FEBRUARY SPOTLIGHT
Adam Peterson

Adam is our fabrication shop foreman and started with JR Merit about a year and a half ago. He learned about the company through Piping Division Manager Brandon Smith, who encouraged Adam that JR Merit is a great place to work. 

Adam has worked in construction since high school. “It’s been construction all the way for me. I’ve been doing it since I was 16, and it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.” He started out doing industrial landscaping and working on maintenance crews, then getting involved in pipefitting. “I took a 16-week pilot welder program then joined the Local 290 as an apprentice. 

“I’ve always been into mechanics. I’ve worked on cars, and I like being around big cranes and working on big jobs. I enjoy the heavier side of construction; it’s interesting to me.” 

As a pipefitter and foreman for our fab shop, Adam works on a variety of different projects and loves the diversity of work. “Here, we’re constantly thinking. We get new challenges, and we’re figuring out the best way to do it, then looking back and thinking about how we can make it better the next time. The fab shop is one of those places where we’re always striving for perfection. While nothing is ever perfectly perfect, I enjoy the challenge of trying to make something work better.” 

Adam highlighted some of the shop’s latest innovations, helping the team live its culture of continuous improvement. “We got a new plasma cutter that has made our cut and prep more efficient than cold cutting with a saw. And we’re improving our tracking processes, so we know what’s done, what needs to be QC’d, what’s still being worked on, etc. The better we track the stages of where our work is, the better we can predict our workflow and deliver to our customers.” 

Adam appreciates the fab shop’s well-rounded capabilities as well as the ever-changing nature of the work. “We can weld just about anything—from titanium to plastic—and we can fabricate just about any kind of pipe in the world. Welding titanium for a paper mill acid plant was probably the most unique work I’ve done. 

“We have a lot of different processes and are very well set up to take on different challenges and unique jobs. Pipefitters are ready for anything. Sometimes week to week, we’re welding for different systems. You get used to there always being a new challenge.” 

In his free time, Adam enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons. They are currently working to build a house. Adam’s oldest son is three years old and caught his first steelhead while fishing for trout this spring. 

Adam, thank you for the positive attitude and leadership you bring to our fab shop team. Our reputation for precision construction is earned through the dedication of team members like you who strive for perfection every day!