt that the Concert in the Quarry(TM) would not be possible without the efforts of Mike Dobbs and his staff in preparing the site, coordinating with other Martin Marietta personnel, and working with the Booster Club volunteers in getting the various supporting vendors and equipment access to the concert venue."
Mike has a very pro-active approach to his efforts to contribute to the community. He is a member of the Johns Creek Business Association and the Cumming Forsyth Chamber of Commerce. He gives presentations to the surrounding subdivisions, providing residents with information about the work being done at the quarry. He welcomes local groups and residents to the quarry for tours. Mike also takes pride in educating others about the process that is a continual work of progress at the quarry. Because the average home uses 90 tons of aggregate to build, most people are more appreciative of the work that is being done at the quarry when they know that aggregates contribute to the building of their homes and roads. 95% of the aggregates from this quarry are used to build and rebuild roads.
Every year, Martin Marietta awards five employees, who are nominated and selected from 5,600 employees nationwide, the honor of Chairman's Pinnacle. There is one individual awarded in each of the following categories: Community Relations, Safety, Leadership, Environment and Special Recognition. In 2007, Mike Dobbs received the Chairman's Pinnacle award in the Community Relations category. This honor was awarded to Mike because of his consistent contributions to the community and his invaluable help with Concert in the Quarry(TM).
Mike Dobbs is committed to giving his best to everything he works on: his position as Plant Manager, his contributions to the community, his wife and three daughters and his education. Mike worked by day and took evening courses at Eastern Baptist College in St. David's, Pennsylvania to earn his Bachelors Degree in Business Management. He has been both attending classes and completing on-line courses at Brenau University in Gainesville and has two electives remaining to complete his Masters in Business Administration. This community is fortunate to have a Plant Manager at the Forsyth Quarry like Mike Dobbs who gives so much so we can rock on!
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For more information or to schedule a group tour of the Forsyth Quarry,
contact Mike Dobbs at 770-887-6711 or e-mail him at mike.dobbs@martinmarietta.com
