After 44 years of service at H.A. Dorsten, Project Manager & Estimator Morris Bensman has retired. We take great pride in our employees’ long tenure and loyalty, but even so, Morris’s dedication to our company’s vision and our mission was exceptional. We thank him for his many contributions over the years.
Morris started with us in May of 1977, when our industry looked a whole lot different. Those were the days before cell phones and emails when we drove out to deliver every bid and sent around office memos on paper.
“I had just graduated from technical school,” Morris says, “and wanted to follow a career path in the construction field. So I went to school for architectural engineering, but you’re not sure how things will evolve when you graduate. Over the years, I’ve been involved in many different functions, like estimating and project management.”
What he’s loved most over the years is working with the people here. “There are three different generations that have been involved in H.A. Dorsten from the start,” he says. “I’ve been here since Harold Dorsten, then Ron, and now Sean. They are great people to work for. They’ve always had a keen eye on hiring people, quality people who work together in a teamwork-type atmosphere. Those are all things that should be high on someone’s list of a great workplace, that your buddy strives to get along and work together as a team.”
While he’s had his hands in many projects over the years, the most memorable recent projects Morris has worked on are The Heart institute and PotashCorp projects in Lima. “They were enjoyable projects to be connected with,” he says.
Morris plans to spend time traveling with his wife and visiting their adult children and grandkids in his retirement. “We’ve always been outdoors type of people,” he says, “and enjoy camping from spring through fall. Our kids are kind of spread out, one in southwestern Illinois and one on the eastern side of Ohio, so now we have some time to visit family.”
When discussing the careers of younger people entering the construction field today, Morris had this to share: “Try to find a field that you have a high aptitude for or a keen interest in. That’s your best guarantee for success. Then also find an employer that you really feel comfortable within that particular field. Of course, you always want to make the best income you can, but hopefully, that goes hand-in-hand with your talents and abilities, and you grow from there.”
Sean Dorsten, President of H.A. Dorsten, says, “What we love about working with Morris is that he’s very particular. He’s very thorough. He’s worn so many hats and been so reliable over the years. He’s going to be a hard one to replace.”
From the H.A. Dorsten family to yours, Morris – we wish you all the best in your retirement!
Our Vision: To turn visions into realities for our employees, customers, and the communities we serve.
Our Mission: To exceed expectations as your construction contractor of choice through quality construction, transparent communication, and the safe and timely completion of your project.