OCTOBER SPOTLIGHT
Aaron Olson

Aaron is our controller and has been with JR Merit for eight years. He’s held a variety of positions in the company, starting out as a staff accountant then transitioning into a project engineering role for a few years working on different projects in the field, such as machine foundation installations, pipeline construction, and even a large hydroelectric dam project in Idaho. Aaron eventually came back to the accounting team, spending a few years as a project accountant and being promoted to controller in 2023.

“It’s an entirely new role for me, so there has been a lot of learning and personal growth. But I like to learn and am not afraid of challenges, so it has been an exciting and rewarding experience for me. The short story is I like to challenge myself so when an opportunity presents itself, I will typically take it on.”

Getting into accounting was a career change for Aaron. He first got a degree in automotive technology and worked as a mechanic for many years, in dealerships as well as on heavy equipment for a mining/aggregate/concrete company. During the Great Recession, Aaron and found himself with an opportunity to return to school, and he got a degree in accounting.

Aaron’s dual experiences both in the office in the accounting group and in the field as a project engineer support him in his work. “I can help bridge any gaps or disconnects between groups because I’ve been in both. I understand what project teams need and how projects run, so I can help navigate the accounting and administrative side. And vice versa, if there’s something on the accounting side, I can communicate it to Operations and connect both of our teams. It’s been very helpful and having a mechanical background from my automotive technology days has also helped me understand the work we do on projects.”

What Aaron enjoys most about his work is the feeling of accomplishment that comes from solving problems collaboratively with the accounting/finance team. “Sometimes it can be a struggle and there can be some anxiety in finding a solution, but we always get the job done. Then the next time, it becomes a simpler process for us.”

He also likes being part of a company that works on unique projects in different parts of the country. “We just had a team fly up to Alaska to do inspections on a hydroelectric flowline. It’s exciting to see that the company is growing and taking on different challenges.” Aaron played an integral role in making sure our team had the right business and contracting licenses in order to perform this work.

Growth can certainly be exciting, and it does lead to some busy days, which can be a challenge. “It’s always good to be busy but sometimes I feel like there is so much to do and that I can struggle to keep up. There are still some items I need to complete that I started working on months ago! I always get things done, but not as quickly as I would like to and that can be frustrating. Luckily, I have great team members and we can lean on each other to help get things done.”

Aaron is thinking ahead to the future of his team, with plans to expand the headquarters finance/accounting/admin team to support the company as it continues to grow. “We have some aggressive growth plans and to reach our goals we are going to need continue to develop quality processes and have quality employees to implement them.”

Aaron recalls some memorable stories from his time as a project engineer on a pipeline project in New Mexico. “In the Permian Basin, there would often be high winds at night. The next day you’d find many of the porta johns blown over—finding a working bathroom could be a real challenge – sometimes we’d have to drive a mile or more to find one still upright! Another time out there I got my company truck stuck in a mud bog after it rained and had to be pulled out by one of the pipeline contractors. I had it in 4WD and everything but there was no moving in that mud!”

Outside of work, Aaron enjoys getting outside and going on adventures with his girlfriend Michelle. They enjoy hiking, winter sports, traveling, and just relaxing with good friends. Michelle and Aaron are looking forward to visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands in November; it will be Aaron’s first time to the Caribbean.  Aaron also enjoys rooting for the Seahawks, Mariners, Blazers, and WSU Cougars.