Welcome John Gallup as JEDI committee chair
John Gallup
“One thing I know; the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve”.
-Albert Schweitzer
After recently accepting a new technical sales role at Laticrete International responsible for Oregon, and specifically Portland, I have made the decision to become more involved in the architectural and construction industry locally and have accepted a volunteer position as chair for the JEDI (Justice Equality Diversity Inclusion) committee, serving the Portland chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI Portland).
My career as a product representative now spans parts of the past 5 decades, with most of that time spent as an architectural and commercial sales representative. With my career rather established, the time has come for me to volunteer at a deeper level, and I cannot think of a more prestigious and worthy organization than CSI, and particularly the Portland chapter, to extend my willingness to serve.
As our time spent during work hours is placed at a higher premium, seemingly daily, the natural question may be, why volunteer? This is an understandable question, particularly when you gain insights from those who volunteer. Volunteering has its challenges. It is time-consuming in conditions where seemingly no spare time exists. It can be thankless at times, with efforts going unnoticed. So why do it? Well… speaking only for myself, a few reasons come to mind…
A sense of duty
It provides an opportunity for personal growth
It’s a pleasure
Doing so may inspire others to become more involved
With respects to my interests and motivation in accepting the JEDI committee chair position specifically, anyone who has been paying attention in recent years can witness some societal trends…one is our continuing labor shortage. Labor and staffing shortages have impacted the construction industry perhaps as much, or even more, than any other segment of commerce. Knowing this, we in the construction channel must do anything in our power to attract individuals who have, for a number of reasons, previously have been either misinformed, disinterested, alienated, or even disenfranchised by the industry. My hope is that I can, even in some small way, help our industry and the construction community in Portland to make the clear-cut indication that ours is an industry based on the principles of equality and inclusion, and taking an approach based in the spirit of inclusion, we can and will attract the best and the brightest among us. This is a city near to my heart, and I am honored to even be considered for this opportunity. I look forward to working with you, and I am honored to serve.
Best-jdg
