This is Our Story, Together.
Trusted. Dependable. Genuine. These are words often used to describe our products, and it’s true. However, these qualities are not the secret to our success; it’s our people. Those we employ, those who we serve, and our trusted industry partners. After all, our commitment to a future of sustainable building solutions for cities and neighborhoods across North America is possible only through their commitment to us and the diversity and skillsets they bring to our organization and culture.
This is our identity. This is our mission. This is our story, together.
“I’ve been in construction since 1998. The thing I really like about residential [building] is meeting with the homeowner when they move in and they’re happy with the house. I love having a customer that I get to walk with and share that with – especially first-time homeowners. From a builder point of view, watching out for your customer is very important for us. We used to build predominantly with [fiber cement] siding, and we were dealing with warranty problems almost every week. A five-year-old house is a new house, and homeowners typically don’t have the budget to repair or paint a house in a couple of years. As a builder, you’re going to naturally gravitate toward a product that doesn’t cost you time or money. I think the brick industry and General Shale have done a great job in going from just red or khaki to different colors and a lot of textures. When we switched to brick, no one had objections. I would say, ‘the more brick the better.’”
Russell Stone
Legacy Homes
Residential Builder – 26 years
I have been with the Brick Industry Association for nearly 19 years now, so I have spent most of my career here. I wouldn’t change it for the world! I started out as a project coordinator and moved up through three different roles before I became the COO. Starting in 2025, I will become the President and CEO. For me, it’s really the members who make this job so enjoyable—they are so passionate and supportive. There’s something to be said for our members who sell against each other every day but still come together as an industry to collaborate and work towards the common goal of growing wall share. I am also so proud of the product we represent, and I love seeing it made. One of my absolute favorite places to be is inside a brick plant. Whether it’s 20 degrees or 110 and intense heat, I would so much rather be in a brick plant than sitting in an office. I wish everyone had the opportunity to step inside and see how natural the product is. You develop a whole different level of respect for the brick and the production workers. I can’t think of another product that can honestly say, “At the end of the day, we leave our world a better place for future generations.” Nothing else is as sustainable and durable as brick, and we have such an amazing, solid message to tell our audience.
Trish Mauer
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Brick Industry Association
When I first applied at General Shale in 2003, I actually interviewed with multiple different departments: sales, marketing, and HR. I was hired to be an administrative assistant to sales and marketing where I worked for five years. When they approached me with the idea of moving into the Market Services Specialist position, I was shocked and elated to move up. I’ve been in this position for 16 years now. This position might not be considered ‘glamorous,’ but it’s so important! Think about it—if a product weight or price gets put into the system incorrectly, it directly affects multiple other departments. The transportation department might either overload their trucks and risk a citation or lose valuable space that could have been filled. Material Management & pricing is like a hub for all the information for multiple departments. Different highways all come together at the hub. Some customers take one highway, and some take all. I have always been eager to learn more—how the materials work in the wall and how various products are used. I’m also a helper. If I don’t know the answer, I will find out. I have stayed with General Shale because I enjoy the people I work with—it’s like a big family. Not just the sales representatives and the managers but our customers too! General Shale is a good place to work. As people retire, it makes you sad. You’re happy for them to move on, but you don’t want them to leave. We just all hang in there together.
Susie Bowers
Market Servies Specialist
General Shale | 20 Years
“A church building is obviously the heart of any congregation. We made the decision from the very beginning that we would build something classical, timeless, very modern in its technology, but looked and felt like a church. A church should look like a church. When you see a church, you should know what it is. When choosing the products to use, the parish looked to the Basilica of Saint Clare of Assisi, which is in Assisi, Italy. The stone used on that church all comes from that geographic area and has a sandstone look with rose hues throughout. We found a happy medium in Cottonwood brick. It is an intersection between the sandstone and the rose color. We are very pleased with the color and the quality of the brick. It has a low-country feel and seems indigenous to the area, and the brickwork is spectacular. We started off the building process with a mandate: this building needs to be here for at least 500 years,” West joked. “Three months in, I think we might be okay. We can all agree that we have been richly blessed by the work that has been done and by the quality of building materials.“
Reverend H. Gregory West, JCL
PASTOR
Saint Clare of Assisi | Daniel Island, SC
Ashley Shutt
Owner | ARO Creative
5 Year Partner of General Shale Marketing
“Any time I got a brick in my hands, I’m good to go. I’m a very hands-on person. My brother and I were in high school at the same time and we’re close in age. When we heard about the masonry course, we decided to sign-up together. I thought there might be at least a few girls in the class but, nope! When I showed up, I was the only one. Other students looked at me like ‘what the heck is she doing here?’ Then when we had our first friendly class competition, and I beat all of them. In 2018 I won my first state title for SkillsUSA, which got me into nationals where I won Gold. I’m proud to say I went on to be the first back-to-back female champion! With “That Masonry Girl” (@thatmasonrygirl), it was just supposed to be fun and share my progress with my friends and family, but it’s really helped to give a voice to females in the industry.”
