The Real Harris: Meet Dana Sears

Tell us about your background. How did you get your start in the construction/service/BAS business?

My uncle was a Service Journeyman at RM Thornton, prior to Harris acquiring the division. He got me into the business as a helper there.

What drew you to Harris? What makes you stay?

I loved working at RM Thornton as an apprentice. Before, I was pretty unhappy with the situation I was in at another company, so I started sending my resume out. I got a call back from RM Thornton and a few other companies. Ultimately, I decided to come back here because I really enjoyed the overall feel of the company and they were well respected in the market so I jumped at the opportunity to come back. The culture, team and the sense that I was valued. The fact that I mattered is what has kept me here.

What do you enjoy about working at Harris?

The sense that you are part of a team and that your opinion is valued and appreciated. I felt like I was a part of a lot of the changes and decisions that happen here and that my input was welcomed. We are always looking to grow, change and improve. Harris is constantly trying to stay ahead of the pack.

What is the best part about your position?

I love watching our younger team members grow. The excitement they get out of successfully completing jobs or being awarded large, unique projects. At this point I get more joy out of watching their success more than my own.

What traits do you think are important for someone in your role to be successful?

Empathy, passion, patience, persistence and drive to excel at what you do. I think you should constantly be challenging yourself on how you can be better. What can you do to improve yourself? I believe that work ethic and energy rubs off on your team.

What are your main responsibilities and initiatives that you lead?

Successfully growing the Service & BA team here in the Mid- Atlantic Region. It is a huge territory and we have a lot of room to grow.

What are you passionate about at work?

I am passionate about creating a work environment that my team enjoys being a part of. We spend more time together then we do with our own families, it is important to me that we are on the same page and that everyone feels important.

How do you like to re-charge?

I don’t take a lot of down time. I’m constantly doing home projects. When I do relax, its normally to visit family out-of-state, or in the fall we like to take trips to Buffalo to watch football. I’m a very big fan of the Buffalo Bills!

What keeps you up at night?

As a parent, how are my kids doing. As a team leader, probably how is my team operating. Are there areas we need to improve on?

What are you most proud of at Harris?

Honestly, how good of a team we have both here locally and nationally. I’m proud of the team we have built. We are selective on who we hire. It must be a fit for us and the individual to join the team. I love our diversity and how often we all are on the same page.

What is one thing Harris employees wouldn’t know about you?

I wasn’t born with the name Sears. That is my father’s last name but when I was born my mother gave me her last name “Snoots”. So, for the first 26 years of my life my name was Dana Snoots, not Dana Sears.

What drew you to this industry?

I graduated High School and had no path or direction. I had no skills or a clue on what I wanted to do. My uncle was working in the trades and my dad was worried. My Dad asked my uncle to get me a job as a helper to see if I liked it. I’ll always be grateful for my dad and uncle. It was the best thing that could have happened to me.

What do you wish the public knew about Harris?

I think the public is learning a lot about Harris at a very fast pace now. Our footprint is getting larger. But, for those that don’t know about us I think that they should know that Harris is a place that values their people. They respect you and your opinions. We offer lots of growth opportunities, career paths and that just being good is not good enough here. We want to be the best!

What inspires you? 

I want to be the best at what I’m doing and make sure I can provide for my family. Growing up, I had a rough childhood, what really motivates me is I don’t want my kids, or my family to go through the struggles I did.