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Ever Onward Podcast
The Ever Onward Podcast is your go-to business podcast, offering engaging discussions and diverse guests covering everything from business strategies to community issues. Join us at the executive table as we bring together industry leaders, experts, and visionaries for insightful conversations that go beyond the boardroom. Whether you're an entrepreneur or simply curious about business, our podcast provides a well-rounded experience, exploring a variety of topics that shape the business landscape and impact communities. Brought to you by Ahlquist.
Ever Onward Podcast
Growing a Family Legacy: Business Strategies with Torry McAlvain Jr. - Ep. 40
In this episode of Ever Onward, we sit down with Torry McAlvain Jr. from McAlvain Companies!
From groundbreaking projects to preserving a family legacy, Torry’s story at McAlvain Companies showcases the pride and challenges of leading a third-generation business. Torry highlights some of the company’s most impressive projects, including the Boise Airport expansion and the downtown 26-story Oppenheimer building, showcasing the lasting impact of his family’s business in the construction industry.
As a native of Meridian, Idaho, Torry reflects on his educational path and the pride that comes with working in a third-generation family business. This conversation underscores the importance of family unity, resilience, and honoring the values that have been passed down through generations.
We then shift gears to discuss the importance of building a strong company culture, focusing on kindness in business as a core principle. Drawing inspiration from a Darren Hardy master class, Torry explores the critical elements of hiring the right people, leading by example, and fostering genuine, authentic relationships in the workplace. Through personal anecdotes, he emphasizes how mentors have shaped his leadership journey and the value of community-driven initiatives.
The episode also touches on the balancing act between work and family life, offering listeners insights into how Torry manages both worlds while staying grounded in his values. As we wrap up the episide, the conversation circles back to reflections on personal growth, leadership, and the enduring power of kindness—key themes that define both Torry’s personal and professional success.
This episode will help you learn the keys to scaling a successful family business while mastering leadership, culture, and personal growth along the way.
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Today on the Ever Oddware podcast we have Torrey McIlvaine Jr. He is the president of McIlvaine Companies, one of the largest construction companies in Idaho and in the region here we're excited to have him on. In addition to being a huge business leader and pillar of our community, torrey is also on the Boise State board. He also serves on multiple community boards and is a huge philanthropist. Here Can't wait to catch up with Torrey and hear what's going on with him. Before Torrey, we're going to hear from Holt Hagen, one of our partners here for an AllQuest update. Hey, buddy, what's going on? It's nice to have you back on.
Speaker 2:It's good to be back.
Speaker 1:Played a little golf.
Speaker 2:This summer yeah, played a little golf had a big tournament yesterday.
Speaker 1:Big tournament, teams and trades. That was a teens to trades. That was a good one. It was a good one. Yeah, we had a great time. That's fun. It was good. Really thankful all our sponsors that are listening out there. Thank you for helping us out. We raised a bunch of money for teens to trades. For anyone hearing it for the first time.
Speaker 2:It's a non-profit that we started that takes at-risk youth, gives them scholarships to cwi in electrical, hvac, plumbing and welding yeah, and it's crazy when you yeah, you see what's going on and we're pumping out undergrad degrees, but yeah, it's like this whole segment of the market that yeah, it's just like underserved it was just awesome to see all our sponsors there now to hear stories.
Speaker 1:We've done our first round of scholarship, so it's cool. Yeah, um, hey, speaking golf you've gotten pretty good.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean you were a competitive son of a B, aren't you?
Speaker 1:You were just you know, I want to talk about can. I can I hijack the normal all-quist update and just get something from Holt Hager today?
Speaker 1:Okay, I really mean this. I'm I'm kidding, but I'm not. We've been partners now for 10 years, long time, long time, and I think when I ever anyone I know that knows you well the way I know you I don't know that I know anyone that's got more of a drive than you like just boom, boom, boom, boom preparation, and I can't help but think you were, you know you were. You were a Olympic skier. Us ski team moguls 23 seconds right. Do I have that right, yeah?
Speaker 2:I mean, you're training for thousands of hours for those 23-second moments. Right, that's it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, years and years and years. Boom, you're on the mogul thing and it's both judging your technique and your aerials and your tricks. But also combined with time, right.
Speaker 2:Speed, yeah, so intense. It's a lot of pressure. It was an insane amount of pressure, but you knew my dad, tom Haga, so a lot of this, fortunately came from Tom.
Speaker 1:He loved you so much. He would come back in just glowing. We'd get the rundown and you got to think this was a while ago. So he'd have these clips or he would have the way electronically the files. We'd sit and watch them and he was. It was cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but talk about driven. I mean a lot of that. I'm kind of a product of big Tom Haga Right and a product of of big Tom Haga Right, and so, um, I was fortunate.
Speaker 1:Probably for those listening uh Holt's dad was one of my ER partners, one of the greatest human beings I've ever known in my life. Uh passed away way too early of prostate cancer but uh, he would have been proud of you. But talk about, um, how athletics drive your mentality every day in this place for business and how they go together and how you're able to use the mental skills, the drive that you figured out the DNA, the talent now in a business setting, because I think it's remarkable. I think there's a lot to learn from it.
