CIM Patron
Frank Flatch
Title: Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Counsel
Employer: Silvi Group Companies
“We recognize that talented people entering the concrete field, whether with Silvi or a competitor, is a win for the entire industry. Like most industries, we cannot grow without a constant influx of diverse employees that push the industry forward with new and more efficient ways to do business. CIM students are uniquely positioned to fill that role. ”
AS THE NORTHEAST PATRONS CHAIR and a member of the CIM NSC Board of Directors, I am fortunate to see firsthand the benefits the CIM program brings to the concrete industry. This program is by far the most efficient way for us to
recruit, hire and retain the top talent needed to be successful. With graduates of the CIM, we know we are getting someone with a base of knowledge and interest in the industry that cannot be matched by graduates of standard degree programs.
CIM’s unique industry/academic partnership
The industry/academic relationship is the “it” factor for our program. It distinguishes us from virtually every other degree program prospective students will see. By inviting industry stakeholders to help shape the coursework and directly
interact with students, the universities prepare the students to immediately add value to their organizations in a way that typical degree programs do not. The partnership also allows students to experience various aspects of the industry during their studies. By the time students graduate, they have the peace of mind of knowing what part of the industry is the best fit for them.
How CIM benefits the concrete industry
The CIM program excels at drawing in diverse students that might never have considered a career in concrete. With an industry as old as ours, new perspectives and ideas are the keys to developing better and more efficient ways to do business. The fact that Eugene Martineau and others who created the program recognized this more than 25 years ago is a testament to their forethought and proof they have created something that will help sustain our industry for years to come.
Get involved!
How can your company get involved? Student engagement is the place to start! Consistently participate at the local Patrons level by going to Patrons’ meetings, attending CIM career fairs and scheduling information sessions with CIM classes (bring pizza!). And “consistently” is the keyword. After their first CIM career fair, new Patrons often lament that they are losing candidates to other Patrons. What they do not realize is that many of our Patrons have used the program to engage with a graduating student three to four times a year since they were freshmen. Active Patrons know the students on a first-name basis and have followed them throughout their college careers. The opportunity for the students to get to know the
Patrons (and vice versa) is not something I have seen in any other academic program.