Client: D.D. & Velma Davis Education & Visitors Center, Youngstown Community School, and Newton Falls K-6 Elementary School
Larry Lencyk has his company’s logo prominently displayed on several pieces of his heavy equipment. For those who know the owner of Lencyk Masonry Company, Inc., it’s clear that this promotion is not because he wants to see his name in lights. “I want people to know that when they see that name, they get service.”
Lencyk Masonry of Youngstown Ohio has provided masonry work to both commercial and residential customers for more than 20 years. Founder and owner Larry Lencyk and his wife, Jackie, form the backbone of the company, and are supported by more than 100 workers in the field and an office staff that includes college graduates and an MBA holder. It’s a lineup that Lencyk carefully put together for one reason: customer service.
“Our customers know that we’re there for them. When they hire us, they have no headaches,” he said.
That reputation took time, commitment and determination to build. When Lencyk opened the doors to his shop, he captured mostly residential work, but after he expertly handled a Toys & Kids-R-Us store in 1987, he used that project as leverage to break into the commercial sector. It didn’t take long for Lencyk to evolve his company into one of the premier masonry shops in the region, with more than 95 percent of his projects now being on the commercial side.
In line with his company’s work ethic, residential jobs still rate. “If someone needs one guy for one day, we take that just as seriously as the larger commercial building,” he said. “Everyone gets the same quality and service. When people need something done, we get it done. Regardless of the size, we will adhere to schedules and budgets.”
That attitude pays off continuously for Lencyk. In fact, the company recently won three coveted Golden Trowel Awards from the International Masonry Institute (IMI) and an equally impressive regional honor. The Golden Trowels were garnered for work done at the D.D. & Velma Davis Education & Visitors Center, Youngstown Community School, and Newton Falls K-6 Elementary School. The D.D. & Velma Davis Education & Visitors Center job also netted Lencyk the Best Region 5 Stone Project award.
Lencyk says he is proud that his crews work by a “whatever it takes” attitude, which he feels made the difference in winning these honors. “We’re not there to make excuses. Every job we take is a challenge, but I believe our crews understand the importance of productivity and quality and make sure every job is done properly.”
Most of his workers have been with Lencyk for years. Employees are able to work through the ranks to become foremen and supervisors. Even Lencyk’s two sons are learning the trade from the bottom up. To keep communication flowing, Lencyk holds frequent meetings to encourage crew feedback. Safety meetings are done on every project, every week. And then there’s the training. Lencyk also pays for his crews to attend IMI courses, to keep up to date on the industry.
Another key to Lencyk’s business plan is membership in The Builders Association of Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. The Builders, representing employers in Trumbull, Columbiana and Mahoning counties in Ohio and Mercer and Lawrence counties in Pennsylvania, services 15 different skilled trades in the region, and is an ongoing resource for union construction contractors such as Lencyk Masonry. Members of The Builders have access to state-of-the-art education and training, unlimited manpower from apprenticeship and union labor halls, contract negotiation support, and a pool of technical, administrative and support resources.
“My dad was a union steelworker, so being a union contractor was a natural for me,” he said. “And my Builders Association membership is worth the time, because they are a big help with resolving labor issues quickly.”
Lencyk is on the bricklayers and laborers negotiating teams, as well as the pension fund committee and the bricklayers’ joint apprenticeship committee. It’s his way of giving back, staying involved, and maintaining a voice in the local construction industry, he explains.
At the end of the day, the focal point is customer service for Lencyk Masonry. Whether it takes investing in the newest equipment, sending his men for training or equipping his office staff with a modern estimating system, Lencyk says the goal has always been and will remain getting the job done correctly, quickly and to the satisfaction of the customer.
Lencyk Masonry Company, Inc. 7671 South Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44512, 330-729-9780 (p), 330-729-9782 (f), or email at lencyk8837@msn.com.
