PADUCAH, Ky. - In 2002, Swift & Staley, Inc. (SSI), a woman-owned small business and then-subcontractor doing infrastructure work at Kentucky’s Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, needed laborers who could drive a tractor.
Years of farming experience helped Paducah native Jeff Harris secure one of those jobs performing general maintenance, including mowing, weed trimming and office moves, and he became a member of United Steel Workers Local 550.
Harris’s work ethic earned him a carpenter position in 2003, and he was certified as a locksmith in 2004. He took advantage of the SSI educational reimbursement program and earned a bachelor’s degree in business in 2007. This helped him land a salaried position in the Security group in 2008. In 2015, SSI promoted Harris to his current position of physical security and access control supervisor. He is a certified facility security officer and lead auditor, and his primary responsibilities include physical security and visitor control.
Harris, who also serves as backup for the security manager, said he enjoys the combination of office and field work, problem solving and dealing with people.
“You have to wear a lot of hats, but you get to wear a lot of hats," he said. “That provides flexibility to learn new things."
The company hopes Harris’s success inspires other employees, says SSI Deputy Project Manager Debora Jolly.
“Being a small business doesn’t mean we can’t provide big opportunities for our employees," she said.
In addition to security and maintenance, SSI’s infrastructure support services include computing, telecommunications and cybersecurity; fleet, property and records management; environment, safety, health and quality; and training services.
Performing its third consecutive prime contract, awarded in 2015, SSI is a two-time recipient of the DOE Small Business of the Year Award (2008 and 2013), and has achieved DOE Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Status for safety and health excellence.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
