As a fairly recent addition to the WW Clyde family, Mike Johannes has appreciated the opportunities he’s had to grow relationships with his team members and others that he interacts with on the job. 

“I enjoy getting everybody to focus on a common goal,” Mike said. “It’s just fun to watch people work towards that as a team. I also enjoy the different divisions and lines of business that we’re in, including all the different vendor relationships. It’s great to learn a little bit about their businesses in each interaction I have. The people are what I like most about this job.” 

As the Equipment Manager, Mike oversees all aspects of WW Clyde’s equipment—from purchasing and selling to shop expenses, personnel, and the mobilization of the equipment. It’s a trade Mike didn’t expect to be involved in growing up. 

“This is definitely not what I had planned to do as a kid,” Mike said. “I wanted to be a wildlife officer, but as a teenager, I ended up working for a paving and aggregates company as a laborer. Eventually, I moved into operating the equipment and then into building roads and other things. 

“I loved running equipment and was somehow invited to work in the shop in the offseason and took a liking to fixing stuff. My life turned into fixing things, so I ended up going to school at WyoTech. I started building my career from there.” 

After working in the shop for some time, Mike worked his way up, eventually ending up running the shop. 

“I was immersed into the business side of things and kind of enjoyed it,” Mike said. “I thought I’d try to become more knowledgeable in that aspect. So, I’m currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western Governors University.” 

That additional pursuit of education helped Mike land his position with WW Clyde, but it wouldn’t have happened without a loving nudge from his wife. 

“My wife strongly suggested that I put my resume on LinkedIn,” Mike said. “I did, and a recruiter reached out to me. That’s all she wrote. I found out that WW Clyde was looking to fill a position I was very qualified for. I did a lot of asking around the valley about the company, and I didn’t run into a single person who had anything negative to say. I spoke with both vendors and former employees. It was amazing how everybody had nothing but positive things to say about WW Clyde.  

“Through the first of three interviews, I could feel a sense of belonging. I really appreciated the professionalism that I experienced, and that’s exactly what I was looking for. I really appreciate WW Clyde’s values.” 

WW Clyde’s values of “We Value People,” “We Continuously Improve,” “Our Word is Our Bond,” and “Always Give a Full Measure” are embedded in the fabric of the company. 

Even though Mike hasn’t been with the company long, he hopes his team can continue to make an impact on those around them. 

“My goal is to break down the silos with other departments,” Mike said. “I want to work as a team with those departments and remove any stigma of competition. I feel like if we work together between departments, we will achieve that goal. And success is what I want to continue to see at WW Clyde.”