The Real Harris: Ben Norman
Tell us about your background. How did you get your start in the construction/service/BAS business?
I started college as a physics major but soon realized that it was not the kind of career I wanted. My girlfriend (now wife) suggested I talk to her father. He happened to be mechanical designer working at Harris. He showed me all about a project he was working on, and I was amazed at everything that went into the design of a building. I found out it aligned with my interests and was something I could make a career out of, so I changed my major. I always liked understanding the inner workings of machines and buildings, so it was a perfect fit. 
What drew you to Harris? What makes you stay?
It was actually my father-in-Law, Paul Eichler, who brought me in specifically. But I have stayed these past 7 years because of the truly diverse projects Harris has provided. There is so much opportunity to grow and create an illustrious career here.
What do you enjoy about working at Harris (what about the company itself made you want to work here)?
There is always opportunity, either to grow in a position or to learn a new skill. I can visualize longevity tailored to what I enjoy working on.
What is the best part about your position (the day-to-day, people, a special project you were involved with)?
Seeing your designs become a reality is extremely rewarding. Watching the plans and drawings become real life working systems is an amazing sight to see.
What traits do you think are important for someone in your role to be successful?
The ability to multitask, being organized, and commitment to seeing a project through to the end are all very important in my role. One that sticks out to me the most though is attention to detail. There are so many intricacies that go into a design, being able to catch the little things can really save you from getting into trouble.
What are your main responsibilities and initiatives that you lead?
My main responsibilities are leading the design for projects on which I am working. I am also responsible for QA/QC of the work people on my projects are providing.
What are you passionate about at work?
I genuinely enjoy the design process of the job. I like the math that I get to do, and I like the fact that I get to work with a lot of different people inside and outside of the company. I also enjoy days when I get to put my headphones in and grind out some AutoCAD drawings.
How do you like to re-charge?
I love to go golfing and spend time with my wife and kids.
What keeps you up at night?
I want to do well at everything I do. Sometimes I think I do well at that and sometimes I don’t. I want to be a good employee, husband, dad and human.
What are you most proud of at Harris?
I am most proud of the successful designs we provide. I had a project recently where the tinner said he was able to install the job exactly as I had designed it and there was no need for as-built drawings. Being told that they were able to take my two-dimensional drawing and have no changes when constructing it in the real world was very rewarding.
What is one thing Harris employees wouldn’t know about you?
On my way to 7th grade one morning, I got hit by a car right in front of my school and broke my leg. I didn’t feel a thing when it happened, and no one actually knew my leg was broken until the x-ray came back.
What drew you to this industry?
My love for understanding how things are put together. Ever since I was young, I always loved to build things, and it has translated into a love for the design process.
What do you wish the public knew about Harris?
It is a large company, but the St Paul office still feels like a small tight knit group of people.
What inspires you? What motivates you?
I love seeing plans, hard work and designs come together to create a successful project. I get a great sense of accomplishment every time I get a job out the door and it motivates me to start working on the next one.
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