Speaker 2:Sure, well, I guess I'll just start kind of just back up, you know, to when I was 10 years old and actually my dad took me up to Bogus Basin and we went skiing and at night skiing at Bogus and and I love skiing, it's amazing, you know he joined the freestyle team, the mogul team, loved mogul skiing. So it started when I was 10 and by age 11, I had this goal and this dream of making the US ski team and skiing in the Olympics. Like very early on I was 10, and by age 11, I had this goal and this dream of making the US ski team and skiing in the Olympics. Like very early on I was like Dad, this is what I want to do, and so, but as I went down the path and I started to kind of develop as an athlete and kind of set goals and do all that, I spent probably a decade of doing what most people spend their whole lives doing. Probably a decade of doing what most people spend their whole lives doing, which is, you know, not really defining success or approaching your goals properly, where you sort of you take it at face value. Right, you have a, you perform well, you're excited, you're elated. You have a, you perform poorly and you're upset and frustrated and sad, right. And so it wasn't until, you know, later in my ski career that I, kind of, you know, came to this realization, with the help of, you know, my dad and coaches and stuff like that. But I, I really kind of I you came to the realization that that, you know, um, success just isn't linear, um and so um, I, you know, I think, I think what I, I almost quit like multiple times. You know, when I was 17 years old, I first, you know, was the first year I almost made the US ski team missed it by one spot. The very next year, I missed it again by one spot. The third year, I missed it again by one or two spots and I just said, you know, I'm done Like, this is too, I put too much time into this, too emotional, too hard, right, and what it, what it was, is, was the adversity. Just I just couldn't get past the adversity. But but what I, what I think you know I'm kind of getting to my point, but I think what, what came out of all that was this idea that you know the most.
Speaker 2:In my opinion, the most important ingredient to success is how you manage adversity. And I think, whether you're talking about, you know, athletics, competitive sports or business, you know achieving big things is hard, it's really hard, and it takes a ton of effort, takes a just. I mean there's setbacks, you know, failures, adversity, I mean all along the way, and so, you know, it's really easy to sort of take those failures and internalize them and create these stories and and, and, you know, not have the discipline to sort of or the mindset to be able to get past it, right, and and sort of acknowledge, hey, this isn't, you know, success. You know, had a good competition, I'm going to reach my goal faster. That is not at all the case, right, and so, um, you know, I think, I think, as I, as I, you know, kind of take a step back now and look at what I learned from skiing.
Speaker 2:It's I think that's the biggest thing. Um, you know, failure is a product of taking risk, and you see that in business all the time. Yeah, right, and so it's. It's really about how you, how you manage the adversity and and taking kind of the growth mindset and failing well, and saying, okay, you know, my performance wasn't great, I'm going to learn from this, I'm going to, I'm going to evaluate it, I'm going to learn from this, I'm going to, I'm going to evaluate it and I'm going to actually grow more because of it. And then you take all of that, that basket of you know skills, and you take it with you to the next endeavor. Right, this is powerful.
Speaker 1:It's like enjoying the journey. It's understanding it's all stepping blocks that this wisdom is going to come from adversity. It's not going to. You don't gain wisdom when things go well. Absolutely Wisdom comes from the adversity and the hard times right. And then you string all that together and still stay focused on that end goal. Even though the pathway may have twists and turns, you're almost anticipating it and enjoying the journey along the way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yep Process focused, absolutely. It process focused. Um, yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Stinking awesome. Yeah, hey, you're the best. It's awesome.
Speaker 2:It's awesome partnering with you in our business and doing what we've done for a long time. Hey, man, it's been great. Hey, you know everything. I've just said that. You know, you're one of the people I learned from man Like, and I, I look at the adversity, just even in the last six months six months, but even like 30 days like I mean there's just a ton of stuff where you're like Holy crap, like this is crazy. Like you know all these factors and these set, these, you know setbacks, but just adversity and it's like how are we going to get through it? And I think it's going to make us stronger and and you're one of the best at it, right, it's like you're, we're just we got a team that's here to just kick ass.
Speaker 1:Can't do without you. Your dad be proud of you. Love you, brother. Yeah, thanks, thank you tommy tory. Thanks for coming on, man yeah this will be fun, totally. It'll be fun to get caught up how you been good. Yeah, yeah, doing good you guys have got a lot going on. There's McElvain signs everywhere. Yeah, there's a lot going on. So, president of McElvain Companies, one of, if not the largest construction company in Idaho right?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And you're everywhere right now.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:What are some of the biggest projects?
Speaker 3:You now? Yeah, what are some of the biggest projects you're doing? The airport, airport's a big one. Uh, finishing up another one, the 12th in idaho. Um, the author, there's a probably bigger project for us you guys cranked on that yeah, it went by pretty fast. We turned down um five day turn cycles on our decks, so everyone listening.
Speaker 1:It's the big oppenheimer. Yeah, um 26 stories 26 story, yeah, and you had a big sign up there for a while.
Speaker 3:Good job.
Speaker 2:Yeah, nice, nice marketing.
Speaker 1:But you did all the concrete work and it's a. It was a big job. I just couldn't believe how fast you did it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we had a great team. Um, we had a great game plan going into it and we just executed it and we had a lot of luck too, and yeah, it was fun. It was fun. That's great. Um else, what are the big ones? We're doing a lot of work for achd right now, not on their highway infrastructure side, but a lot on their commercial side. They're condensing a lot of their properties oh are they?
Speaker 1:they doing a big thing right over here, off of franklin or fairview yep, they're doing one right off of cloverdale, cloverdale and franklin, um.
Speaker 3:and then we have two other projects one going on Apple Street and they're condensing. Like I said, they're going to sell their Garden Street and, well, they're going to condense that Garden City. One, yeah, they're going to move into their new headquarters, I believe, off Meeker Street, right there, get that, sell their property and then fund potentially in the next projects. But we got three of them going on, one about to start. So they've been a good client. It's all CMGC. So you know, walking them through that process more importantly, like bringing good value for the taxpayers' dollars and whatnot, and being a good citizen when it comes to that kind of stuff. So it's been good working through them with that. A lot of stuff in pre-construction, a lot of stuff going downtown working with the YMCA, block 68, and whatnot. So a lot of stuff that's all in pre-construction and some other CCDC work. So a lot of fun stuff. That's awesome yeah.
