PROFILE: Ron de Rue, Farwest Insulation Contracting

If there is one word that echoes from the mouth of anyone who describes Ron de Rue, it would be “professional”.

This month, Ron is officially stepping down from the President’s chair of the Western Insulation Contractors Association for the second time, he had also held that position in 2007, and he will remain on the board as Immediate Past-President.

Ron started in industrial contracting more than 40 years ago, at the same company he calls home now, Farwest Insulation Contractors, although in 1973, it was known as Thorp Insulation Company. He was a young man barely out of school – and barely in the country. Visiting the U.S. from Holland in his late teens, Ron met his future wife Gloria, and that, as they say, was that.

He worked his way up the company ladder to his current position as Vice President, but the titles he may better be known for are counselor, mentor, and spreadsheet king.

“He will make a spreadsheet for anything,” said Patrice Reynolds, Ron’s co-worker and friend for the past 28 years. “We tease him about it, but if a problem can be solved with a spreadsheet, he will have one.”

“You can bring any issue to him, and he won’t overreact. He’s calm, and he has a plan.”

– Eric Sarmento

The spreadsheets, impressive in their own right, are one manifestation of Ron’s real talent: problem solving. Patience, calmness and a dogged persistence to solve a problem to everyone’s satisfaction are traits that moved Ron up through the company.

“You can bring any issue to him, and he won’t overreact,” said Eric Sarmento, branch manager at Farwest Insulation. “He’s calm, and he has a plan.”

“I’ve never seen Ron get mad,” said Criag Rossi, who works with Ron at Farwest as well. “He conducts himself so professionally, and I’ve only heard of one story [where he got angry.]”

“In the construction industry, there’s lots of games being played,” said Eric. “Ron’s not that way. He won’t deceive anybody.”

Customers, employees and peers all respect Ron and appreciate his approach to business, said Patrice. “Being calm, and nice are his way to get cooperation.”

If Ron’s ability to think deeply to problem solve, it’s not at the expense of a broad understanding either.

“He is so knowledgable about everything that goes on in the company, and in all the branches. He knows all the projects; what’s making money and what’s not, and who’s doing well,” said Craig. Ron doesn’t sit on that knowledge either. “He’ll step in and assist you if you have a problem; he’ll help with a plan.”

As Vice President, and career contractor, other employees look to Ron for advice and as a father figure in the company –  sometimes to extreme degrees.

“Ron was in the hospital once when we had a very large job going on – he didn’t have a choice about the timing,” Patrice recounts. “He joked that as soon as he got out of surgery, the doctor handed him the phone. He took the phone call from us because we needed his input.”

“You can always count on him to be there. He would never leave anybody hanging,” she added. She figures that even when Ron retires, he’d make appearances as a consultant.

“Ron is simply an extraordinary man who leads by his example,” added Robert Bergman, executive director of WICA. “Ron has this uncanny ability to connect with people by the way he listens to you; you immediately believe he cares and is your friend. I feel very fortunate to have worked closely with Ron over the years, he has taught me a great deal about business and life in general, whether were sitting in a board room or riding in a golf cart.”

Colleagues know Ron as a strong, family-oriented man outside of the office. Husband and dance partner to Gloria, father to three adult daughters, and grandfather to a flock of kids, family always comes first, said Patrice.

“He loves to go camping with his family,” said Patrice. “And when we see his Airstream camper in the company parking lot, we know he’s heading somewhere after work.”

That same personableness stretches to friends and co-workers, who are like family.

“When he laughs, you can hear him throughout the whole office. He has a giggle that’s infectious,” said Patrice.

“He’s one of the easiest people I know to talk to,” Eric said, adding Ron always leaves his door open to colleagues and friends. “I consider him a friend.”