Dan Hazelton, New England general manager for Anderson Equipment Company and former long-time president of R.C. Hazelton Co., has been named as the recipient of the eighteenth annual New Hampshire Construction Industry Ethics Award. The award honors the "individual, business or organization that, through its words and deeds, best demonstrates a commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards in construction." Hazelton accepted the award at the NH Good Roads Association annual meeting on April 3 at the Grappone Center.
A graduate of Pinkerton Academy and Northwood University in Michigan, where he earned an associates degree in Business Administration, Hazelton began his career in 1981 when he joined R.C. Hazelton, an equipment dealership founded by his grandfather, Robert, in 1931. He learned the business from the ground up, serving as a mechanic and working in the parts and sales departments, eventually replacing his father, Richard, as company president in 1988, a position he held until 2009, when the company was sold to Anderson Equipment. Anderson, established in 1935, is headquartered in Pittsburgh, and has 21 branch offices in six states.
"Dan always felt that his family was fortunate to have had opportunities that others did not," said a colleague. "He believes it's important to make the most of those opportunities and not squander them—a philosophy that has served him well in dealing with the trials and tribulations of life and business. He's always been there for his family, friends, employees and customers."
Involvement with his customers has always been Hazelton's passion. Peter Bates of Weaver Brothers Construction, Bow, talks about the relationship his late brother, Mark, a past recipient of the N.H. Construction Industry Ethics Award, had with Hazelton.
"Mark worked with Dan for many years and always felt comfortable dealing with him. Dan would do whatever he could to make sure we were treated right. Mark never thought of Dan as simply a salesman, but rather someone he could trust and could be counted on to be fair and reliable. None of us ever heard a bad word about either Dan or R.C. Hazelton."
Retired R.C. Hazelton employee Raymond Robichaud recalls "the Hazelton Warranty," which went beyond any manufacturer's coverage.
"Dan would rather err on the side of ethics than on the bottom line. If he felt the customer's breakdown or problem was not their fault but might not be covered under the manufacturer's warranty, he took care of it, believing the Hazelton name was more valuable than any monies he might extract from the customer."
"Dan always made straight-up, handshake deals," said Ron Severino of Severino Trucking, a friend and customer, and also a past recipient of the ethics award. "And unlike others, Dan never knocked his competition."
Hazelton also earned the loyalty and respect of his employees, many of whom had long careers with the company in large part because of the way they were treated.
"Danny was more than fair with employees," said Robichaud. "Even when they were in the wrong, he understood that they were not perfect, that their outside lives sometimes affected their performance, and he treated them accordingly."
"Even during hard times, he made every effort to avoid taking anything away from his employees," said Severino.
Hazelton has also demonstrated a deep commitment to both his industry and the community. A long-time supporter of NH Good Roads Association (NHGRA), he served as a director, secretary/treasurer, vice president and president of the organization, as well as being active on various committees and contributing regularly to New Hampshire Highways magazine. He continues to serve on the NHGRA Equipment Show Committee, assisting with the planning and execution of the annual event. In addition, he was a director and president of the New England Equipment Dealers Association and a member of Associated General Contractors, N.H. Road Agents Association and Associated Equipment Distributors.
Dan's ties with Pinkerton Academy remain strong. From 1999 through 2013, he served as a member of the board of trustees. Among his other civic-minded activities are coaching youth football.
In addition to a handsome plaque, the award carries with it a $1,000 donation to the recipient's charity of choice. Hazelton has requested that the donation go to the Mark E. Bates Memorial Scholarship Fund at Plymouth State University, which provides significant tuition assistance for PSU students from New Hampshire who are seeking a bachelor's degree in physical education or business.
The New Hampshire Construction Industry Ethics Award was established and is underwritten by David Wood, a nationally recognized writer, publisher and marketing consultant specializing in the construction industry. His newsletter, Words from Woody, won 25 awards, including being a three-time recipient of the Construction Writers Association's prestigious T. Randolph Russell Award. In 2005, Wood was presented with the Silver Hard Hat, that organization's highest honor.
Previous recipients of the award have been William Clark of Clark Masonry Construction, Milford; William Walker of The MacMillin Company, Keene; Samuel Audley of R.S. Audley, Inc., Bow; Levi Ladd of L.K. Ladd, Inc., Concord; Jack McDevitt Jr. of McDevitt Trucks, Inc., Manchester; Tom Avallone of Cobb Hill Construction, Concord; Jim Morrill of Morrill Construction, North Haverhill; Mark and Rick Charbonneau of Continental Paving, Londonderry; Leighton White of Leighton A. White Inc., Milford; Rich Lambert of PROCON, Manchester; Tom Palazzi of The Palazzi Corp., Hooksett; Ron Severino of Severino Trucking, Candia; Paul Morin of Tarkka Homes, Weare; Bruss Construction, Bradford; John Zahr of Harvey Construction Corp., Bedford; Mark Bates of Weaver Brothers Construction, Bow; and Tom Morin of Morin's Landscaping, Hollis.