Speaker 1:Tell us a little about you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, native Boise. Well, actually Meridian Idaho, so not too many of us around here anymore. I actually grew up right over there, not too far from here. A lot smaller town when I grew up here still a great place. What high school did you go to? So I went to Meridian High School, transferred over my junior year to Mountain View High School. In 2005 I graduated.
Speaker 1:Was it new then 2004?
Speaker 3:yeah, yeah, so that's why I wanted to go there. All of our friends, football and whatnot. We said let's go to the new school.
Speaker 1:So and then BSU.
Speaker 3:Yep, went to Boise State, got my degree in accounting, went that route. I'm a numbers guy, obviously, you know like a lot of experience in the building side. But I was always taught like if you can run the books, you can run the numbers, you can go in any industry you want to go. So it's held true over at McElwain.
Speaker 1:And talk. I want to get into this with you because I know it means so much to you, but third generation company, yeah, third generation started at 1980 yeah, some we don't talk about.
Speaker 3:I don't probably appreciate as much. You know I take a lot of pride in it, but you know, when coming from guys like that and you know experience it themselves, working in the family industry, in a family business, um, yeah, there's a lot of pride there. Third generation my grandfather started it. Him and my grandma moved here from California. Story goes they were driving through Council Idaho. He's a big, avid hunter Driving through Council Idaho. He was probably like 28 years old, maybe Stopped through there. He's like oh yeah, effie Called my wife, or my grandma, serena Calls her. Effie Said this is where we want to live, effie. So hunted there. They built a ranch there that they still have to this day, started the company there and then transported over to Boise.
Speaker 3:Idaho yeah.
Speaker 1:That's great, and he just passed away.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he did, he did.
Speaker 1:How's that?
Speaker 3:It's tough. You know, he lived an amazing life, such an inspiration to me personally. He lived an amazing life, such an inspiration to me personally, a lot of all my family as well, my cousins, my aunts, obviously my dad as well. It's been tough to have somebody who's been such a big inspiration in your life, just bigger-than-life figure, to see him at the end of his life.
Speaker 1:It's very intimate. It's different.
Speaker 3:Because he was larger than life. That guy was like the guy, totally forever right, and I mean the most, the. The biggest thing you can say is, you know, like he's had a lot of success in a lot of different areas in life, but at the end of his life he had all of his family there and to me that was my biggest takeaway. It was like, wow, he did that right. He had all of his family there. Everybody, like, everything he created was all from him and everybody was there to like, be with him, and that's to me like the biggest takeaway, how important that family is.
Speaker 1:I've never is your grandmother still, she is.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they were married for 64 years, that's incredible.
Speaker 1:How's she doing? She's doing good, it's incredible.
Speaker 3:How's she doing? She's doing good. She misses him. Their dynamics on how they play out on her role. If any of them were to pass first, it's him is the good one, she's the stronger one as it relates to it. She can probably be on her own. He would have never survived without her being with him.
Speaker 1:Imagine that 64 years yeah.
Speaker 3:That's a long time.
Speaker 1:It's a long time to just be together and and well, you know, the first time I heard her name. It's a funny story. I'm probably never told you this, but when my son was in boy scouts, he was doing his eagle scout project and he said hey, dad, I want to do something that's different. I want to do something that's meaningful. And I said, well, what do you want to do? And anyway, he kind of looked at a bunch of different projects. But he said I want to do something that's meaningful. And I said, well, what do you want to do? And anyway, he kind of looked at a bunch of different projects but he said I want to go do a remodel for the WCA's shelter and it's named after your grandma.
Speaker 1:Yeah, serena's house. Yeah, so it's Serena's house, it's. It's supposed to be kind of off the beaten path and hidden, cause that's where women go that have been abused and it's their shelter. But that was one of the first times I said, well, tell me about this. And they're like oh, you know, mcelvain's did this whole thing and for them and I do think it's part of your grandpa's and your dad and your family legacy you get your fingerprints all over this valley with things that you've done or given back or ways you've just made a difference in people's lives and how important is that to you in people's lives and how important is that to you? And then go back to kind of his life and and and just must be a tremendous value to you to say I learned this directly from this guy that was so community-minded.
Speaker 3:Yeah, totally. I mean, I don't know any other way. Luckily, like I was, I just learned from my father, my grandfather, on just how to take care of people and to always do the right thing. They were big proponents, big believers, especially my grandfathers. If you just take care of the client, you just take care of the customer, you take care of your employees, you just do the right thing, you treat women right, all those good things, everything just kind of works out right. It's not about the bottom line, it's just about the process getting better. You know, being around great people making people better, and it's just. It's a value that I've taken a lot of appreciation. You know they do a lot of things, obviously publicly my father, my grandfather did but probably more importantly, they did a lot of more things behind the doors and that's probably the biggest takeaway I've learned from them on. It's not about them being recognized or getting anything out of it, it's truly about making a difference for individuals, and that's what it's about and that's always stuck with me.
Speaker 1:Super powerful. I didn't know how many brothers and sisters your dad has.
Speaker 3:There's four total, so he's got three siblings yeah.
Speaker 1:And he's the youngest. Your dad's a great guy too. The only other thing I was very close my grandpa was like my hero, my idol Died at a relatively young age. He had one of the first heart valve artificial heart valves ever put in, and then when I was, I was actually in Brazil on my mission when he died, but it was devastating to me. But one of the things that I just it's hard to realize, but death is also like so that I, I just it's it's hard to realize, but death is also like so when you go through it it's so final. I know that sounds weird.