Ashton White
“I was 19 years old and working at a preschool in Georgia when a close family friend at General Shale contacted me to see if I would be interested in working as a customer service rep in her office. Later in my career I moved into distributor sales for several years, followed by outdoor living sales, and then architectural sales for about four years. When the same family friend announced she was retiring, I didn’t know they were considering me to fill that position. I had never been in management, and thought, “would I want to take that on?” I had a great discussion with our VP of Sales and thanks to my familiarity with the area and customers, it ended up being a great fit! And while it’s possible women can find this industry intimidating, I believe if you work hard, you can be successful no matter who you are. This fall I am coming into my 30th year at General Shale. Even my family and friends are surprised by that. I say all the time “brick gets in your blood and it’s there for life.”
Amy Norman
District Sales Manager
General Shale Brick
30 Years
“I had never felt so comfortable at a job interview. Everyone was so welcoming. Three years later and it’s more than what I was hoping for. The company is great at cultivating a supportive environment. I have confidence in knowing we are working toward the same goal. Being a leader in your industry is appealing and our focus is being the best at what we do and to share our culture. That becomes very helpful in recruiting quality candidates.”
Diana Duquette
Human Resources Coordinator
Corporate – Johnson City, TN
3 1/2 Years
“My dad worked for the company and so General Shale has been a part of my life since I was a small child. They put food on the table then and are helping put food on the table now. I came to be an employee in late 2005. General Shale was looking for a general laborer, and I went to work doing that for about two years. It was at a plant revamp where I was asked if I would be interested in my apprenticeship as a mason. I was already interested, and so I went through four years of that into the recession. It was a bit nerve-wracking during that time, but General Shale was good to me. I would go another 13 years as a traveling mason with the company working at production sites for rebuilds and repairs. Then, about four years ago, I was called to the corporate office and was offered the opportunity to work as an Arriscraft masonry instructor for the company. I feel very fortunate doing what I do now, and one of my favorite things is attending masonry events and working with the apprentices and lay stone with the kids that are learning. It’s something that often goes unappreciated. We have a challenge with getting younger generations interested in masonry, but to me there’s something special about building with your hands. Even if it’s small, I want to share my passion for it while I can.“
Brandon Collins
Masonry Instructor
Arriscraft
18 Years
“I went to school to do something else but found myself working a part time job in brick distribution. But I have to tell you I was fascinated by brick. I thought it looked kind of glamourous! There weren’t many women in the industry at the time so I would teach myself by listening to other salesmen. Two years later, the opportunity came for a sales position, and I got it. In the beginning I worked in architectural, commercial, and residential. It was like being “Superman” because I would go from wearing jeans, boots, and a hard hat to finding a place to change into high-heels and a suit showing up in an architect’s office or meeting with a million-dollar client. By the end of the day, I could be back in jeans and boots again – all in a day’s work! After 26 years in distribution, I landed my dream job as a sales manager for the manufacturer, which is now General Shale. My advice to young women coming into the industry is to know your business. Yes, you should carry yourself well and with respect, but I think a lot of it is knowing what you’re selling, believing in your product, and how to gauge your customer.”
