PCCA Journal|1
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Quarter 2015
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He brought new skills and experience to the job as well as
the Sellenriek penchant for hard work, but there were some
growing pains in the new job. “Being the boss’s son means
that you constantly have to prove yourself, whether it’s with
employees or clients,” Steve said. “People think we’ve had it
handed to us.”
Steve’s solution to the situation came directly from his
upbringing. “Dad’s theory is that you have to outwork every-
one on the jobsite,” he said. “I wanted to outwork everyone.
If one crew put in 2,500 feet in a day, my crew had to get
2,800. I’m a competitive person.”
“Nobody is going to outwork us,” he said. “We’ll never ask
any of our people to do what we wouldn’t do, and haven’t
done, ourselves. Sometimes it surprises the new guys.”
When asked about Steve handling that situation with hard
work, Bob said, “Oh yeah, that’s what we do. We like to play,
but we work even harder. It was a learning experience for
everyone, a growing thing. But he and Heath are outgrowing
that. They’ve proven themselves.”
The Importance of
Family and Community
Hard work was just one of the values that Bob and Dixie in-
stilled in their children, and Steve credits them for balance in
his life. “Mom and Dad taught us early on to trust your moral
compass, which means do the right things, help others when
you can, be involved with the community, and everything
else should work out,” he said. “And it is awesome to be able
to work with Heath, Joy, and Joe on a daily basis.”
When asked about what he likes best in the industry,
Steve’s first answer is, “the people, from the clients to the
employees I work with.” And that, too, is part of his DNA.
“It’s an old family tradition,” Bob said. “Without people,
you’ve got nothing.”
Steve also mentions two other people when asked about
influences in his career: his brother, Heath, and his late uncle
Timmy Garrett. Whether it’s on the job, at PCCA, or even
at a Cardinals game, “Heath is great at keeping me out of
trouble,” Steve said. “I can always bounce an idea off of him
and get honest feedback, whether it’s what I want to hear or
not.”
“Timmy has been gone seven years, and when I have a
problem I still ask myself how would Timmy approach it,”
Steve said. “I also still use his line from time to time: ‘If it
was easy the Girl Scouts would do it, and we would be sell-
ing cookies.’”
Community service is another Sellenriek family tradition
and one that they all take very seriously. Steve sits on the
board of the Jonesburg-High Hill Fire Protection District,
Heath is on the Board of Education for the Montgomery
County R-II School District, and Bob has been the mayor of
Jonesburg for 22 years, was an alderman before that, and is a
charter member of the Optimists Club of Joneburg.
All three belong to the Jonesburg Lions Club to serve their
community. And they don’t just write checks or make a few
appearances; they actively serve. The whole family helps
with the Annual Jonesburg “Worlds” Fair & Homecoming,
the Christmas Parade (last year they gave away more than
180 bicycles to local kids), and other events that raise funds
for area schools, scholarships, families in need, assistance
for retirees, and many other vital community needs. The club
spent some $100,000 over the last several years to improve
Lions Park, a fantastic playground for the children of Jones-
burg. The Lions Club raises approximately $100,000 a year
for charity, which as Steve said, “isn’t bad for a town of 750
people.”
And though Steve logs lots of hours on the job and in the
community, he also carves out some important time for fun.
He coaches little league, enjoys spending time at the Lake of
the Ozarks, and loves the St. Louis Cardinals (and therefore
hates the Chicago Cubs, in case you missed that at the start
The Jonseburg Christmas Parade
With Ron Tag and John Fluharty supervising, Bob, Heath, and Steve provide the muscle.