Speaker 3:I know exactly.
Speaker 1:That's why, when I said but it's like like you're just there and you have this person that you love and they mean the world to you and you know it's going to happen. And then, when it happens, you're just like, oh wow, we do have a limited time to make a difference down here and to live our lives.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Has it been weird for you? Yeah, it was really weird for me it's.
Speaker 3:It's definitely made me think about a lot of different things about the end of life, no doubt about it. Um, it's also made me think how it's unfortunate that it takes moments like this to put things in perspective and questioning, you know why, can't on a more daily basis we live in this, you know, energy to where we're, just we're, we're more appreciative of life and not get caught up in the just the chaos that we live in. And you know, that's, to me, the one thing I'm really trying to take away and think about, like, how do I get more in that zone? And and think about that.
Speaker 1:I'm not just saying the story of all like. There's a group of you guys that are kind of the young guns. I call you. You're the young leaders of tomorrow for our valley and you're one of those guys. As the world evolves right and I'm an old guy now, so I can say this to you all right, your dad would say this to you too, but it just seems like it was a little slower before. I don't know whether it was technology or the fact that you didn't have emails and texts and you were always present with business. But as life changes and it seems really busy, how do we not lose for you guys, the next generation of leaders that run this whole thing, how do you keep that personal touch and not lose track of what your grandpa stood for? Yeah, have you thought about that?
Speaker 3:Yes, I have thought about that. Um, I think it's what it's going to come down to is just leading by example. I think I appreciate what you said there, um, taking in groups of guys like that gals and guys, community leaders and just living off and being an example of what we're talking about and having other people that we lead or people that we're close with, and having them see our actions and our behaviors. I think that's a good way to kind of like inspire and motivate people, just to actually live it, because probably for yourself me specifically like if I think about the best coaches I've ever had or some of the most influential people, they're the ones who always called me out on my BS or just lived the example right, and so to me, that's like how we do it is we just do it and we talk about it and we live it and just, you know, hopefully, bring others too and let them hear on you know what to do.
Speaker 1:I can only imagine, as you think of your grandfather, his services soon, right next week or something that's probably one of his hallmarks, right, which was lead by example, like one of the things my dad's always said forever. He's like lead by example, use words when necessary. Right, it's like you can say it. You can even say it with a genuine tone. Or like you can spend all the time you want trying to create an environment for you to lead in, but you can ruin that entire environment and everything you put time in if, for one minute, you don't walk the walk. Yeah, oh, absolutely, especially on a company like yours, absolutely.
Speaker 1:I mean, you've got a huge company that you're now leading and you probably spend a tremendous amount of time on culture and effort and vision and strategy and where are we going to go as a company? But if they look at you know Tory McIlwain leading us and it's not what you're saying, it doesn't matter, it's just being genuine and authentic all the time. Tremendous amount of pressure to do that. None of us are perfect. We make mistakes, and I think that's the time to be authentic, right, when that happens, and say, okay, I'm not perfect either, but but hey, we're all in this together, kind of thing. But that's cool, I do. Can I shift to your dad? Yeah, totally.
Speaker 3:He's a good guy. Mentors yeah, what a, what a tremendous. He's trying to retire a little bit, right you can't, you can't fully.
Speaker 1:Yeah, playing more golf. Yeah, oh yeah. How was it learning under his kind of tutelage last?
Speaker 3:it was awesome. You hear a lot of different stories on father-son dynamics, some good, some bad, some interesting. You know, luckily for tory and I I call him senior luckily for tory and I we, uh, we just always kept the main thing, the main thing, like we. We always had a great relationship at work. We just got along well. I knew and respected how he operated, so I knew how to engage, how did he operate?
Speaker 3:He didn't give me any slack. I can tell you that he operated one way, the only way he knew, and it was just to go full swing, go all in and just do what he does best. One way, the only way he knew, and it was just to go full swing, go all in and just do what he does best. You know Hands-on guy, just very hands-on, but definitely listens to the team around him, and you know just very smart in how he thinks about things like risk management and whatnot. Great instincts, right, great instincts, yeah, there you go. Great instincts, yeah.
Speaker 3:So to work for him was it was fine, it worked great, because I looked up to him so much. You know he was the type to, luckily for me, just kind of trial by error. So that's how I learned and it worked well for me. That's how I enjoy. I'd rather just kind of go figure it out and make mistakes on my own and learn, and that's two for him. Like he would rather see that and see how you can become of it. So you know that dynamic just worked well for us. But tremendous, one of the best, if not the best, businessmen I've ever known. Just so smart.
Speaker 1:You know I've, I've asked him questions or just I mean I've just leaned on him because there's there's so much wisdom there. Yeah, he and, I think, instincts. If I had to think about one word for your dad, it's just NSYNC and it's drive and it's kind of just knowing how to do business. Got to be tremendously blessed to have that experience. How has it been, like you taking over and kind of running things, and I know you have a really great team? Talk a little bit about your leadership structure and kind of the company today.
Speaker 3:So I started getting into more of my role about four years ago. I've been with the company for 12 years. About four years ago, though, really started working directly for Senior Slowly him getting out of that process was about two years and then been in my current role for about two years now. The leadership that we have in place is awesome. So one thing you know that you know my father. What he wanted with a company um was a certain size to where he can manage all of his risk. That was very important to him. You know that was how he looked at the his business um.
