Charlie Luck, third-generation leader of Luck Stone, spent his time in the industry igniting human potential through Values Based Leadership. Luck was inducted into the Pit & Quarry Hall of Fame on March 24.
ON THE AGGREGATE INDUSTRY: I think this is the coolest industry in the world. I really do. You look around at each one of our quarries, and we literally have built all the infrastructure, the roads [and] the schools. Every pipe has rock around [it]; every fiber optic cable has rock around it; the airports, the homes – it’s truly unbelievable to me. When I look at the impact we have had for people and their quality of life, the difference we make is real.
ON DEVELOPING PEOPLE: I believe that all of us have untapped potential. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what your education is [or] what your background is – I believe every single person has the ability to grow into the best version of themselves. That is dependent upon the people that they hang around with, where they go to work and what resources and culture is there. We all have a bad version of ourselves.
We also know when we get it right. The technical training and leadership training we go through, to me, rounds us [out] to be the best version of ourselves.
ON THE NATIONAL STONE, SAND & GRAVEL ASSOCIATION (NSSGA): Do you remember the first time you went [to Capitol Hill with NSSGA]? I remember the first time I went. I was scared to death. I was like: ‘What am I going to tell these congressmen and all these people?’ Over time, the staff at NSSGA got us comfortable doing these things. All the people we take to the Hill, they end up growing in their potential, being more confident and better spoken.
ON LEGACY: What is legacy? Legacy is what we’re going to be remembered for. Legacy is the difference we’re going to make with our lives, whether it’s your kids or in your professional job. At the first quarry [my grandfather] ever owned, he bought a railroad cook car. This was the last car on a train back in the day. He pulled it up and set it right by the plant. Pop Pop had breakfast made in the cook car every morning for men, women and every walk of life to build community and connection and to tell stories for people to learn from each other. This was unheard of back then. This is what I grew up around and what our people grew up around.
ON VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP: Our values-based leadership is how we do what? Crush rocks is the ‘what,’ and the ‘how’ is our values that determine our behaviors. When [you] think about ‘what do you want to be remembered for,’ I want you to think about who you are authentically. What is the real you? And what is the difference you want to make, whether it’s with your family, your company or your culture? The impact is enormous. This is the reason we are in our fourth generation.
