generations of employees

A part of Emerson’s professional tools portfolio, RIDGID employs 16 fathers and their children

RIDGID®, a part of Emerson’s professional tools portfolio, celebrated Father’s Day by creating a tribute video recognizing how the work fathers do can inspire their children’s career choices. The inspiration behind the video came from RIDGID’s own workforce: currently sixteen RIDGID employees are considered “legacies” – meaning they have dads that worked for the company’s manufacturing team before them. These “RIDGID Dads” and now their children build RIDGID tools in Elyria, OH, that are used by skilled trade professionals across the country, many by family-owned companies that also include fathers and their children.

“When we ask trade professionals how they got into the industry, learning from their fathers is a common response,” said Becky Brotherton, director of engagement marketing, RIDGID for Emerson. “Passing along their skills to the next generation is a legacy that lasts, not only in their children, but also in the infrastructure built and maintained through their challenging careers. Father’s Day seemed like the ideal time to celebrate the legacy that we see regularly on jobsites and in our manufacturing team.”

The video, shared last week on RIDGID social channels and viewed more than 2,000 times, features Russell and Josh Halstead, co-owners of Valu-Rooter® in Elyria, OH, and Jose and Bryan Gonzalez, RIDGID employees.

“I remember him having this determination and hard work to get the job done, but to do it right the first time,” said Josh Halstead, of his dad. “I started working in high school to make some money, but coming out of school I became more interested in this line of work. I wanted to be the best that I could be. I’ve always had the goal of being the best plumber. I want people to hear our name and think of quality.”

“The number of generations, including fathers and their children, working at our company is a unique aspect of our team,” said Danielle Hart, director of human resources, RIDGID for Emerson. “It’s a distinction that we’re proud of and one that we think contributes to a positive work environment.”

View the video on RIDGID social channels, including Instagram – @ridgidtools – and Facebook – @RIDGIDTools.

RIDGID has released Father’s Day videos the last several years, each a tribute to dads in the trades and the influence they have on their children. Previous videos can also be viewed on their YouTube channel.