Speaker 3:A slightly different me learning everything that I did from him and how to manage risk and what to look for. My outlook was more like hey look, I think if we put you know tremendous individuals in these key leadership positions, you know we can scale and we can still manage our risk. It's really just having the right individuals that we can trust. So let's build a team. So, taking that, it took two years to get to where we're at right now. Two and a half years to really just put all the right pieces in. We've got a great team. My whole thing is I don't want to be the smartest one in the room. I want to surround myself with the best.
Speaker 1:You've got to be pretty secure with yourself to do that, but it's so true. Yeah, right. Well, if you think you are, you're not. Yeah, I was with Kent Orm this morning. We gave a talk at a thing and and uh to the Boise young professionals for the book chamber and he's the former CEO of ICCU and what's one of?
Speaker 1:the things he said to everyone today is like, hey, any of you out there that think you're the smartest one in the room, you're not and you should probably but that, that idea of having that humility to say, hey, I want to surround myself with people that I can listen to and can grow this thing, you have this thing. You have to be secure in that. Yeah right, yeah, totally, and you're around and you've seen them. There are people that don't subscribe to that and it's painful to watch sometimes because it's like man, if you just listened, yeah right, yeah, was was senior, like that oh yeah, he was very and I probably learned that a lot from him, luckily.
Speaker 3:So same way just again success over here and this and that and smart you would have never known. Just a very humble individual, didn't really raise it or overstep and say no, like that. That's probably a lot of where I learned it was through him.
Speaker 1:Yes, that's great, yeah how, uh, how have you getting the right people on the team, put them in the right place, listening to them? How are you currently managing culture, which is another big part, especially in a valley like ours where there's so many constraints on employees and at every level? Right, yeah, how do you keep that team engaged, motivated together, looking forward with a strategy? Yeah, how have you done that?
Speaker 3:no good question. So again back to about two years, two and a half years ago, when we started putting these pieces in together, I specifically remember I was. I was at a darren hardy you ever heard of. I specifically remember I was. I was at a Darren Hardy. You ever heard of Darren Hardy? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:So I was at a Darren Hardy master business class and we got to a section the last day on culture and it was talking about like, if you know, you know, and it was talking about just like toxic individuals or your cultures, and I was just thinking like man, I want to start building this team, how I want to build it. So I just kind of wrote down some names, positions of what, so we can start structuring some and reorganizing some things down. And then, you know, from that point we just started, you know, making moves and at that, what I, what I? What I mean by that is fundamentally at the foundation I said, ok, we got to hire the right, we got to build this thing from the ground up, from the foundation up, right, so we need to hire the right people, we need to look at our team, we need to build a culture, and what we did is. We came up with the 12 attributes and we said, at a minimum, if these individuals don't even have these attributes, it's a non-starter for us, right? And it's simple stuff, like being a team player, motivated, like highly inspirational, that kind of stuff. It's not so much on the technical side as it is as like on the individual. So we went through that, we stayed true to that in the hiring process. So you know we get all these applications and you know you weed through a lot and it's tough, but we stay true to it.
Speaker 3:And to fast forward to where we are now, you know we brought in the right people always, and I think they appreciate that too. Going through that interview process knowing that we're just not going to hire anybody, you know, it's almost like they had to earn it. So we're bringing in the right people. You know we do have a younger group at our company, which is awesome, you know, so we can stay together as a unit for the next. You know 15, 20 years have a great run. So culturally, since we are a little bit younger too, it does make things easier.
Speaker 3:You know for me what I'm more used to right, at some point in time in 20 years I'm going to have to be like, okay, you guys have to help on this culture thing. I don't know what's going on, but for right now I can. I can think of things that I think a lot of people would enjoy and we just we focus on that and we have a lot of fun in our. Our culture is really about, um, I like people to think like entrepreneurs. I like them to think of just new ideas. There's no bad idea. Don't ever just, you know, don't not raise your hand right and again surrounding ourselves, built, having the best builders, having the best team, um, and just having again, having fun like we're. This is the time of our lives, boise's. We are so lucky like, yes, um, you know, mackleman has a long history in this market, very fortunate, yes, you know, we have great team, great builders. But, man, we are lucky to be where we are right now too, and that has a lot to do with our success.
Speaker 1:So people are having fun with it too I'm sitting here listening to you and I'm just smiling because it is so true. Once you you build it's hard to build, but once you build it, you almost create this thing that it never. This is not true. It doesn't self-sustain itself. You always have to give it attention and be doing very intentional activities to keep your culture. But it does start gaining momentum, right, Because then you get people that buy into the culture. That are those you know, those 12 attributes, and then they're there and they're like hey, this is my thing. And then you bring in the next person and it's like. It's almost like you get this momentum around. I really appreciate that. I'm really grateful for us here, because we've kind of done that and it was hard at first.
Speaker 1:But what I found is then you bring someone in that kind of doesn't fit. Even then you bring someone in that kind of doesn't fit. Even if you screened them and interviewed them or whatever, they get exposed pretty early and they actually don't like it. It's not good for either of you If you're like, hey, pressure cooker probably was, probably wasn't a great fit to begin with. But I love that and I think, ultimately the people that work for you, the people that work in the industry. You want to be part of something that's bigger than yourself. Yeah, you want to be part of something that you feel. I always tell people that work for us like we want you to love your family and have that be your priority. We want your work family to feel like you're going you're going to your second family, that you want to be here, that you're part of something bigger, and that's something we talk about a lot.
Speaker 3:What you just said is my whole thing is I like to keep it real, so we preach that all the time and talk about that Like I want people to show up the best versions of themselves, not just at work, yeah Right, but just be the best husband. You can't be the best wife. You can't be the best parent like work in the community, and I'm always pushing for that and challenging people just to become better. I love that.
