Galusha & Sons: A Legacy of Hard Work and Opportunity in Heavy Civil Construction
Based out of Queensbury New York, Galusha and Sons stands as a testament to the enduring power of family, hard work, and adaptability in the heavy civil construction industry. Founded three generations ago, this family-owned business has grown from humble beginnings—trading a Jeep for a bulldozer that only turned one way—to tackling large-scale projects for clients like Walmart, Home Depot, and local municipalities.
At the helm of the company today is Ryan Galusha, a third-generation leader whose journey reflects the grit, resilience, and vision that have defined the company for decades. In a recent episode of The Blue Collar StartUp podcast, hosted by Mike Nelson and Derek Foster, Ryan shared the story of Galusha and Sons, offering insights into its evolution, his personal path to leadership, and the challenges and opportunities in today’s construction industry.
A Legacy Built on Dirt and Determination
Galusha and Sons began with Ryan’s grandfather, a visionary who saw opportunity in moving dirt with dump trucks. The business took a significant step forward when Ryan’s uncle traded a Jeep for a bulldozer, a machine that, despite its limitations, became the foundation for the company’s growth. From digging basements to installing septic systems, the family business expanded its scope over the years, taking on increasingly complex projects. By the time Ryan’s father and uncle were fully involved, Galusha and Sons was handling major developments, including commercial projects for retail giants and infrastructure work like bus garages for local municipalities.
The company’s core focus remains heavy civil construction, encompassing excavation, pipe work, and site preparation. Their work includes installing sewer, water, and storm drainage systems, as well as culverts and underground utilities. Beyond traditional construction, Galusha and Sons has diversified into logging and land clearing, a move driven by necessity and opportunity. As Ryan explained, the company began clearing land for their projects when subcontractors couldn’t keep up, eventually investing in equipment like feller bunchers and processors to handle the work in-house. This adaptability has allowed them to remain competitive, even in slower seasons like winter, when logging becomes a key focus.
Ryan Galusha: A Third-Generation Leader
As the current general manager, Ryan Galusha embodies the balance between honoring a family legacy and forging a new path. His journey to leadership was not a straightforward one. Growing up in the business, Ryan was immersed in the world of construction from a young age, but his uncle insisted he prove himself outside the family company before taking on a leadership role. After earning a civil engineering degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Ryan was ready to join Galusha and Sons. However, his uncle challenged him with a pivotal question: “What do you have to offer Galusha and Sons?” Unable to provide a compelling answer, Ryan was encouraged to gain experience elsewhere.
This advice led Ryan to D.A. Collins Construction, where he spent seven years honing his skills in project management, bidding, and job organization. Working for a larger company exposed him to new perspectives and processes, which he later brought back to Galusha and Sons. “I learned how to organize and run a job, build a job, bid a job,” Ryan shared. “It’s different work than what we do, but the concept is essentially the same.” His time away allowed him to develop a professional identity separate from his family’s legacy, earning respect on his own merits. When he returned to Galusha and Sons six years ago, he was better equipped to lead, bringing a blend of outside expertise and an intimate understanding of the family business.
Overcoming the Third-Generation Curse
Ryan is acutely aware of the challenges that come with being a third-generation leader. “The third generation always screws it up,” he recalled hearing as a young man. This notion, rooted in the idea that later generations may lose touch with the struggles of their predecessors, has driven Ryan to stay connected to the hands-on nature of the work. He remains passionate about operating equipment and solving problems in the field, even as he manages the broader responsibilities of a general manager. His role is a dynamic one, split evenly between office work—reviewing bids, managing schedules, and maintaining client relationships—and fieldwork, where he might be found running an excavator or laying pipe.
One of Ryan’s biggest challenges has been earning the respect of a workforce loyal to his father and uncle. With an average employee tenure of seven to eight years, and some veterans staying for decades, Galusha and Sons is a tight-knit team. Ryan’s approach to leadership emphasizes patience and collaboration. Rather than imposing his vision, he listens to his team, asking, “What do you guys do? What do you like to do? What’s the direction we’re headed as a company?” This approach has helped him build trust and foster a culture where employees feel valued, not just as workers but as part of a family.
Investing in People and Culture
At Galusha and Sons, the workforce is considered family, and Ryan is committed to investing in their growth. The company has partnered with Scott McKenna to develop onboarding and leadership training programs, particularly for younger employees entering the industry with little to no experience. These programs focus on both technical skills and leadership development, helping employees like mechanics transition into supervisory roles. Ryan emphasized the broader impact of this training: “It’s not just here at work. There’s wives of the guys that have been a part of the class saying, ‘Whatever you’re doing here is working,’ because they’re stepping up as husbands and fathers.”
This investment in people reflects the company’s broader philosophy of doing what’s right, even when it’s difficult. Ryan credits his grandfather and uncle for instilling this value, noting that their reputation for integrity has opened doors to major projects. “You do what’s right, and the right things will follow,” he said, a motto that continues to guide the company.
Navigating Challenges in the Trades
The construction industry is not without its challenges, particularly in today’s labor market. Ryan highlighted the difficulty of finding skilled workers, noting that the company now hires candidates with no construction experience, such as former Amazon drivers or chefs, as long as they have a strong work ethic. “I’ll take a guy that has no idea what he’s doing with a good attitude any day over the guy that knows what he’s doing but has a terrible attitude,” he said. This focus on attitude over skill has proven effective, as new hires with positive mindsets quickly adapt to the demands of the trade.
The broader labor shortage in the trades is a growing concern. Ryan attributes this to a societal shift away from blue-collar work, with many young people encouraged to pursue higher education over manual labor. “When I was growing up, my father said, ‘You gotta use your head, not your back,’” he recalled. Yet, Ryan sees immense opportunity in the trades for those willing to embrace the work. “You can do pretty well with zero education, zero debt,” he noted, emphasizing the financial and personal rewards of a career in construction.
Looking to the Future
As Galusha and Sons looks ahead, Ryan is focused on maintaining the company’s identity as a family-owned business while pursuing sustainable growth. Rather than expanding geographically or becoming a corporate entity, the company is diversifying into specialized areas like municipal work and logging. “There’s got to be growth, but it doesn’t always need to be size,” Ryan explained. By staying nimble and open to new opportunities, Galusha and Sons continues to thrive in a competitive industry.
For those considering a career in the trades, Ryan’s advice is clear: seize the opportunity where others see obstacles. “Whenever you’re seeing a lot of people say, ‘I don’t want to do it,’ that’s where you want to be, because that’s where the opportunity is,” he said. With a legacy built on hard work, adaptability, and a commitment to doing what’s right, Galusha and Sons is a shining example of what’s possible in the blue-collar world.
To learn more about Galusha and Sons, visit their website at www.galushasons.com or check out their projects across the Capital Region.