Julie Holder
Area Sales Manager
Michigan Brick
30 Years
“I graduated with honors in school and joined the military as a mechanic. After completing my service, I tried a few different jobs and later began working as a maintenance technician. Now I work as a setting machine operator for General Shale, but when needed I still do maintenance on my machine. Brick, to me, kind of paves the way for everything so its great to be a part of that. Having worked for another company before, I have noticed General Shale invests in rebuilding and making things better, which makes my job easier and safer, and it actually allows me to finish earlier than I used to so I’m able to go home and be with my kids. I plan on learning every area of my plant. I want to teach my kids that paths lead into, different, directions and I don’t want them to ever be afraid of hard work that might keep them from doing what they want to do.“
Maria Menchaca
Setting Machine Operator
Red River Brick – Mineral Wells, TX
1 Year
“I’ve worked since I was 16 in pretty much any job you can imagine. When I got into manufacturing world, it was first in accounting and then purchasing. Afterward I became involved in machinery and parts, which opened up doors in ways I could not have imagined. When I formally went into production through scheduling, I came face-to-face with the dealings of running a plant and things like raw materials, sourcing, projections, recovery, and the equipment side. I love what I do and I like getting dirty. I like creating. That’s what draws me to stick with it. It’s always applying what you did yesterday to get you to tomorrow and do it better. When you look at brick-making, it is a super physical job that is demanding and not for the faint of heart. Yes we have technologies and advancements, but it’s still very demanding and physical. Whoever is in the brick manufacturing world — man or woman — you must have drive and be tenacious.“
Candice Garcia
Assistant Plant Manager
Red River Brick – Mineral Wells, TX
5 Years
“This position became available when the person in the role before decided to change careers. I was loving my job in customer service at the time, but they thought I would be a good candidate for sales. And, actually, right then I was like ‘YES!’ It was something I had always considered but never made known and it became the perfect opportunity presented to me at the time personally. I love people and being in front of them. It can be challenging being the first woman in this role for Jet Stream and I was a bit unsure, but customers have been very receptive. It has worked out perfectly.”
Casey Brown
Outside Sales Representative
Jet Stream
10 Years
“I began as a dispatcher and have worked in customer services, accounting, transportation – all at this location and so I’ve done a bit of everything. When I started the company was family-oriented and it still is today. We have a great team here where everyone works together. We carry that over into our relationships with customers, which I really do enjoy. As you’re growing with the company you’re growing with the customers. There are those who visit with us regularly that know we are going to take the time to help them. And when you consider there’s other options for them not too far away, it’s great when they continue to come back and let you know it’s simply because we have what they need, ready and available.“
Tammy Bartrum
Operations Manager
General Shale Brick – Manassas, VA
13 Years
“I love this career and I’ve been doing this a long time. It makes such a difference to work in an atmosphere where people feed your passion and encourage you to take initiative. But if something should have been done differently, you don’t simply find criticism but constructive feedback. The highlight of my story was after working my territory for a few years, our CEO and COO made plans to visit with me. They flew in, we had lunch, and that’s when they approached me about taking my current position. I thought, ‘I’ve lived in Texas my entire life and I would be moving away from my family, but I had such confidence in them and the company that there was no way I could turn it down.“
Jerry Shaver
Director of Sales
Jet Stream
9 Years
“I was a welder in the coal mines early on in my career where I learned electrical work. By the time I was hired by General Shale as a welder, they needed an electrician. Soon after, I moved into the automation department building panels for the plant robots. The experience was invaluable to me. Before you know it I had a laptop and was programming equipment for plants across the country. I’ve seen ups and downs in my 20 years but General Shale takes care of you.”
Charles "Bubba" Cox
Robotics Technician
20 Years
“My goal was to have a true, authentic looking English countryside kitchen. I immediately knew I needed to have brick as the finishing touch on the space. General Shale from the beginning supported my creative vision and it’s why I love sharing and talking about this company with my audience. I’m such a people person and quality of product isn’t the most important thing. There’s still another half to the product and it’s the people behind. Among all the companies I’ve worked with, this has been the most enjoyable.”
Tori Donahue
Interior Designer & Horticulturist
Pennsylvania | 6 Years
“A quote I often use in presentations states ‘If you love what you do, you won’t work a day in your life’. I believe that and I enjoy what I do tremendously. The expectations are there and you want to do the best job you can, but for a company that is now a multi-national business it still has a family atmosphere. You’re always able to find the support you need.”
Patrick Pullen
National Accounts Manager
12 Years
“It’s simple. It looks complicated, but once you learn it, it’s simple. I like working for General Shale because of the people and they pay well. They’re just all-around good guys. [Before I got into this position] I wanted to be a lead and continue to grow. I talked to my supervisor about it and the next thing you know it happened. I like what I do and I think they do too.”