Speaker 1:You guys do a lot in the community, a lot, almost everything that's you know. You're just always there, in fact, thank you. Monday was our nonprofit Teens to Trades, where we're trying to get at-risk kids into plumbing, electrical, hvac and welding, and you guys were there, huge sponsors of it. Thank you very much. But talk about this place like just our community, how special it is to you, maybe some challenges with it growing and and and what do you see for for kind of the treasure valley over the next few years?
Speaker 3:yeah, no good question. Um, again, being from boise meridian area, the most important thing to me was always just the community, meaning it's always going to be a safe community, and that was always where I wanted my kids to be and to grow up with. So if population grows, demographics and all that stuff, it increases. That's okay, as long as this is still the same community that I was raised in and I want my kids to be raised, and that's to me the most important thing. You know, I think we have great great people here. We got man. We have great great people here. We got man. We have great companies. We got great leaders. We got great people all within this community.
Speaker 3:One thing I do appreciate about this community that you know working with developers and whatnot from out of state they're always just dumbfounded is how quickly some things we can get moved around here Because of our connections and our relationships. You know Idaho's we're not like Texas or California. You can get a hold of the governor, you can get a hold of the mayors and actually have real relationships right and do things to get the things moving. But it's not just work, it's also for the people. The community does a great job for the families here that they live in and whatnot. It's just a great place to be.
Speaker 1:It's interesting because, as you're talking, I, it's just a great place to be. It's interesting because, as you're talking, I'm thinking about, like you think, of all the different factors that have to go into creating an amazing place to raise your family. But it is like it is the cities and their ethos and what they believe in. It is the companies that are here, it's the nonprofits that are here, it's the chambers, it's the governor, it's the, it's so many things go into creating this place and keeping it what it is. And it's always going to be a risk, but I do, I hope, I'm hopeful that it is special. I mean, you talk to people around other you know we go, do work in other cities and it's not like this everywhere. And so hopefully those newcomers feel welcomed, that they feel like they're part of us and they kind of buy into, kind of what the heritage of the valley has been, because I do think it's very much a collaborative thing yeah, back to leading by example.
Speaker 3:If they see how we operate and they'll want that's how they'll operate, and I think it's super inviting too.
Speaker 1:I, I, I just know of people that are newer here. Well, I'll use one example will gustafson, as a developer and, and you know, he just donated the the River Club for a golf tournament Monday. That guy, he's come here and he's like a community member already. He's a great guy. Okay, can we shift to Boise State a little bit? Yeah, you're a huge, huge Boise State guy. Yeah, big, big game last Saturday, yeah.
Speaker 3:Big game. It was good. They literally could have beaten Oregon at home. It would have been amazing. They played a good game. You know special teams is probably what got them. You know those are big swinging momentum plays, but overall I think they played a fantastic game, something they should be very proud of.
Speaker 1:Oh, I thought it was great, I thought they had them. I honestly, jenty is unbelievable.
Speaker 3:He is the best running back in the entire country.
Speaker 1:I've never seen anything like it, and that was against Oregon. They're good, they're great, they're fast, they're physical. So I think he's just going to tear up the Mountain.
Speaker 3:West.
Speaker 1:I don't know how he's going to ever stop the guy. I do worry. He gets hit so much. Well, he's just a physical. I mean he dishes out we so much. Well, he's just a physical, he dishes out. We were talking about it at lunch today. He dishes out as much pain as he takes. He's punishing, but it is. It's a lot of physical contact, but he's fantastic. What do you think about the quarterback?
Speaker 3:I think, matt, he played a good game. I think Cutter's got him dialed and figured out pretty well to make quick decisions, get the ball out of his hands, and I think Cutter's got him. He's a good system quarterback, what he's working with right now.
Speaker 1:I mean the fact that you've got Dirk Cutter. Oh yeah, I mean come on. Yeah, he's helping that whole situation out pretty well. It's just like a dream to have him. You can't even imagine the wisdom and all the years of calling plays and doing what he's done at all levels. Yeah, kind of being there, the the thing that that is. Um, they've they, the mountain west, the whole college football. Can we talk a little bit about nil? Yeah, what are your thoughts? Because I know you guys are, yeah, helpful, yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3:My thoughts are everywhere. Some days I'm like what I do, yeah, I know. What I do know is this is I do think college athletes should be compensated. To what degree? Open for interpretation. On all that Also, what I do know it is the Wild West, oh man, and it's going to get even crazier until, unfortunately, it gets, you know, the government steps in and they, you know, or they put collective bargaining agreements. It's just, it's the Wild West. Also, too, what I do know is for Boise State. It does hurt colleges like Boise State, to where Texas, a&m and all that they can cut $50 million checks. Boise State sustainability cannot do that. You can go to a donor once or twice, that's fine, but to do that year after year, it's just not sustainable.
Speaker 1:Well, there's no contracts, right? Yeah, so you talk to people. I don't understand it. Do you think we end up going? I've heard Kyle Whittingham talk about, you know, some big super conference where it's almost like a semi-pro league where everyone gets paid. I mean, I don't know where this thing goes, but it is wild right now.
Speaker 3:Yeah, private money will get involved. They'll start to dictate it. It'll probably happen over the next two or three years. I'll tell you this, being a college coach. That would completely change the game. Now, being a, college coach.
Speaker 1:I've heard, I've heard a couple people say like it's not like recruiting and keeping a kid once, or even once a year. It's like almost every week, yeah, you're trying to keep them from transferring and there's money being thrown around everywhere. It's got to be. It's got really hard. I'm really, I'm really surprised, grateful that Jeremiah is sticking around.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, that's a big deal, yeah, that's a big extension for all of them. I mean specifically like how we like to roll. You know, malcolm and my family is like again, it's more like you're reaching out to the program basketball or football and it's like what do you need help with? How can we help what players you know need help, et cetera, something like that. That's really cool, it's been.
