From the Ground Up: An Employee-Owner Spotlight on Kyle Martin

Emery Sapp and Sons has its terrific team to thank for such a successful business these last 48 years. Kyle Martin is no exception to this stellar work. With 14 years of industry experience and a wealth of hard-earned knowledge, we are proud to announce that Kyle has been promoted from survey technician to project manager. Kyle will serve as a project manager for the Columbia, Missouri team.

Kyle first joined the ESS family in 2008. He then decided to pursue other interests outside of ESS, however an opportunity came up that brought him right back. “The people I work with are hands down my favorite part of the job. It is definitely a family environment around here,” said Kyle. He had a brief stint as one of our safety coordinators, but then joined the survey team once more.

Kyle worked under the supervision of Tyler Grotewiel as a survey technician where he worked hand-in-hand with the data prep team. He has had the unique opportunity to see projects throughout every phase of a project’s life cycle – from 3D model to closeout. Kyle has been a champion of ESS’ drone program and an integral part of transforming the company’s construction technology capabilities. Drone operations help to prove the accuracy of the aerial survey technology and significantly improve our efficiency – it’s a critical part of our system.

“Kyle has been a vital part of our survey team. He has played a huge role in helping to organize and structure the department. His work ethic and dedication to Emery Sapp is amazing, and he is one of those guys who puts in the hours to get the job done,” said Tyler Grotewiel, Survey and Construction Technology Manager.

When asked about his goals, Kyle said, “I am always up for a challenge, and project management has been a career goal of mine since the beginning. I am looking forward to taking on new responsibilities and this new role.”

Curtis Shuman, Assistant Vice President said, “I’ve been impressed by Kyle’s dedication to ESS. You can tell he is passionate about his job, and that’s what we like to see around here. I am really looking forward to seeing what he does in this new position.”

When Kyle isn’t building a program from the ground up, or kicking butt at his job, you can find him cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs, or enjoying any outdoor activities…..particularly golfing, grilling and hunting. One thing most people don’t know about our new project manager is that he likes to play card games such as 10 point pitch or Blackjack!

Bucket list item?
Attend a PGA event

You just walked out of the office on Friday afternoon — what are your ideal weekend plans?
Golf 9-18 holes on Friday evening or Saturday morning, and relax and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

What makes you most proud of your job?
Being able to look at the final product and know that I helped completion of the project.

What do you do in your free time?
What is FREE TIME?? My wife Abby and I have 3 children, Breklyn(4), Kaden(3), and Kellen(6 months). With 3 kids under the age of 4 it is hard to find free time, but I enjoy every minute of it.