Tyler Espinoza
Plant Lead, 2ND Shift
Spring City, TN Plant
9 Years
“I ended up moving to Roanoke to find a role with a stable schedule and work hours. [When researching General Shale] I just thought the diversity of everything was a really intriguing. The company has its own language. Even though I had a lot to learn quickly, Katie Craig took me under her wings and kept telling me ‘it will all click in your time.’ And it did! Even in a short time, I’ve recognized an authenticity to this industry. We are literally taking dirt from the earth and creating something special, and I think that has a lot to do with why we have people that work really hard but who are also great people. There are companies where the perception and expectations are not reality, but General Shale is different. These are people who know what it takes because they’ve been doing it for 20 years or more. It’s incredibly important.“
Catherine Balsley
Office Administrator
Roanoke, VA Plant
1 1/2 Years
“One of my buddies worked here and said it was a good job and that I should try it out. After a while, I wanted to learn more to move up and I’ve been training in other departments. I went to school to try to move up in life and you’ve got to work hard. General Shale supports hard work. After all, what we make provides a place for people to live and go to school. It has to be right.“
Josh Lamb
Packaging Lead – Weekends
Spring City, TN Plant
3 Years
“I was impressed with General Shale when I met them during a recruiting event, and I fell in love with the industry once I learned the design aspect of it. It can be challenging as a female in the industry, but the support system is unique at General Shale. Leadership and guidance are always available when needed, but you have to be self driven. It’s reassuring to look around and relate to individuals who have been with the company for over 20 years, while managing family, marriage, and the demands of daily life. That says a lot to me.”
Torie Kelly
Outside Sales Representative
Tri-Cities, TN
3 1/2 Years
“In the place I worked before, it was in a big city of hustle and bustle. Not everyone was warm or overly friendly. But when I came to General Shale, everyone took me in like family. The guys I work with now I have worked with for almost 20 years. It makes my job easier, too, because we know each other professionally and what we can do and expect. My biggest takeaway about the company is everyone here is very smart. We don’t have people who do half a job. The people really seem to care about what they do and how they want to keep the company successful. I really appreciate that and it backs up the fact that we are the leader in what we do.”
Mike Downing
“When this plant opened, they needed a shipping supervisor. A friend working here encouraged me to apply and I thought, ‘I don’t know anything about loading trucks and forklifts but I’m a hard worker’ and I’ve been doing it ever since. I enjoy it. It’s challenging but I’m up for it. One thing that is so interesting to me is General Shale’s upper management is interested in what I do and the daily successes we have at our plant. They make sure they’ve acknowledged a job well done and that’s nice.“
Kelly Harbaugh
Shipping Supervisor
Terre Haute, IN Plant
14 Years
“I like to switch up designs. Without brick a house can look two-dimensional. General Shale has a lot of variation in product that makes it helpful when designing our homes. I know General Shale is now the biggest brick manufacturer but it doesn’t feel like it. They are still very relational and easy to communicate with. Whether it’s a delivery or sales question, if there’s an issue, General Shale listens.”
Kyle Hicks
Hicks Construction Co.
Residential Custom & Spec
Home Builder
“Years ago you only had three to five choices of brick. I am amazed at how General Shale’s growth has enabled them to use their resources to provide for the needs of the customer. The building industry is complex, and we have more houses being built now than ever. General Shale listens to our needs, understands our concerns, and makes changes to help our business.”
Tim Hicks
Hicks Construction Co.
Residential Custom & Spec
Home Builder
“General Shale is helping to bring us into the future. On the commercial side, it’s incredible to be part of such a lengthy process that requires so many people to work together. To nurture that process and see it in the end – that’s incredible! It’s nice to remind people that this is an enduring industry and product that has a very rich history.”
Rick Goss
Architectural Sales Manager
Alley-Cassetty
40 Years
“As a young professional I was looking for an opportunity to work in an environment where I could grow and take steps up. I wanted to find a place where I could have influence and make an impact. General Shale has offered me a platform to voice my ideas and be creative. The company recognizes that what you are doing makes a difference, and they see value in the position you hold. And for me personally, it’s very satisfying to work for an organization that supports trade-skills having grown up in that environment.”
Nick Forsberg
Manager of Digital Marketing & Sustainability
Corporate – Johnson City, TN
3 Years
Searching for a Career?
Apply to join the team of the North American Leader in Sustainable Building Solutions and help us tell Our Story, Together.