Speaker 1:It's been fun to have. I mean, we're, we're a big city, but but that's kind of the only game in town oh yeah, it is the it's the game and it's, it's it's been really cool to watch them thrive as much in in so many sports, and I think jeremiah is a huge part of that yeah I mean the energy that guy brings and vision drive that he's got it's.
Speaker 1:It's been really cool to watch. I I thought he was going to be gone, gone. Yeah, I just did. I thought I thought someone's going to come swoop him up and pay him a gazillion dollars and because he is, he's the real deal. Yeah, so that's good. That's good. Um what? What are you, what are you looking forward to um with with the company in the coming months and years?
Speaker 3:I'm looking forward to continued growth, and when I say growth, I don't really mean financial growth or anything like that. It's just a byproduct. I'm talking about just continued growth as it relates to just our momentum. You know, being a part of special projects. To me, the funnest thing is being a part of a special, special projects, so it's like a community-based project or special developers. It's fun just, you know, being a part of those teams and being a part of something special that you can always drive by like, yeah, I was part of that or helped out on that. So I'm really excited to think about that. We got some other stuff in the in the works that we're strategically thinking about, that we can probably start rolling out over the course of the next year. So that will really set us up for the next 10 years and really excited about all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1:So that's great. Well, you uh, um, my son-in-law, matthew. He's a great guy, but when I told him, I said, hey, what should I talk to Tori about? He's like you need to talk to him about just just leadership. I mean, you're how old? You? 37, 37. So you're like, you're like in the prime of kind of this next generation of leader. Talk about some cause I know you take this really seriously. Talk about just your own personal growth, your personal, the way you take care of your own self, so you could be your best self for your family, for your, for everything else, because I I do. I do know you're a leader in that way too, and I think there's a lot of things that people could learn from you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, on some of that I appreciate that, uh, yeah, my whole mo on this is I don't read leadership books necessarily or this, and that I just go back to the fundamental principles. You know, stoicism has helped me a lot. Um, I've been sober now for six years too, so I've done a lot of introspection and reflection and all that kind of stuff. Through that process I really got down to the basics of just fundamentally just saying what you're going to do or doing what you're going to say, right, having good values and making decisions on the right intentions and just treating people fairly. Values and making decisions on the right intentions and just treating people fairly.
Speaker 3:Just, if you focus on just doing the right thing, to me, like leadership just kind of happens right, because if you don't even have those fundamental things, you can't fool people. Right? You're just talking out your butt. Right, you're lying, you're not. You know, walking the walk. It's so easy to see, it's so easy to see. So I've always just I just focus about that. So for me personally, it's like okay, work doesn't matter, just always do the right thing. Like always just do the right thing Right. It's not that hard, just do the right thing Right. Um, and for my personal development it's. It's important for me that I develop, you know, stages in my life. You know, like you said, I'm in my prime 37.
Speaker 1:I appreciate that Feeling pretty old right now I'm getting a little gray hair, but I appreciate that.
Speaker 3:But the stage of my life I'm in right now is, you know, it's pretty chaotic, right. Yeah, there's a lot going on. How old are your kids? I got a five-year-old, a four-year-old and a four-year-old and a two-year-old. It's insane right now. And I got a great wife, a beautiful, amazing wife.
Speaker 3:But I'm in the stage where I got the kids, I got work, I got some other businesses too. It's just a lot of work and I got my relationship with my wife. So for me it's like okay, how do I? Because I think it is important, you know, I I want my kids, at the end of the day, to have a relationship with me. That's the most important thing. I don't want them to say, you know, I want my kids, at the end of the day, to have a relationship with me. That's the most important thing. I don't want them to say, you know, work was more important. However, I want them to see what a work ethic is and I want to teach them that, and I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to be busy in all these aspects. So it's important that I do these things, but I plan them as efficient as I can so then that way, you know, I can have my time with, I can have my time with them, I can have my time with my wife, that I'm really disciplined when it comes to that kind of stuff, which allows me to do a lot of different things, so for me that's helped a lot.
Speaker 3:I got my wife is amazing, honestly. We've kind of worked a pack out to where she's like, hey, monday through Friday, you do what you need to do, just you know, let me know by like five o'clock if you're gonna be home for dinner or not, don't care. And but on the flip side, that means Saturday and Sundays is her and the kids time, you know. So that's kind of like the compromise and the fact that we made so, allowing me to focus and not have pressure from home, has been huge right also just making sure like I'm prioritizing my time and this and I'm not just wasting time so I can be there for my kids, I can be there for the employees and I can like build the business and then, like you said, like taking care of myself.
Speaker 3:I'm pretty active, working out. I've always been, just you know, growing up, so having a morning routine, staying physical and just really staying grounded and like why I'm doing all this and what my my passion is. It's like just working on those. You know I'm trying to read, I'm trying to learn. You know I appreciate you letting me be on here. You know, admire you and everything that you've done and how you've done it. So like I like to learn and watch individuals who have been successful mentors and whatnot. So finding mentors, taking care of myself physically, making sure my wife and all relationships good and the kids have a relationship.
Speaker 1:I mean that's that is beautifully said. In fact, I I'm thinking back to I was with a one of my mentors. I'll never forget the moment it happened, cause I always worried about balance right, that word balance. Cause you're like, oh gosh, I never. There's just so many competing interests and you you're trying your hardest to divide things up and you have the best intentions and you don't want to let anyone down in your life your spouse, your kids, your business, your nonprofit commitments and the ways you volunteer your time. And you're trying to balance it all.
Speaker 1:And he said to me it was profound when he said this he's like you're looking at it wrong. Said to me it was. It was profound when he said this he's like you're looking at it wrong. He's like, if you stay humble and grateful and you check your priorities at the door every day, you may have a day on a Monday or Tuesday that is so dominated by work that it needs to be, but as long as your priorities that day were those things, it's also your attitude, right? Are you checking in, are you being kind? Are you being you know, are you you know? And he's like then you're going to have a day where it is hey, I've got this time my family is going to dominate. But I'm not but, but.
Speaker 1:But he said even though the hours may change, the commitment and the priorities are the same every day. Yeah, and I said, well, tell me, I mean, cause it's been something I've always worried about, because I've had times in my life where I was working in the ER and I was doing development and I was donating my time to our church and I look at my kids and I'm like, oh man, how do I do all this? But it it changed me, cause I'm like, okay, I'm going to check myself for the door every day and make sure that my priorities are straight, and as long as they're straight and genuine and I'm and I'm, and I feel good about those and I'm being kind and loving the people I need to love the most, the rest is going to work itself out. I think it was powerful for me.
Speaker 1:It's not about time it's about. It's about are your priorities always where they should be, and how do you keep yourself in check? And that's kind of what you just said in a in a more eloquent way. But that's what it's all about. It's figuring that out, and the sooner you figure it out, the better you figure it out. How do you one of the things I love about you and your family and I don't know if this is going to sound, I don't know how that's going to come across, but you're some of the kindest people I mean kindness, right, just simple, like anything you need, I'm there for you. How does does that come from? Just the McElvain ethos and just DNA, and how important is that in business?
Speaker 3:just being a good person, totally Well. I've always been on the mindset like, just treat everybody. You never know who your next client is. So even when you're at Albertsons, whoever is bagging your groceries, treat them with respect. Always open the door. You never know where your next lead might come from.
Speaker 3:But I'm not saying that because I'm always thinking about like how do I get the next? Like that's just the mentality I have, like you never know where life's going to take you. So it's not about work. It could be you know the next person you hire, right. Like you can just, you know, inspire somebody, a single mother or a working parent. You can bring them on your team and help their life get better. You never know how you're going to interact with somebody. So just to live life like that in general is just I mean, I just don't know any other way. But that's just kind of the mentality I have and how it feeds into business. Again, it's the same mindset. Just you never know where life's going to take you. Work's going to take you. Treat everybody with respect. If it comes around, it's meant to be I just love that.
Speaker 1:I'm going to tell a quick story just because it just happened this week, but, um, it kind of goes along those lines. One of one of I was able to be with Ken Orm again this morning and he is just one of the kindest, best examples of a leader. You look at the way he led ICCU for 20 years. Whatever it was, he he's just always on and I've I've asked him before. I've said how do you do it? Like I'm around you in a lot of situations? You know you have 1,500 or whatever employees and you know all their birthdays and I watch him interact with people and I'm like you're just and he's like it's just. I've had to, it's real, I'm genuine, it's not fake, but I just try to be kind to everyone because they're all important to me and it's been such a good example. So I told him the story today.
Speaker 1:So, um, back going back 2000,. So 22, 23 years ago, we were given an assignment to help a family that was struggling and our family helped this family and we ended up it was for Christmas, but we ended up helping them over a period of time and, um, and they were great people and we ended up getting pretty close to them my family, my kids and then I kind of lost track of them. And about four or five years ago I was walking across the Grove Plaza and this kid ran up to me and he's like hey, how are you doing, tommy? And, and for a minute, you know how you?
Speaker 1:see somebody and you're just like what, what do I know you from? And it was this Cesar Valencia, this kid, that was this little teeny baby. When I first met the family and he was working for ICCU and he sat there on the plaza and he told me I said, what are you doing? He's like I'm working for ICCU. And then he proceeded to tell me how much Kent Orme had influenced him. So I have this meeting and I'm like, oh my gosh, here's this kid that I knew where he came from and I saw it, and now he's thriving at ICCU and he specifically was mentioning Kent, who was the CEO of the company. I'm like kind of all worlds colliding and I'm like this is so cool that I know Kent, I know how genuine and how much it meant to Cesar, and so then I'm flash forwarding. It's a long story getting to this week. This week he now is in their wealth management division.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:So he came to our office and I heard his voice and I'm like, who is that? And anyway, he's going to be like our private banker now. That's amazing. So today, when I saw Kent, I'm like man, I love you man. And I'm like man, I love you man. And I just like thanks for your example. And I told him the story and he wept. He just like this is cool. It's just cool to watch how, if you do make a difference in people's life, if you just keep trying and again, we're never perfect but if we just try to do the right thing and be kind and lead and guide, that it does pay off in the long run. And I think that's uh, tori, it's been awesome having you on, because I think that's your family, that is, that is your legacy. It's gotta be a tremendous amount of pressure, too. You ever feel that.
Speaker 3:No, I don't, I don't. I don't, cause I just don't really think like that. I'm just feel comfortable knowing I got a great team, I got a great mentor and senior and we're just going to go have fun and like I know, just like a lot of hard work and it'll work out. That's awesome.
Speaker 1:Well, hey, thanks for coming on. It went by way too fast.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that was fast.
Speaker 1:I appreciate what you guys do in the community. Thanks for always being there. You know, call away and no matter what it is, McIlvain steps up and that's a great example for this community. Thanks for doing it for a long, long time. Well, I appreciate you. Thanks for having me on this show. Thanks for coming on, Thank you, Thanks everybody.
Speaker 3:See you.